Slyrs is probably the most famous German Whisky distillery. And the most pitoresque. The view to the Wendelstein from the windows at the distillery’s visitor centre is spectacular. There is hardly a nicer place to enjoy a German whisky than here, between the fresh blue water of the Schliersee Lake and the steep slopes of the Wendelstein mountain.
In 1999, after a visit to Scotland, Florian Stetter decided to start making whisky. He was fascinated by the complex flavours of the Scottish drink and being a third generation distiller himself, he was sure he could create whisky.
The same year, the first the Bavarian Single Malt Spirit was distilled in the family’s traditional fruit distillery Lantenhammer in Neuhaus. Three years later, when the first whisky bottles were available, it was sold out within a few days.
Slyrs had started a new Whisky Hype in Germany, and many other German distillers would follow. There are quite a few distilleries which claim that they made German Whisky long before Slyrs did. But Slyrs were the first to make it with a professional ambition and the first to make it big. Slyrs paved the path that other distillers could follow. Without Slyrs, German Whisky would not be.
In 2007, they build a new whisky distillery right at the foot of the Wendelstein Mountain. Due to illness, Florian Stetter does not distill himself anymore.Nowadays Master distiller Hans Kemenater is in charge of the whisky production and has gained a very good reputation among the connaisseurs.
The stills are pearshaped, and the double distillation is done particularly slow. They use malted Bavarian barley from Weyermann in Bamberg and made according to their own specifiations over beechwood to provide additional flavors to the unique single malt.
Most of their products are sold young at the age of three years, and are dominated by vanilla and caramell notes of the American Ex-Bourbon casks.
In spring 2013, the team presented two new variants, which had received a finishing in Spanish sherry casks, in 2014 they did a finishing in French Sauternes cask and another Sherry variant with Amontilla flavors.
During the Whitsun weekend of 2015, the first batch of 12-year Slyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky became a star. The edition of 2,200 pieces was sold out within one day and sold to sky-rocket prices.
There are three stills used at Slyrs, two Wash Stills and one Spirit Still. They were custom-built by a Bavarian specialist and have a unique pear-like shape. The wash-stills have a capacity of 1,500 litres each and are heated by steam. Distillation time is 6 hours, the spirit has 30% vol. Alcohol.
The Spirit Still has a capacitiy of 1,500 litres, distillation time is 8 hours and the spirit has 70% alcohol.
The mash tanks have a capacity of 5,300 litres each, fermentation period is 7 days at 22° C. Finally, the mash has 6% vol. alcohol.
In 2016, they built a new Cafeteria, and you can get there by bus. So, if you ever plan a holiday trip in Bavaria, make sure you have a sip of slyrs while looking at the Wendelstein Mountain.
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