Allow me to introduce Seven Seals — a Swiss whisky producer that has absolutely no interest in “making whisky like everyone else”. Instead, they prefer to push boundaries and do things their own way. The brand has gained plenty of attention for its innovative releases, all created using the patented Stockhausen Method.
This method takes already matured, purchased whisky and lets it develop further in contact with wood chips from different types of casks. The result is a much faster maturation process than traditional barrel ageing — in fact, the spirit is often considered ready after just a few weeks. Because EU regulations are… well, EU regulations, the product can’t legally be called “whisky”, since the wood goes into the liquid rather than the liquid going into the wood. Instead, it must be labelled as “Single Malt Malted Barley Spirit.”
Seven Seals’ core range includes a number of distinct expressions, all built around pronounced cask profiles. You’ll find Amarone-, Sherry- and Port wood finishes, as well as double maturations and peated versions.
For anyone who loves whisky but is also in the mood for something a bit different, Seven Seals offers the perfect middle ground: one foot firmly in craftsmanship, the other pressing cheerfully on the accelerator — and always with an eye towards innovation.
All the bottlings I’m tasting here are between 3 years and 3 years 3 months old, bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV, and purchased as a tasting set from Systembolaget for 519 SEK.
A full-size bottle will set you back around seven hundred kronor. None of the releases are chill-filtered, and none contain artificial colouring. Jetz probieren wir!
Amarone Wood Finish – 46%
Nose: Berry-led, lightly perfumed, with a “fat”, almost oily quality. Baked apple and sharper, wine-forward notes.
Palate: Starts with gentle vanilla sweetness, then meringue and heaps of chocolate. Creamy coffee, ginger pears and a vinous romtopf vibe, followed by toasted hazelnuts and leather.
Impression: Fairly long finish and softer than expected. Very “moreish” — and honestly, this would be cracking in a Boulevardier.
Portwood Finish – 46%
Nose: Slightly shy at first, with a tart note of blueberry compote and fresh raspberries. After a moment: white flowers, a touch of honey and jelly beans.
Palate: Incredibly creamy! Lots of vanilla shortbread that gradually shifts into white pepper and granola, then tinned peaches, peppermint rock and a touch of oak bitterness.
Impression: A little less balanced than the Amarone, but offers a deeper, more mature flavour impression.
Sherry Wood Finish – 46%
Nose: Spicy and oaky with clove, brown sugar and a sweet nutmeg warmth. Plum blossoms, marzipan and sweet lemon also show up.
Palate: Well-balanced with strawberry jam, gingerbread and those tinned mandarin segments. Then come butterscotch, toasted hazelnuts, cocoa and a firmer oak bitterness toward the end.
Impression: The bitterness is a bit strong for my taste, but the nose is gorgeous and the flavour overall is very tidy.
Peated Portwood Finish – 46%
Nose: Surprisingly clear peat — leaning towards earthy, proper peat smoke. Vanilla sweetness in the background (perhaps a little too sweet), then creamy nougat and a hint of parma violet.
Palate: Gentle at first, then a proper blast of earthy peat and black pepper. Dried apricots follow, but then a sweet, candylike note pops up that doesn’t quite gel with the peat for me.
Impression: Distinct peat without being overwhelming, but overall the whisky feels a bit too scattered to suit my palate.
Peated Double Wood Finish – 58.7%
Nose: Complex but with a slightly muted smoke profile. Sweet–tart grapefruit, lemon curd, clean hearth smoke, floral honey and brittle toffee. Then sharper fruit: lime, green apples and finally a touch of cigar tobacco.
Palate: Big, clean smoke that leads into leather and that same aromatic, full tobacco note from the nose, plus a touch of cinnamon. White wine gums, cardamom and buttery shortbread join in.
Impression: Alongside the unpeated Portwood, this is my clear favourite.
