St. Kilian Rich & Smoky Peated German Single Malt Whisky (2022) 70cl
For the smoky edition of "St. Kilian Peated - rich & smoky", St. Kilian uses heavily peated barley from the Scottish Highlands with a phenol content of 54 ppm. The single malt whisky consists of 70% ex- bourbon barrels and 30% Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry barrels. The result is an intense whisky with aromas of grilled apricots, creamy toffee and subtle oak spices, enveloped in warming peat smoke.
The story of this whisky begins with barley and water. Real peat heads will be happy here, because the whisky is smoky . Its strong 46% ABV gives the flavours their delicious intensity. The combination of these cask influences ensures a balanced overall picture. No caramel colouring was added. The honey-gold colour came about naturally.
Tasting Notes
Enjoy a seductive fruit bouquet of grilled apricots, juicy pears and ripe bananas, refined with sweet vanilla and a hint of lime. The gentle peat smoke surrounds the fruit perfectly and notes of dry ash and cooling mint complement the taste. The full aroma of vanilla, apricots and pears is harmoniously combined with creamy toffee and light peat smoke, which is elegantly refined with a pinch of white pepper and fresh mint. Experience the warm, spicy taste of oak in an elegant way.
About St Kilian
Three whisky connoisseurs, one idea. A village of 760 people,
Germany's largest whisky distillery.
In the 7th century, three monks from Ireland Christianized Franconia. They brought with them “Aqua Vitae” – the water of life – and a technology for producing it. Did they manage to convince the heathens of Christianity? In the end, they became martyrs and are still venerated today as the holy Frankish apostles St. Kilian, Kolonat and Totnan .
Ireland was Christianized early on, and so in the 6th century Irish missionaries traveled to the Near East. There they discovered the art of distillation among the Arabs using small copper pot stills. The alcohol obtained from this was enriched with spices, herbs and flowers and used as perfume. The Irish monks drank it and found "Aqua Vitae" , as they called it in Latin, to be a formidable medicine for body and soul. From then on, and with this knowledge gained, Aqua Vitae was distilled and distributed in copper stills in the monasteries of Ireland. A barley spirit , comparable to today's "New Make" (spirit) in whisky distilleries.
Three traveling monks with “Aqua Vitae” in their luggage on their way to Franconia
In the 7th century, the monks Kilian, Kolonat and Totnan travelled to Franconia on the orders of the Pope in Rome to Christianise the stubborn pagans there. All previous attempts had failed. Their predecessors had all ended up on the stake. But in their luggage they were the first to bring “Aqua Vitae” – the water of life – as well as a small copper still for its production. They presented their barley brandy as a gift to King Gosbert and his Queen Gailana at the court in Würzburg and reported on its healing effects on body and mind. The king and his queen, as well as all the vassals in the court, were immediately enthusiastic. Kilian and his brothers were allowed to establish the production of Aqua Vitae in Würzburg and use the drink to convince the pagan citizens of Christianity. High-ranking and common people alike valued this new medicine for external but, above all, internal use
The legend of the creation of St. Kilian Whisky in Rüdenau
On their missionary journeys throughout Franconia, the monks also came to Rüdenau, the current location of our distillery. There they mixed their drink with the water from the Ottilienbrunnen, a healing spring where water gods had been worshipped long before, in the times of the Romans, who guarded the Limes there. What was created there later is now a legend: St. Kilian Whisky. You can read more about how the three monks ultimately became martyrs and why they are still worshipped as apostles throughout Franconia today in a booklet that is available to purchase in our shop in Rüdenau.
Three Men – One Mission
More than a thousand years later, three men who had a passion for "Aqua Vitae" came together again on a mission. Up until then, the art of whisky production in Germany had been advanced by distillers on local stills through maturation in barrels. However, copper pot stills and washbacks made from fine woods are needed to produce a complex single malt whisky using the original process from what is now Scotland and Ireland. In 2012, our founder Andreas Thümmler, a successful technology investment banker and passionate whisky collector, together with David F. Hynes , the Irish whisky legend from Dublin, had the idea and plan to establish Germany's largest whisky distillery in the beautiful Odenwald near Miltenberg am Main. They were joined by master brewer and master distiller Mario Rudolf from Amorbach.
The first “Spirit of St. Kilian” and many other signature editions
The three men put the plan into action and after four years of construction, in 2016 the first Spirit of St. Kilian flowed from the distillery's two 6000 liter Forsyth copper stills in the tranquil whisky village of Rüdenau. In May 2019, the team presented its first three-year-old single malt whisky, the "First Kilian". From then on, St. Kilian is setting new quality standards in the production of "Whisky made in Germany" with its Small Batch Signature Editions. Our name "St. Kilian" is dedicated to the monk from Ireland and his brothers who impressed and convinced us Germanic peoples of the miraculous qualities of Aqua Vitae more than 1000 years ago. That is still our "mission" today.
46% ABV
70cl
