We love … Þoran Distillery
“We’re going to make a uniquely Icelandic whisky, created by the marriage of tradition and nature, and the lethal and life-giving mixture of fire and ice”
When Birgir Már Sigurðsson talks about his laboratory, one must strain every sinew to suppress images of a cat-stroking Bond villain in his secret lair. But, rather than some deadly toxin or WMD, the secret work being kept firmly under wraps on the outskirts of Reykjavík is the refining of an Icelandic single malt whisky.
Birgir would be the first to admit that his idea seems just as implausible as some Bond movie plots. “The idea of Icelandic whisky is still far-fetched, but we’ve taken the first step towards making it a reality. In order to create something great, you have to allow yourself to think big and have the courage to make big decisions and stand by them.”
Thus far, the Þoran project (pronounced Thoran) has been the dream of many, but the ambition of a select few. A self-confessed Scotch lover, Birgir enlisted the help of two acquaintances with similar drive and vision, Bergþóra Aradóttir and Jóhannes Valberg, to officially set up the distillery in 2013. It was a move that had been years in the pipeline, following what Birgir has come to call his ‘pilgrimages to Scotland’. Visits to Islay, the whisky-producing idyll off Scotland’s west coast, have had a particularly strong influence on the direction of the project.
“Iceland and Islay are very similar in terms of weather, geology and geography. So it just makes sense that Icelandic whisky should share some of the characteristics found in Islay whiskies; the peatiness, the harshness,” says Birgir.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but make no mistake; the trio behind the start-up distillery are determined that Þoran is going to be something altogether different. “We’re going to make a uniquely Icelandic whisky, created by the marriage of tradition and nature, and the lethal and life-giving mixture of fire and ice.”
Iceland has both in spades. A vast cratered landscape of volcanic mountains, hardened lava flows and glaciers, the sparsely-populated island sits on one of the most active tectonic fault lines in the world while, at the same time, lying in close proximity to the Arctic Circle. It’s the combination of these elements that provides the basic materials for the kind of spirit Birgir envisages. Filtering down through subterranean volcanic rock, the almost mineral-free water in Iceland is some of the purest in the world. The barley which the team intend to use is hardy, thanks to the harsh climes, and is organically grown. To add one last flourish to the whisky’s flavour profile, the barley will be malted and dried using smoke from burning birch – one of the few trees to thrive in Iceland – and sheep dung, a centuries-old means to preserve meat and fish. In addition, the stills are heated harnessing geothermic energy.
Filtering down through subterranean volcanic rock, the almost mineral-free water in Iceland is some of the purest in the world
The project’s biggest selling point has also been its one major obstacle – Iceland’s inexperience in distilling whisky. “You have to remember that Iceland does not have the tradition or the know-how to make whisky so we’ve had to really knuckle down and figure things out for ourselves.”
The tireless efforts of the team, spurred on by Bergþóra, the CEO and business mind behind the operation, has ensured that the project’s glacial progress to date is speeding up. Only last year, the distillery won an award for innovation sponsored by Landsbanki Íslands and MATÍS, a prominent Icelandic food and drink research company. As well as an injection of much-needed capital, the award came with a contract with MATÍS to analyse, document and develop the distillation process. Þoran has also attracted valuable insight from the industry figures, notably Ian Logan, Brand Ambassador for Chivas Brothers, and Ian Smiley, an experienced distiller and supplier from Canada.
As the brains behind the distilling process, Jóhannes’ initial experimental phase in the lab is coming to an end, culminating in the release of unaged, flavoured white dog spirit towards the end of the summer. Phase two will see the introduction of cask maturation to produce a three year-old and a six year-old single malt.
The foundation of the Þoran Distillery, however, was just as much about creating a lasting legacy for future generations of Icelanders as producing a first-rate spirit. Battling to make a dream a reality, it’s perhaps fitting that Þoran translates as ‘courage’.
David Walsh is a freelance writer living in Edinburgh. As a lapsed Mancunian and adopted Scot, he’s a lover of real ale and fine drams in equal measure. To ease his itchy feet, he frequently gallivants. Follow him on twitter @David_M_Walsh or read more of his words here.
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