Finland’s liquid gold: Kyrö Distillery’s renowned whisky voyage
In the town of Isokyrö, next to the Kyrö river, sits an old dairy amid the bucolic surroundings of the Ostrobothnian area in North-Western Finland. This is the core of the Kyrö Distillery Company, an all-rye distillery located in Finland that Miko Heinilä, Jouni Ritola, Mikko Koskinen, Miika Salmi Lipiäinen, and Kalle Valkonen founded in 2012.
Over time, Kyrö has garnered praise for its commitment to excellence, innovative approach, and goal of improving the whisky industry. Given the significance of saunas to the Finnish people, it makes sense that Kyrö Distillery’s foundation tale includes them.
The group’s plan to use Finnish rye to make whisky set off a series of events that would permanently alter the Finnish landscape distillation. It was going to be a difficult journey, and making this decision called for a passion for rye and a common vision.
How, therefore, did five guys in a sauna become Kyrö, an award-winning all-rye distillery? The solution is obvious: by being bold and dreaming.
focusing on tradition
The town of Isokyrö has a long history, and the heart of Kyrö has always been its people, who value the environment, customs, and most importantly, each other. The guys had no prior expertise with distillation, so they began by learning about and testing several techniques on rye to see which would work best for their whisky.
Above all, our five founders’ shared love of rye, their commitment to their Finnish history, and their appreciation of regional customs, products, and workmanship brought them together over the years.
Since rye is a unique grain, the best distillation techniques must be found for whisky made from it. The distinctive flavor of rye, derived from the severe weather in the North, developed a clear the foundation of Kyrö’s whiskies.
The founders realized they had to become experts in every step of the distillation process—from malting the rye through fermentation, distillation, and cask ageing—in order to produce a rye whisky that was genuinely amazing. With their classic touch, shining copper pot stills are nurturing and manufacturing marvels based on rye.
Whisky aging is an artistic process, and time works its whisky magic at Kyrö’s stunning concrete and wood barrel facilities. The spirit is cradled by the barrels, which impart flavors to it. The rye whisky’s rich, multifaceted flavor comes from a blend of American and Scottish whisky-making techniques, which combine pot distillation with grain-based methods. Malting the grain achieves the objective of extracting the greatest flavor possible all of the solids during the distillation process, including the rye.
And what came of it all? A stunning whiskey made entirely of malted rye that perfectly captured the spirit, culture, and environment of Finland.
Whiskey with awards
Kyrö is a distillery that challenges conventional wisdom, emphasizing genuine flavor transparency and equitable experiences for all. Despite being one of the more recent whisky producers, Kyrö Distillery has already won and received awards from a number of international whisky contests for its flawless line of 100% rye products.
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Most recently, Kyrö received the highest honor in the competition—three stars—for its Kyrö Malt at the 2023 Great Taste Awards. Similarly, it received an astounding 98/100 points, earning it the title of “Gold Outstanding” from the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC). The entire Kyrö product line, which also includes gins and a dairy cream, is highly regarded around the world as a guarantee of excellence and remarkable character.
Kyrö is celebrating the arrival of its core range of whiskies this autumn, which includes four kinds available in 700ml bottles, as a new milestone. Along with the new nutty and sweet Kyrö Oloroso and earthy Kyrö Peat Smoke, the collection features the well-known and adored Kyrö Malt and alder-smoked Kyrö Wood Smoke. This core line offers premium whisky with flavorful qualities so that everyone can choose their own favorite. It also showcases the amazing adaptability of the rye grain.
Making a constructive influence
In addition to producing exquisite rye spirits, Kyrö’s dedication to environmental and social sustainability permeates every aspect of the business. Kyrö’s ethos is a testament to the founders’ strong ties to the community and their aim to make a positive effect on the whisky business. From selecting local ingredients to operating the distillery entirely on biogas generated from food waste and helping the local community, the brand embodies these values. Nevertheless, the way Kyrö’s whisky captures Finnish culture and Kyrö ideals in every sip is what really makes it stand out—not just its flawless craftsmanship or the accolades it has received. From mist-covered lakes and whispering forests to vigorous rye fields and blooming gardens, Kyrö’s whole portfolio takes the viewer on a journey through Finland’s natural landscape.
The rye-filled journey of Kyrö Distillery is replete with setbacks and victories, demonstrating years of dedication, love, and respect for the Finnish tradition. Finland has long been recognized as the country of a thousand lakes, but maybe in the future more may be revealed that embodies the country’s ideals, nature, and workmanship, such as the liquid gold of Kyrö.