St. Kilian Tag des Deutschen Whiskys (2023)
It's that time of year again. On the last Saturday in June, we celebrate the Day of the German Whisky. The St. Kilian Distillery is hosting its Whisky Festival for the second time. With great anticipation, we take this opportunity to closely examine the special edition from last year's festival. This time, it's the popular Hungarian oak from St. Kilian. The relatively small 95-liter casks impart a very rich color to this single malt, despite an aging period of just under five years.
The panel
Mean 81.0 · spread 0
Value for money 4/5
- Distillery
- St. Kilian
- Type
- Single Malt
- Country
- Germany
- Age
- 4 years
- Strength
- 53.3% ABV
- Character
- rich
Tasting
Nose
The nose opens robustly, as expected. We find a mélange of intense dark fruits, dominated by prunes and overripe cherries. Light spicy oak notes accompany these aromas. After some time in the glass, subtler notes of vanilla, caramel, and a hint of clove emerge.
Palate
The taste is richly sweet and extremely fruity. A wild mix of pureed summer berries goes hand in hand with raisins and cherry jam once again. The mouthfeel is oily, very pleasant, and the cask strength integrates the flavors wonderfully. On the palate, the oak becomes more pronounced. The woodiness comes to the forefront and is accompanied by nutmeg and cinnamon.
Finish
The malt's finish is medium-long. The journey continues consistently here. Now, oak tones and spices dominate. The sweetness of the dried fruits is still noticeable but takes a back seat.
Verdicts
Marcel
This St. Kilian impressively demonstrates just how much fun Hungarian oak can bring in a relatively short maturation period – fruity, sweet, and with a pinch of spice that invites you to take another sip. A whisky bursting with character and perfectly suited to the German Whisky Festival, even though it’s unfortunately already sold out.
Sascha
With its balanced harmony of intense fruitiness, spicy oak, and a rich, oily mouthfeel, this St. Kilian convinces despite the short aging time. The cask strength and interplay of vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon create a structured complexity that clearly places this German single malt on par with established standards.
What it is worth
No auction record for this distillery, so we cannot tell you what this bottle is worth. We would rather say that than guess.