Van Loon

Birgitta Schulze van Loon founded Piekfeine Brände in 2011 at Bremen's Europahafen — Germany's first and only distillery in the city. Van Loon is its flagship single malt, distilled entirely from malted barley in copper stills using traditional craft methods.

This five-year-old is matured in first fill ex-bourbon barrels of 100 litres, building a solid foundation for character development. The spirit aged in a historic wine warehouse on the windswept Weser riverside, where maritime influences shaped its slow oxidation.

On the nose, Van Loon presents vanilla, caramel and honey with subtle tobacco undertones. The palate is light and gently sweet, touched by medicinal notes and a salty character that echoes its riverside home. The finish is warm and reasonably long, drying pleasantly as it fades.