German Whisky - The history

Korn in the north and Obstler in the south!

Germany has a long tradition of grain processing - especially in the production of grain brandy. Grain brandies were already being distilled here in the Middle Ages. However, whisky as we know it today did not play a role for a long time. The reason: Germans favoured clear spirits, while matured spirits such as whisky tended to be imported from Scotland, Ireland or later the USA.

Back in 1959, the German company Racke brought an exciting impulse to the domestic spirits market with Racke Rauchzart. For many consumers - without any connection to American or British soldiers - this whisky was their first contact with matured distillates. In the 1970s in particular, this whisky achieved high sales figures and thus had a lasting impact on the perception of whisky in Germany.

At the same time, well-known American brands such as Medley's and, increasingly, Johnnie Walker provided memorable experiences for whisky newcomers - first taste experiences that paved the way for a growing interest in imported, matured spirits.

Whisky was still an imported product at the end of the 1970s. There were still no German distilleries producing single malt whisky. Malt whisky came to Germany at a time when the economic upturn following the economic miracle and the onset of mass tourism took Germans to neighbouring countries. It was on these trips that many people first became acquainted with the variety and finesse of malt whisky and brought these treasures home with them as souvenirs. Although the strict customs controls usually only allowed one litre per person, the demand had long since exceeded the import quantities, so that a separate market began to develop.

The breakthrough of Glenfiddich is an outstanding example of international whisky culture. Even before 1980, interested parties could visit the distillery and buy bottles in a small shop - which always sold out quickly, as the enjoyment and quality of this fine drink became increasingly important in Germany.

The 1980s marked a profound change on German spirits shelves. While domestic grain brandies and traditional German whiskies had dominated the market until then, scotch and malt whisky were now coming to the fore.

Market adaptation and brand expansion
The German company Racke was already responding to the trend: its classic "Rauchzart" whisky was transformed into a blended Scotch variant to meet changing consumer preferences. At the same time, the Glenfiddich distillery expanded and established itself on almost all supermarket shelves - clear evidence of the growing demand for matured and imported whiskies.

Import and market development
At the same time, specialised wholesalers and retailers began to import rare malt whiskies directly from Scotland. Although the proportion of malt whiskies imported in the early 1980s was probably only a few tens of thousands of bottles per year, this laid the foundations for the growing market. In the blended Scotch whisky segment, brands such as Chivas Regal and Johnnie Walker Black Label in particular took top positions in terms of quality early on - while the success of Glenfiddich further fuelled competition in the single malt sector.

New players and market expansion
In addition to Glenfiddich, there was briefly room for other brands:

• Cardhu and Royal Lochnagar attempted to gain a foothold in the single malt niche in the second half of the 1980s. However, Cardhu proved to be too expensive and Royal Lochnagar was perceived as too intense in flavour.
• Around 1990, Glen Grant succeeded in making the breakthrough: With prices around 25% lower than Glenfiddich and the distinctive name association, this brand secured a permanent place on supermarket shelves.

Special niches in the duty-free sector
In addition, high-quality malts such as Glenlivet and Glenmorangie were occasionally found in duty-free sales - although these rare bottlings were largely reserved for specialists and whisky enthusiasts.

American brands are beginning to conquer the German market. Initially, the focus was on Jim Beam - a brand that gave many German consumers their first access to American whisky.

Jack Daniel's then entered the scene at the end of the 1980s and established itself as the second major supplier. Both brands acted as the vanguard of American spirits on the German market and had a lasting impact on the perception of whisky in Germany.

Initially, the focus was mainly on the familiar flavour profiles of blended bourbons. The high-quality Kentucky straight bourbon - comparable to the Scottish single malt whiskies - was not initially recognised by German consumers. Nevertheless, the successful market entry of Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's paved the way for the subsequent interest and increasing popularity of American whiskies in Germany.

The success story of Whisky.de, which began in 1993, is inextricably linked to the history of German whisky - an ideal time to accompany the global malt whisky boom that was beginning at the time. Between 1990 and 1992, rare treasures, such as a Strathisla 15 year old or an Isle of Jura , came together on numerous trips to Scotland, laying the foundation stone.

