Fary Lochan Efterar Danish Whisky Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B-

Batch 1 of Efterar, or “autumn,” was the original whisky release from Danish distillery Fary Lochan. Reportedly this was aged in quarter-casks (small barrels) for approximately three years, and then received a sherry cask finish for about five months. It was bottled at 48% abv in 50 cl bottles, and is now completely sold out.

All things considered, I hope there is a Batch 2 for Efterar, because it shows some promise. Fary Lochan bills itself as one of the smallest distilleries in Europe, and is basically a hobby project/garage business, turning out whisky in very small batches. Like many of the best craft distilleries, Fary Lochan has made some interesting production choices, such as burning nettles to smoke their malt. Thus far the whiskies have been hit or miss, but the hits show enough to merit paying further attention, if you can get past the steep price tag, that is.

The Whisky
In the glass, Efterar has a bronzed look, so you can tell it picked up some serious influence from the wood in a relatively short space of time. The nose struck me as being something like a whiskified Black Forest Cake. Cherry and fruitcake spices mingled with a malty sweetneess, a pinch of white pepper, and a tinge of pine sap. For such a young whisky, it certainly has a measure of complexity in the scent.

The flavor takes a turn into a cinnamon-based spiciness, with the sherry note once again appearing as a cherry-like flavor, with a modest ashy note coming on at the end. The palate has a good, solid body, although it isn’t quite as lively as the nose. From there, the finish makes a simple and direct line to the end, packing quite a lot of warmth for the journey.

The Price
Back when this was available, it went for a painful £175.