PBMichiganWolverine
Bivrost Vanaheim
Single Malt — Arctic region, Norway , Norway
Reviewed
May 11, 2023 (edited May 13, 2023)
I’ve been to Norway several years back. We did Oslo, Bergen , and Lofoten. Lofoten is above the arctic circle, pristine clean, where the rough seas meet the craggy cliffs and small fishing villages. One of the best places I’ve ever been. But, when I think of arctic , single malt doesn’t come to mind. Basic questions come to mind like “where did you get the barley from?” and “ it can’t possibly get warm enough to impart that wood -spirit interaction?”
In addition, this is finished in teak casks. Teak?!?! Teak is a hard wood that grows in tropical and subtropical climates. I mean, it’s a gorgeous wood, but I wouldn’t think it’s ideal for finishing a whiskey. In fact, I have a 300 yr old 2 1/2 foot Buddha carved into a trunk of a teak wood. It’s amazing to look at, but I can’t imagine it being used like this.
So…is this any good? Yeah. I’m actually surprised how much I liked it. It’s young, I’ll give it that. Maybe less than 10 yr old. I’d say 4-5. But it’s really subtle, like Hibiki. There’s a floral component that comes out, followed by tropical lychees and citrus, and wintermint. Not much of an aroma, but the palette is dancing.
For $65, this is a must buy. Hey @Slainte-Mhath you Norwegians were hiding this from us?
65.0
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@Slainte-Mhath I then lucked out getting a free sample of this and not the other Bivrosts That light floral palette is very gin like…you nailed it. I didn’t think of tjay resemblance to gin until you just mentioned it.
@PBMichiganWolverine I've tasted Vanaheim today, and it is by far the best Bivrost I had. Helheim, Jotunheim and Nidavellir are not worth the money. Here is my take: 'Confirmation bias can be dangerous - after three devastating Bivrost tastings, I didn't have high hopes for Vanaheim. The nose is 100% gin, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Botanicals, juniper and honey emerge, this is actually quite pleasant. Young but not aggressive, the palate emphasizes wood spices, chamomile and herbal teas. I can't put my finger on the teak notes, but they are definitely there. Licorice, cocoa powder and some burn remain in the swift finish. It doesn't come across as whisky, but there is light at the end of the tunnel! RATING: 2.9/5.0 stars ≙ 78 pts → AVERAGE [-]'
@Slainte-Mhath I got a free 6cl sample. Was included surprisingly when I purchased another bottle ( a 24 yr Ardmore by whiskynerds). I wish I had more—- now that my expectations are more tempered, I could’ve done a proper review.
@PBMichiganWolverine I was surprised you even got a bottle (or sample?) of this, it was sold out at Vinmonopolet in a few minutes, as all previous releases. I guess their marketing, using Viking mythology and highlighting the location north of the polar circle has a certain affection. Here is my review of 'Helheim', just to give my own opinion: 'I've been eager to taste one of Bivrost's overhyped releases for quite some time, but the flippers wouldn't let me. Finally, I got the chance to debunk this impostor. Ill-tempered and very thin, the nose is mostly new make with hints of juniper and cold spare ribs. Sweetish peat smoke, vanilla and hot spices characterize the rough and fairly aggressive taste. Perfect drain pipe cleaner. It leaves with a punch to the gut, some bitter burn and distant peppermint. Seriously, get yourself a bottle of Ballantine's Finest and you are better off. RATING: 2.0/5.0 stars ≙ 62 pts → INFERIOR'
@Slainte-Mhath i think bc my expectations were so low ( immature, arctic ), maybe I was pleasantly surprised. I expected it to be drain pour. Yeah—why is it that the secondary is so high on these? What’s the logic?
@PBMichiganWolverine I have to be brutally honest here, Bivrost (so far) is among the worst spirits I have ever tasted. I reviewed Helheim and Jotumheim and gave them 2 stars and 2.4 stars, respectively. I am planning to try Vanaheim and Asgard at our local whisky bar tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes. My main criticism is the lack of maturation, which at this temperature is no surprise. You get more or less the opposite of Kavalan, there is almost no wood interaction. Current releases are presented in Highland Park style, fancy Viking packaging and insane flipping on the secondary market. If you want to try 'real' Norwegian whisky, search for Myken, for example Sabotør #2 Gunnerside which contains heavy water as a gimmick: https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/227373/myken-sabotr-2-gunnerside
@Scott_E I was surprised how good this was. Maybe because I had tempered expectations being arctic and teak.
@PBMichiganWolverine at $65 this sounds like a steal (considering the brief chat from yesterday)