1989 Hammer Head 23 Year Old Single Malt Czech Whisky (700ml)

A whisky with quite a story behind it…
In Communist-era Czechoslovakia, whisky became the preferred tipple of several high ranking officials. Unfortunately, importing it from the West was impossible. The group located a single small distillery in the motherland (it also had a hammer mill). It dated from around 1928. Learning on the job, they sourced local barley with water shipped in from the Bohemia region. Scottish Peat was imported and Czech casks were used for maturation. The operation was to last about five years, during which time the malt became quite prized.

 In 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. Europe changed forever. The warehouse inventory was forgotten and the casks lay dormant in the cellars of the old distillery for over twenty years when an independent company purchased the operation. After tasting the lost barrels, they were so impressed, they decided to market the remaining stocks. Bottled under the name 'Hammer Head' in honour of the old Mill, the first edition was a 20 year old followed by this 23 year old. The latter was reportedly a favourite of Boris Yeltsin. Originally released in the US only. Extremely limited, one bottle only. 

 Other reviews… Floral, resinous, almost hoppy on the nose, with dusty cedar chest, old leather chair, white pepper, licorice, and an intriguing tangy note, like pickles. The palate’s intense oakiness is tempered by an herbaceous sweetness and integrated spice—cinnamon, cubeb, and allspice, with chalky minerality. There’s a savory and saline quality that lingers into the finish, which is spicy and dry with oak tannins. Distilled in 1989 in what was then Czechoslovakia, using Czech peat, and matured in Czech oak casks. 91 points- whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Summer 2018)

…Don’t bother looking for complexity. This is one of Europe’s maltiest drams….If not the maltiest.
88.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2018