Spirit of Hven Backafallsbyn AB
About the distillery
Spirit of Hven is located on the small island of Ven in the Øresund and is a family-owned distillery where whisky and other distillates are created—from mashing to bottling under the same roof. The place is interesting for whisky lovers because it combines the island’s climate and soil with an unusually small production format, its own laboratory, and a clear preference for cask maturation and different distillation expressions.
History
The story begins around the year 2000, when Anja and Henric Molin got the idea for a distillery on Hven after seeing the island’s potential for spirit production. In 2008, Spirit of Hven went into operation, and the distillery grew into one of the world’s smallest pot still distilleries. From the start, production has been gathered under one roof, so mashing, fermentation, distillation, cask maturation and bottling are closely connected. Over the years, the company has developed into an export-oriented producer, sending whisky, vodka, gin and aquavit to around 40 countries. At the same time, the laboratory has taken on a central role, both in the company’s own development and in advising other distilleries, and today the Molin family runs the site as a family-based business with a strong focus on craftsmanship and specialist knowledge.
Ingredients and production
Production is built around a small pot still format, where details in the process have a great impact on the result. The distillery works with long fermentation times and multiple in-house yeast strains to shape the aroma and flavor of the finished distillate. Whisky is produced with different grain expressions, including malt, rye and corn, and both smoked and unsmoked malt versions are used. Throughout production, the small format makes it possible to control the raw spirit closely and extract maximum aroma from the process. Spirit of Hven also has its own laboratory, where analyses are carried out, and where the distillery also advises others on equipment, regulations and recipe development. This gives the site an unusual dual role as both a producer and a professional consultancy hub.
Maturation and cask types
Cask maturation is a completely crucial part of Spirit of Hven’s style. The distillery itself emphasizes that a large part of the final aroma and flavor comes from the character, origin and production of the oak casks. They work with air-dried oak from various European and American tree species, including Quercus Muehlenbergii, Quercus Petraea and Quercus Robur. Some casks are heavily toasted or heavily charred, and several are used as virgin oak, while others previously held red wine or dessert wine. In a few releases, casks of different age and character are blended and allowed to “marry” before the whisky is slowly watered down to bottling strength. This results in maturation where wood, previous contents and time all play a clear role.
Whiskies
The range spans from the permanent single malt core to more limited releases and a few distinct cask releases. Tycho’s Star represents the smoked and more classically blended side of the house, while St Johannes shows a matured, cask strength-leaning single cask approach. Stjerneborg is an organic blend of several casks with both unpeated and peated malt, and Cassiopeia marks a limited release of Swedish single malt in a larger run. Overall, the whiskies appear as a range where island character, grain character and cask character are just as important as age and alcohol strength.
| Whisky | Type / series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and style | Flavor profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tycho’s Star | Single Malt Whisky | 41.8 % | Quercus Muehlenbergii, Quercus Petraea and Quercus Robur; smoked/peaty | A medium smoked, well-matured Swedish single malt in honor of Tycho Brahe.; Nose: Fruity, mild and clearly smoky, grain, coconut and almonds; Palate: Fresh with clear smoke, direct malt, balanced sweetness from American oak and bitterness from French oak; Finish: Soft finish with hay and dewy wet meadow | Current; Core range | |
| Cassiopeia Single Malt Whisky | Single Malt Whisky | 43.7 % | Swedish single malt from Hven, brewed, distilled and matured on the island, released in a limited run. | Limited; Upcoming; 3892 bottles | ||
| St Johannes | Single Malt Whisky | 57.9 % | 12 years | Air-dried oak | Directly from the cask in a limited edition, and with a bottle decorated with a piece of the cask and the sækdug used for sealing.; Nose: Ripe fruit, honey, fresh licorice and mango; Palate: Bready malt, faint smoke, fruit and chocolate; with water, rounder and more developed; Finish: Long finish | Limited; Current; 333 bottles |
| Stjerneborg | Single Malt Whisky | 46.8 % | Quercus Muehlenbergii and Quercus Petraea; smoked/peaty; 35 PPM | Organic single malt with light smoke and clear sweetness, named after the Stjerneborg observatory.; Nose: Toasted oak, red and sweet wine, malt, light peat, dark chocolate, coffee, caramelized papaya, fudge, vanilla and almond; Palate: Mild, warming, lightly peppery, with a fine balance between acidity and sweetness; Finish: Long and lingering | Current |
Whisky style and flavor profile
The whiskies range from fresh, fruity and floral notes to darker, more smoky and cask-influenced expressions. Tycho’s Star combines leather, licorice, ripe plums, apple, elderflower, coconut and almonds. St Johannes emphasizes ripe fruit, honey, fresh licorice, mango, bready malt and chocolate. Stjerneborg contributes toasted oak, coffee, dark chocolate, caramelized papaya, fudge, vanilla and almond, while smoke and light peat bind several of the expressions together.
Visit the distillery
The distillery can be visited, and the public can book guided tours and tastings. In addition, hotel stays, restaurant, bar, and a range of events are offered, such as gourmet tastings, summer events, conferences and celebrations. Cask-related visits and tastings are booked with Camilla Ericsson by email or phone, and it is possible to combine the visit with an overnight stay on site. The main page also shows seasonal and package experiences, as well as a special event starting at 15:00 on 6 August 2026, where whisky, food, music and accommodation are included in the program.
The stated opening hours are Visits—guided tours and tastings can be booked. In addition, packages and events are offered year-round; the website also lists a specific event on 6 August 2026.
See times and book a visit.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
Spirit of Hven works from a clear family ownership, where Anja, Henric and Charlie Molin are behind the operations. The philosophy is to think small and precisely, so that both fermentation, distillation and cask selection can be controlled closely. The distillery places emphasis on long fermentations, in-house yeast strains, high expertise and an active laboratory. At the same time, local and Scania (Skåne) ingredients are used where possible, and the site sees itself as a craftsmanship-focused environment that also shares knowledge through advisory support for other producers.
Latest news
Skåneday on Hven with local distillates, regional tastes and Scania live music – 2026-08-06
A Skåneday on Hven will be held starting at 15:00, where Scania flavor bites and music are combined with exclusive distillates from Spirit of Hven. The day ends with a three-course Scania menu, followed by live music with Daniel Bentzen and Gustaf Brandt, and accommodation as well as a morning buffet are included in the program.