From the very beginning, Whisky.de developed into more than just a source of information. The portal sees itself as a two-sided platform: on the one hand, it offers comprehensive specialist knowledge and background information about the world of whisky, and on the other, it functions as a sales platform - so whisky enthusiasts can find both high-quality products and in-depth expertise in one place.

The German whisky market had its very own beginning. As early as the mid-1920s, a number of courageous producers came onto the scene who can be considered pioneers of German whisky. Here are some of the most important players:

• Blaue Maus Distillery:
  This Bavarian distillery is considered one of the first to attempt to establish whisky outside of the traditional grain spirit culture. With experimental approaches and the adoption of whisky craft techniques, it laid the foundations for later developments.
• Racke:
  The production of "Racke Rauchzart" from 1959 shows that the German market had early points of contact with whisky - even if this whisky initially catered to different expectations. Racke originally used traditional knowledge to imitate the flavour of international whiskies, thereby helping to popularise mature distillates.
• Hammerschmiede with the Glen Els brand:
  In the Harz region, this distillery was an early adopter of whisky production and produced another example of German innovation in whisky production with its Glen Els brand.

These pioneers combined the traditional German art of distillation with innovative approaches and experimented with regional raw materials and new maturation techniques. In doing so, they paved the way for today's diverse whisky scene in Germany.

At a time when the domestic market was still dominated by clear grain brandies, the first German whisky pioneers focussed on the use of regionally available raw materials and experimented with various cask maturation concepts. These early experiments were based on craftsmanship and the idea of giving whisky its own characteristic flavour - similar to traditional brandies - that reflected German taste.

The path to a new whisky era
Although the first home-made whisky met with initial scepticism in Germany, the innovative distilleries were not deterred by reservations. Over time, these pioneers managed to set new quality standards and win over consumers' taste buds in the long term. In this way, they laid the foundations for the many facets of the German whisky scene today.

Since the turn of the millennium, German whisky has been on a steep upward trajectory. The first Slyrs was produced in the south of Bavaria in 1999. The Lantenhammer distillery, traditionally a schnapps distillery, then bottled the first 3-year-old Slyrs in 2002 - a product that developed into a real success story in the following years. In 2006, another milestone was set with the construction of the company's own Slyrs distillery at the picturesque Schliersee.

This was followed by the opening of many more distilleries. The Liebl distillery in Bad Kötzting in the Bavarian Forest, which has long been on the market as a schnapps distillery, started producing whisky in 2009. The Kammer-Kirsch distillery distils the Rothaus single malt whisky from the Black Forest. The first Rothaus whisky was distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2009. The Finch whisky distillery in the Swabian Alb region was launched in 2012. Finch was also active as a fruit distiller much earlier - from the 1990s onwards. The first New Make was produced in 1999 and the first bottle of Swabian whisky was sold in 2002 - at the time from the Aglishardt distillery.

Germany can be proud! Another important step on the way to establishing German whisky culture took place in 2012 when the German Whisky Association (VDW) was founded in Bad Kötzting. The aim of the association is to promote, cultivate and protect German whisky culture. It is impressive that 17 German whisky distillers signed the founding document - a strong signal of togetherness in the industry.

The recognition and celebration of local whisky culture is also reflected in the annual Day of German Whisky, which is celebrated on the last Saturday in June. This day not only commemorates the progress of the industry, but also invites whisky enthusiasts throughout Germany to enjoy the variety and quality of local products.

Germans are enjoying whisky more than ever before:

• Whisky's share of the German spirits market rose from 9.5 per cent in 2015 to 11.9 per cent in 2022, with a trend that is expected to continue rising in the future (source: Statista).
• According to the Federal Association of the German Spirits Industry and Importers, around six million German citizens regularly drink whisky.

Domestic production can also cover a large part of the growing demand: In 2023, the German spirits industry produced around 92,421 hectolitres of whisky - worth around 21.4 million euros.

The development of German whisky impressively demonstrates how traditional distilling skills and innovative approaches can combine to create an authentic market of its own. From the first pioneers who paved the way with experimental distilling techniques, to the rapid growth spurt from the turn of the millennium and the founding of the German Whisky Association, to the growing popularity on the domestic market - German whiskies have established themselves in the long term and are gaining an international reputation.