Iceland’s first and only whiskey distillery uses a traditional technique that raises a few eyebrows.
Iceland’s relationship with alcohol is rockier than the lunar lava plains of the Reykjanes Peninsula. This isolated island in the North Atlantic was under strict prohibition for most of the 20th century and the untamed, near-Arctic landscape doesn’t lend itself to verdant farmland for hops or grapes. However, pure glacial water streaming down from vast ice caps, the hardiness of Norwegian barley grown here since the 12th century, and a surprise extra ingredient ubiquitous across the country make for ideal whiskey distillation conditions. There’s just one family-owned distillery taking advantage of this perfect recipe.
The Distillery
Founded in 2009, Eimverk Distillery sits in an industrial stretch of suburban Reykjavik—a far cry from the cutesy shops and restaurants of the city’s center. It’s Iceland’s first and only whiskey distillery. The venture began as a kitchen experiment when Halli and Egill Thorkelsson casually created a homemade whiskey they named simply ”Young Malt.“ They were happy with the first sip, but Young Malt couldn’t officially be called a Scotch whiskey for another few years—Scottish law dictates that whiskey must be at least three years and a day old. Fast-forward a few years later, and the Thorkelssons were operating out of a warehouse-sized distillery on the outskirts of Reykjavik, with towering stills and a back catalog of gins and their own Brennivín—Iceland’s national drink, an herby, schnapps-like liquor.
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While gin and Brennivín can be whipped up in a flash (relatively speaking), producing whiskey requires a little more finesse and, above all else, patience. The Eimverk Distillery is only now starting to produce the 10-year and 12-year bottles of golden liquor that can compete with old Scottish producers like Laphroaig or Lagavulin, whose aged, peaty notes are revered by connoisseurs across the globe. But it’s no use comparing their Flóki single malt to Scottish, Irish, or American whiskies. Everything about it is pure Iceland in tradition, creation—and ingredients. Barrels are stored in the roots of Mount Hekla, a stratovolcano (volcano built up of alternate layers of lava and ash) whose unique terroir seeps into the wood as the whiskey matures. The huge stills are handmade and none of the equipment has been shipped in from elsewhere; it helps that the Thorkelsson family owns the robotics workshop next door.
The Secret Ingredient
Being “into whiskey” may conjure a certain image, usually of a man in a smoking jacket waxing lyrical about smokiness versus sweetness, or the taste of burnt orange and sunbeams. The self-styled expert wants depth, complexity, and excitement with every sip. Peat has long been a reliable way to achieve this in a Scotch malt. In traditional Speyside whiskies, this means harvesting peat from the abundant Highland boglands to fuel fires in drying rooms. The strong peat smoke weaves its way into the fabric of the drying barley, so the resulting single malt is infused with a distinctly smoky taste. However, peat bogs take centuries to form, and the harvesting of peat moss to make whiskey has recently come under scrutiny. It destroys natural habitats and releases carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
While Iceland’s landscape spans from vast glaciers to active volcanoes and black-sand beaches to iceberg lagoons, one thing it doesn’t have is peat bogs. Sustainability issues in peat harvesting aside, the Thorkelssons refuse to import anything from abroad in their spirit-making endeavor, so Eimverk’s use of sheep dung as its “secret ingredient” isn’t a gimmick to accrue clickable headlines; rather, it’s born out of necessity—as fuel for smoking barley.
Using sheep dung as fuel is not a new or novel concept in Iceland. Woodland is sparse on this wind-whipped island and harsh winter frosts kill off saplings—trees are few and far between. The population of sheep far outnumbers the humans on the island. Icelanders have been using sheep dung as fuel in place of wood since the settlement era and even use it to smoke fish and lamb. Flóki Sheep Dung Reserve is the first whiskey in the world to use this method.
The Process
Eimverk’s whiskies are all made from 100% Icelandic barley. Barley was introduced to Iceland along with the first Viking settlers as a hardy crop that could survive the harsh, near-Arctic winters and the type grown in Iceland is a distinctive variant from Norway. The whiskey is flavored with endemic Arctic herbs, and Halli and Egill refuse to add anything into the mix that hasn’t grown for less than 100 years in Iceland.
While Iceland’s relationship with barley has been turmoil-free, the same can’t be said for the country’s relationship with alcohol. Between 1915, and as recently as 1989, Iceland has been in some state of nation-wide prohibition. Scottish, American, and Irish malt whiskies have had decades of freedom to mature, but opening a distillery was impossible in 1980s Iceland, so Eimverk has had to come up with innovative ways to falsely age their young malts through sheep dung, volcano-infused barrels, and Arctic herbs.
The Taste
Now, to wax lyrical on sunbeams and burnt orange. The first sip of the straw-hued dram is sweet with a hint of wet hay, thanks to the Icelandic sheep’s diet. It doesn’t quite hit the same notes as a peat-smoked whiskey, but that doesn’t matter. Arctic herbs come through as a heathery-tasting afterthought that lingers long after the first sip. It’s an excellent digestif after a hearty dish of Icelandic lamb or a rich stew. The taste won’t be for everyone, as it verges on medicinal. But what Eimverk Distillery has achieved with its Flóki Sheep Dung Reserve is a drink that is 100% Icelandic from start to finish.
At global spirit awards, Flóki Sheep Dung Reserve has been lauded for having a depth of flavor and complexity akin to an aged malt. Iceland’s history and landscape—prohibition, barley production, sheep dung fires, and volcanic terroir—combine to create a young whiskey that tastes like an aged single malt.
The Experience
To try Flóki whiskey yourself, you can book an appointment for a tour and tasting at the Eimverk Distillery just outside Reykjavik. Flóki Sheep Dung Reserve is available in most bars across the country, and at the Duty Free at Keflavik Airport if you’re looking for a unique taste of Iceland for friends and family.
When we were in Iceland in 2021 I had whiskey that actually had birch twigs in the bottle for flavor. Pretty good too.