Eifel German Single Malt Whisky Edition 2021
I first came across Eifel Whisky through an auction site. I was perusing lots below the reserve towards the end of bidding, and found an Eifel 500ml “Malty Blend” from 2018 or 2019. I figured for whatever I paid, I had never had Eifel or any German whisky before, so why not try it.
Fast forward a few years, and I’m in a Total Wine in California looking for a bottle that wasn’t there (classic). Then, as I went down the single malt aisle and past the “World Whisky” section, an oddly-shaped bottle with a familiar-looking label caught my eye: it was an Eifel Whisky bottle, their Single Malt German Whisky Edition 2021.
The somewhat stout, simply-corked bottle with a single label that doesn’t have a lot of info - more on that later - stood out, and I was excited to try another expression. Within a few hours, I had scoured that Total Wine and two others and found three expressions. It’s not exactly widely-distributed, so I knew I had to pull the trigger.
From trying that first Eifel release, I knew it would be something familiar enough as a malt whisky but also unfamiliar enough to be interesting. The first one I tried, the Malty Blend, was indeed quite malty, showcasing a barley both mature and still bright, a solid mouthfeel and experience at just 92º. This one was next level.
Stephan, the brains behind Eifel, is notoriously tight-lipped, preferring to give minimal information and downplay certain notoriety, excepting a review from Jonny McCormick that, in Stephan’s words, hit the notes perfectly. Even though Jonny’s overall score (90) was lower than a few other reviews, Stephan has that review framed. It’s more important to him that the reviewer connects with and gets the whisky than simply liking it.
He is also a man whose family has centuries of distilling history in the whisky’s eponymous region of Germany, though he is more known as a wine importer and barrel broker. The minimalism of Eifel’s distillation is strict: there’s space for about 56 barrels. As a barrel is removed and emptied, another is distilled to take its place. No more, no less. Stephan’s wine background gives him access to myriad different casks, and that’s probably the only part of the process where he’d allow himself to be spotlighted.
His use of casks - unique to each distillation - is masterful. This release spent four years in ex-Bordeaux casks made from American oak then another four years in 1st and 2nd fill cream sherry casks. According to Fred Barnet, head of Anthem Imports and my resource for all things Eifel, the use of these casks was intentional yet also possibly experimental. Stephan doesn’t always know how the casks will work with the whiskies, but he has good hunches. Pairings that don’t turn out well are either re-casked to try to save them or, ultimately, discarded if he feels the liquid can’t be salvaged. At the scale Stephan is working at, he’s not looking to make millions off of Eifel; discarding a cask that didn’t work out is better than putting out something with which he’s not happy.
I’ll go a bit into the distillation process he uses in my next review. As an intro to Eifel, though, I definitely suggest starting with the single malt. Each Edition (think vintage) will be slightly different, but after trying the full lineup I think this is the most representative of how Stephan manages his casks and his whisky maturation. Other expressions will display how he uses peated casks, for example, but this one is more a measure of restraint. The casks add to the whisky, but they’re by no means “finishing” casks. The malt is through-and-through the star here, as it should be.
Plus, an 8-9-year-old single malt matured in two different casks at $65? Come on.
Eifel German Single Malt Whisky Edition 2021: Specs
Classification: German Single Malt Whisky
Origin: Eifel Distillery
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 92 (46% ABV)
Age: 8-9 Years Old
Location: Germany
Eifel German Single Malt Whisky Edition 2021 Price: $65
Eifel German Single Malt Whisky Edition 2021: Tasting Notes
Eye: Brewed black tea. Medium staid rims, medium thick legs running.
Nose: Subtle malty, cereal notes, light woodsmoke up the nostrils. Doesn’t smell like any particular single malt I’ve had, yet is clearly a single malt. It’s pillowy soft. Deep caramel notes open with air as does cream soda syrup.
Palate: Caramel-forward, black pepper toffee. Lightly numbing on the tip of the tongue, orchard fruits and fruitwood over the front and eventually the whole tongue. Astringency joins late on the back palate. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, silky at first and turns heavier and spicier as it sits and settles into the corners of my mouth. Drinks about 10 points above proof.
Finish: Caramel apples with a healthy dose of vanilla and black pepper. Sweet, lovely and fun to drink.
Overall: A different malt profile from nose to finish. Sweeter, more apple and caramel. A black pepper burst keeps it from being too sweet, as does a bit of astringency late.
Final Rating: 7.4
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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