🥃 Mackmyra
Mackmyra is a Swedish single malt whisky brand from the area around Gävle, founded in 1999 and known for Swedish oak casks. After bankruptcy in 2024 it has new owners.
Mackmyra is Sweden's best-known single malt: a brand from the area around Gävle, founded in 1999 as the country's first whisky distillery. The company is known for casks made from Swedish oak. After bankruptcy in August 2024, its assets were acquired by Lennart Hero and the investment firm No. 1 Capital.
History. The company was founded in 1999. According to available information, production began in 2002 in the former buildings of the Mackmyra bruk (ironworks), and the first limited releases of the Preludium series appeared in 2006. Production later expanded to a second site at Valbo, near Gävle. On 19 August 2024, Mackmyra Svensk Whisky AB filed for bankruptcy at the Gävle District Court, citing weak profitability and cash flow. In October 2024 the deal with the new owners was completed; they said they would keep the staff and the relationships with cask owners.
How it is made. The whisky is made from barley malt. Sweden has no separate geographical indication for whisky, so the general EU regulation 2019/787 applies: whisky must be made from cereals, from spirit below 94.8% ABV, matured for at least three years in wooden casks of no more than 700 litres, and have an ABV of at least 40% (80 proof). Mackmyra uses, among others, casks of Swedish oak.
Style and range. The core release, First Edition, is 46.1% ABV (92.2 proof), is not chill-filtered, and is matured in a mix of casks: former bourbon casks and Swedish oak. Reviewers describe it as light and fruity, with honey and vanilla. Some releases also use former sherry casks.
Why this matters to you. After the change of ownership, read the label carefully: releases, ages and strengths differ. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1999, company in Sweden; production from 2002 (according to available information) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, category 2 (whisky); there is no separate PGI for Swedish whisky |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | barley malt |
| Cask type | Swedish oak and former bourbon casks |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in casks of up to 700 l under the EU regulation |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV under the regulation; First Edition — 46.1% |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Mackmyra → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Evan Williams, 🥃 Evan Williams, 🥃 Baker's, 🥃 Baker's
Frequently asked questions
Is there a protected Swedish whisky name, as there is for Scotch?
No. Sweden has no separate geographical indication for whisky, so the general EU rules for whisky apply.
What strength is Mackmyra First Edition on a US label?
46.1% ABV, which is 92.2 proof, according to The Whiskey Wash; it is not chill-filtered.
Did Mackmyra go bankrupt?
Yes: on 19 August 2024 the company filed for bankruptcy, and the deal with new owners was completed in October 2024.
Who bought Mackmyra?
Lennart Hero and the investment firm No. 1 Capital, who said they would keep the staff and the relationships with cask owners.
Is Mackmyra really Sweden's first whisky distillery?
Whisky Magazine calls it that. The company was founded in 1999 and, according to available information, production began in 2002.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Glenglassaugh · 🥃 Knockdhu · 🥃 Auchroisk · 🥃 Blair Athol · 🥃 Glengyle · 🥃 Edradour
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019)
- Mackmyra: офіційний сайт ('Pionjärer inom svensk whisky sedan 1999')
- Whisky Magazine: Mackmyra purchased after filing for bankruptcy (11.10.2024; Lennart Hero and No 1 Capital AB; founded 1999)
- Global Drinks Intel: Mackmyra Svensk Whisky goes bankrupt (Gävle District Court; sites in Valbo and Gävle)
- The Whiskey Wash: Mackmyra First Edition Single Malt (Swedish oak casks, 46.1 % ABV, no chill filtration)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)