Country: Germany
Region: Bavaria
Brand: Slyrs 2009
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (3 Years)
ABV: 43 %
Date: 20/10/2013
Colour: Yellow Gold
Nose: Young and certainly somewhat different when compared to your average Scottish Single Malt or Blend. It's more like a Fruit Liqueur made of Plums or Peaches. I also get Malt, light Oak, Vanilla, Marzipan, Grass/Straw, Honey, Nuts and a bit of Alcohol. There is a light cooked Vegetables off note when you open the bottle but in the glass this practically disappears after 15 minutes or so. So give it some time to properly open up. It's not bad at all for a spirit that only matured for 3 years. It will be interesting to taste the 12 years that might be available next year or so.
Palate: Roughly follows the Nose with Assorted Fruit, Vanilla, Honey, Malt, light Oak and Citrus Peel. Nothing too complicated but pleasant enough.
Finish: Middle-Long, Fruity and Sweet but slightly Dry towards the end with Malt, Vanilla, light Wood, Pepper, light Licorice and Lemon-Peel. It invites you to have another sip!
With a bit of Water it's still drinkable but it gets too light for my taste. Better sip the Slyrs 2009 neat.
Rating: 82
Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5
General Remarks: In 1994 Florian Stetter, a member of the Bavarian Distillery Guild visited Speyside and saw the likeness of the region with Bavaria. So he decided to try and produce a Single Malt Whisky in Bavaria. He started distilling in 1999 at the Fruit Spirits Distillery Lantenhammer. But In 2007, the Slyrs Distillery was opened in the township of Neubach (Schliersee) as part of said Lantenhammer. The name Slyrs goes back to 779 when five monks founded a monastery near Lake Schlier and called it Slyrs. It is also the name of a locally found green-yellow clay. The Slyrs Single Malt matures for 3 years in new 225 litre American White Oak barrels. The Barley is partially dried with Driftwood. This dram is not cheap at around 60 US Dollars.
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion: I was really presently surprised by this young Slyrs. I believe you should approach this Spirit with an open mind avoiding a direct comparison with a Scottish or Japanese Single Malt. On the Nose it's more like an Obstbrand (Fruit Liqueur) really but Palate and Finish tell you this really is a young Whisky. It's certainly well-balanced and consistent. Of course it could do with additional maturation and an Ex- Sherry Cask Finish but who knows what lies in the future. I truly believe this Distillery is on the right track and it will be a pleasure to taste future expressions.
Jan van den Ende October 2013
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