Exploring Nestville Distillery, Slovakia's first whisky maker

Exploring Nestville Distillery, Slovakia's first whisky maker

An invitation to an unusual distillery in Slovakia provides an insight into a country whose distilling traditions are on the cusp of a revolution

Distillery Focus | 08 Oct 2024 | Issue 200 | By Neil Ridley

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"A rodeo; a chocolate factory; a rare-breeds farm and a music festival," read the email: certainly not the usual list of things one would expect to find in an invitation to a distillery. But this is how they roll at Nestville: a multi-purpose site — nay, remarkable tourist attraction — situated in the picturesque village of Hniezdne in Slovakia, in the ominous yet beautiful shadow of the Tatra mountains.

 

Taking the two-hour drive from Krakow in Poland over the Slovakian border is the easiest and most enjoyable way to arrive at Nestville Park, which is an experience for the first-time visitor. A sprawling mix of vast, modern-looking grain hoppers and column still plumbing is interwoven with traditional Slovak-influenced wooden farmhouse architecture, a contrast that gives it a sort of ‘distilling theme park’ feel.

 

However, Nestville Park isn’t just a groundbreaking local attraction. It has taken a completely broad-minded approach to whisky making, too. It is so far Slovakia’s only whisky distillery, giving it a blank slate to work from, but its distilling roots run deep into the local agricultural legacy. Only a few miles away lies Stará Ľubovňa Castle, a 13th-century medieval complex where records dating back to 1747 detail the production of gorzalka, a multi-grain eau-de-vie which was distilled in the castle cellars using a primitive copper pot still. At the time, this potent yet flavoursome spirit was said to be matured in casks for a short period, perhaps hinting at what would be a firmly established practice some 260 years later.

 

Indeed, the DNA of this gorzalka spirit can today be found in the broad range of whiskies produced at Nestville alongside the better-known spirits eastern Europe is famed for, including the juniper-heavy Borovička (effectively a Slovakian gin), the bitter herbal liqueur balsam, vodka, and fruit liqueurs.

Nestville Distillery

Nestville was founded by Marian Gurega of the BGV group back in 2001 (the name is symbolic of the local stork population, which actually nests on the site). The facility, equipped with column stills, was predominantly used to manufacture grain neutral spirit (GNS) and other industrial alcohol products before turning its hand to more characterful spirits for domestic enjoyment. By 2006, the national thirst for whisky was becoming palpable, with a steady supply of Scotch and American whiskies finding favour among a growing number of younger Slovakian drinkers. Gurega had his lightbulb moment: reviving local Spiš County traditions to create a whisky bringing together elements of corn, barley, and triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye first developed in the 19th century in Germany but which is now more commonly grown in Poland, Belarus, and Russia.

 

After various trials with the type of spirit Gurega had in mind, the whisky went into production in 2008, under the watchful eye of master distiller Lucia Jakubikova. After studying for a PhD in microbiology, Jakubikova did an apprenticeship with BGV overseeing the fermentation side of the alcohol business. Her experience and background in biology gave her an understanding of how different grains would react when brought together in a mash bill. Arguably her biggest honour to date is becoming the first distiller to produce a commercially available whisky in Slovakia.

 

The whisky production is a fascinating mixture of old-school and remarkably modern technology.  Nestville has its own on-site malting facilities, the starting point for each spirit produced and where much of the unique flavour comes from. The grains are corn, wheat, rye, and traditional triticale, which is favoured for its high starch content and ability to thrive in Slovakia’s colder climate. The grains are malted in wooden silos with the process halted by the introduction of hot air and an innovative combination of wood smokes, including logs from locally grown fruit trees.

 

Fermentation occurs in modern stainless steel tanks, before the wash is transferred to a seven-stage column still. Jakubikova has explored the scientific capabilities of the still on a granular level, allowing different chemical compound-rich distillates to shine. The on-site laboratory also acts as a library where the trial spirits are archived, dating back all the way to when distillation began in 2008.

