High Coast Whisky, The High Coast, Sweden

On a hill overlooking the Angermånn river sits this award winning whisky distillery.

Currently the world’s most northerly whisky distillery and the biggest in Sweden, High Coast Whisky was started in 2010 with a desire to produce a beautiful spirit in the traditional way.  The owners have travelled extensively to gain their expertise and this shows in the fabulous range they now produce.  Whisky lovers come from far and wide to sample both the main ranges and the limited editions.  A week before visiting, the distillery was actually the proud winner of the biggest whisky competition in Asia.

The brand draws heavily on its locality with the pure Swedish water being used as a base for all products and the local nature and history playing a significant part in the branding.  Customers can choose from varieties named after the river, the mountains and more.

The distillery building itself is in an old steam room and can be viewed as part of an organised tours.

The warehouse is even more fascinating.  Aisles upon aisles of barrels, many of them bought and kept here on site by whisky aficionados, many with a tale to tell.  There is the barrel decorated with a peace symbol, made from a combination of American and Russian oaks with Swedish oak as the neutral zone in the middle.  There is the barrel bearing the photograph of the owners wife.  Or perhaps the unusually shaped barrel made by one cooper when finishing his apprenticeship, to demonstrate just how skilled he had become?

As any whisky lover will know, the choice of barrel affects the final flavour of the drink.  While they mostly use oak barrels, this innovative distillery will also sometimes choose others such as chestnut or Spanish sherry.

Once the tour is finished, visitors can relax in the restaurant with far reaching views or outside on the patio.  It is here that whisky tastings are held, giving you the opportunity to try the whisky for yourself.

Should this really tempt you, there is also the opportunity to attend a one week whisky academy where participants get the chance to learn how to make whisky and get hands on in the process.

And if you really can’t tear yourself away there is also glamping and space for motorhomes on site.

With the exception of the distillery the whole site is fully accessible. While the actual distillery is not wheelchair accessible, it is possible to gain access from another vantage point, which in actual fact feels even more exclusive.