Distiller magazine

fall 2020 | 101 light-brown hue. Agitator avoids all this because of the low temperature: e boiling point is 63°C compared to the usual 93°C. "Distilling at normal pressure would result in richer, yummier aromas, but the advantage of lower pressure is that we get a cleaner, safer dis- tillate which will give fruitier, more tasty whisky inside the barrel," he says. What aromas is Agitator after? Cut points are chosen by taste. Bruno admits he makes the deci- sion by hunch. "e foreshot cut should be drinkable, I'm looking for a lot of esters," he says. e lower cut point is more important though, especially for the peated style, since phenols and supporting fusel oils emerge later during the dis- tillation. "When we cut to feints in the high-reflux still using unpeated malt," Bruno says, "the taste should be light and fresh. at's why we cut as high as 73%, getting a whisper of phenols. e unpeated run in the low-reflux still has more fusel oils adding to the body. e peated version in the same still has less fruitiness, and instead the spirits are oilier and heavier since the phenols arrive late." ough Agitator makes strongly peated beer, they struggle to get the phenols through to the final distillation, the problem being the vac- uum regime. "Vacuum removes impurities in the first distil- lation, including much of the smoke, so we wait longer to get the peat in the next distillation," he says. "At the same time, we get more malty notes. Our peated whisky is notably less fruity, with stronger malt presence and a kinder, oily smoki- ness — a complex mix of malt and peat which is impossible to achieve in conventional stills." Most important for a new distillery is the new make, not the coming of age spirits in the bar- rels. is is the raw material you have to live with for years to come; if the outcome is bad you can't change it retroactively. ese distillates are com- pact and aroma-rich but still liberating and clean with balancing weight. When it comes to aging, Bruno is in a hurry. e specs say the product must be ready in 6–7 years and to speed up maturation heating is applied, inspired by American temperature-con- trolled warehousing. e cozy, warm stillhouse is in direct contact with the warehouse next door through an air lock near the ceiling. Fans pull out the warmth to increase the warehouse temperature. In winter- time it's never colder than 0°C (32°F) and during summer the temperature is boosted to about 30°C. e raise forces the spirit to expand into the wood. e Kentucky climate works like this, which suits corn-based whiskey like straight bourbon or rye. But does it work with malt barley whisky? Well, Indian and Taiwanese malt makers like Amrut and Kavalan have proven that extreme temperature changes rid young products of youth- ful notes. Agitator's 6-year core product should hit the market around 2024. e lead expression will be lightly peated, drawn from American virgin oak and ex-bourbon barrels with additional chestnut and oloroso sherry oak, bottled at 40–43% to appeal to a wider audience. But then again, CEO Håkan Jarskog, who has the final call, refuses to make any promises. "It all depends on how well the whisky matures," he says. "It might happen sooner. Recent samplings suggest we will beat the 6-year mark. Bottling at 43% or higher is a must to position us as a quality single malt." Already in 2021, a 3-year peated prequel at 46% will arrive, aiming for more knowledgeable consumers. Swedish whisky palates are deeply sat- urated with heavily peated Islay whisky. Since the process steals phenols, smokiness is enhanced by Pipes within Agitator's brewing operation. Photo © Lars Ragnå

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