Nestville's stainless steel fermentation tanks

Jakubikova can then play a variety of tunes when it comes to maturation. The on-site racked-style warehouse now contains more than 20,000 casks. A large proportion of the spirit is filled into American white oak barrels, but a handful of other casks have been used, including 700-litre French oak, sherry, and Slavonian oak. Trials with other wood varieties such as chestnut, mulberry, and cherry have proved fruitful and highlight Nestville’s desire to push the boundaries of modern European whisky production.

 

The first whisky was bottled in 2012 and strong domestic support, combined with success in the surrounding region, has meant that distillery capacity has been expanded to about 4 million litres. The range of whiskies available is somewhat dizzying — starting with a six-year-old blend, bottled at 44% ABV, which typifies the light, vanilla-led maltiness of the mixed mash bill and has a great deal in common flavour-wise with a traditional US bourbon, through to a more complex 12-year-old blend that brings together a mixture of new oak and used bourbon casks. Next comes a three-strong range of 44% ABV single barrel single grain releases, including corn, rye, and wheat bottlings, also reminiscent of their distant American cousins.

 

A single malt (made with 100 per cent malted barley) really starts to stretch the boundaries of flavour. The first bottling hit shelves in 2018 and the most recent, a non-age-statement expression at 43% ABV, is matured for two years in new charred American white oak barrels and then a further three years in used bourbon barrels. The barley is smoked over hardwood beech and cherry wood, which brings an elegant, fruity, aromatic smokiness to the whisky, along with subtle spiced notes and a touch of softer orchard fruit.

Racked casks

A real highlight is Jakubikova’s latest edition in a series of annual limited releases: a 14-year-old mixed mash bill blend, bottled in 2023, which was finished in Jogaila rum casks (a brand popular in Slovakia). Clearly, the broad distillation heritage in other areas has given Jakubikova and her team something to think about when it comes to both the long maturation of such highly flavoursome grain blends and cask finishes. The future will undoubtedly be an exciting time, as whiskies partly matured in beer (made on site at the distillery’s craft brewery), Tokaji wine, fruit brandy, and gin casks are all being trialled.

 

The sense of community is clearly important to the distillery. Each year it plays host to a two-day outdoor family festival bringing together local folk acts, children’s entertainers, comedians, and some of Slovakia’s most successful bands and artists. It is also a chance for Jakubikova to take to the stage and officially present her latest annual creation to the assembled revellers. Alongside the festival is a traditional horse rodeo show. The distillery has its own stables as well as a farm rearing rare-breed cattle, from which the prime steak cuts are aged and sold in the cavernous multi-floored on-site restaurant (a local hot spot in itself).

 

Special mention must go to perhaps the most bizarre addition to Nestville Park: a high-end chocolaterie and café, which attracts as many visitors as the distillery tour does. A mouthwatering array of treats are created in the bespoke kitchen facilities, where from behind a glass panel visitors can watch the chocolatiers preparing handmade truffles, cocoa-heavy bars, and thick drinking chocolate served in tiny mugs.

 

Nestville is much more than just a distillery. It has encompassed every aspect of its unique mountainous location, the local traditions, and the community of people who live and work alongside it.

Tasting Nestville whisky

Nestville Master Blender 2023 Edition

Nestville Master Blender 2023 Edition
Jogaila Rum Finish

44% ABV

Notes by Neil Ridley

 

Nose: Initial notes of corn and creamy wheat. A light hint of toasted bread and wood smoke. Next is a touch of milky coffee, some dark chocolate, and an earthy, dry tobacco leaf. Pencil shavings and fresh forest floor notes, alongside a slight mineral/flint note. The rum has given some focus to the aromas with a toasted caramel note and a hint of fruitiness.

Palate: Sweet and malty on the first sip, the flavours develop into a red berry note, toasted brioche, vanilla ice cream, malty milk chocolate, and then a touch of light smoke, which helps to round off the sweetness. There is a nice well-rounded oakiness, leading into a slightly drier, more peppery note.

Finish: Lingering notes of toasted oak and spice, with liquorice, cinnamon, and a return of the coffee notes found on the nose.

Comments: Well balanced, smooth, and very drinkable.

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