Kyrö Distillery Company

History

From a sauna to a distillery

Kyrö Distillery Company was founded by five friends and is known as a Finnish all-rye distillery. The idea arose in a sauna, where Mikko Koskinen, Jouni Ritola, Miika Lipiäinen, Miko Heinilä and Kalle Valkonen gathered to make whiskey based on rye. After searching for a home in Isokyrö, they found an abandoned dairy and began their journey to producing conventional and unconventional spirits in Finland. After the first distillation, feedback was sought at the Whisky Show in London, and in 2014 the first production took place in the old dairy building. To sell something while the whiskey was aging in wood, they began producing gin, which later was recognized as the best gin for gin & tonic by IWSC in 2015 and 2025. In 2019 Kyrö launched their Malt Whisky, and in 2020 they adapted to COVID-19 by selling hand sanitizer. In 2024 they returned to their reputation and introduced Kyrö Sauna Stories along with a new Sauna Bar in Finland and introduced Kyrö Vodka. All their spirits are made from 100% rye and only with Finnish whole-grain rye.

Production

Kyrö produces all products with 100% Finnish rye and uses double pot distillation. The whiskies are aged in new American white oak casks for at least three years. Their products also include cask finishes such as Oloroso sherry and smoked variants such as aging-smoke in the Riihi barrel and aging-smoke with Finnish freshwater peat. Their Wood Smoke Whisky is made from 100% malted Finnish rye and matured in ex-bourbon, French oak and new American white oak barrels; Peat Smoke Whisky uses Finnish freshwater peat to smoke the malt, while Wood Smoke uses aging-smoke in the Riihi lock with aged smoke from pine wood.

Products / Whisky series

• Kyrö Malt Rye Whisky 700ml: 100% malt rye, double pot distilled, aged in new American white oak casks for at least three years (47.2% ABV). Enjoy neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail. Notes include pepper, vanilla, caramel, dried fruits; mouthfeel suggests sweet rye bread, honey and wild berries with a finish of caramel and mocha.

• Kyrö Malt Oloroso Whisky 700ml: malt-rye whisky finished in three casks: new American oak, ex-bourbon and Spanish oloroso sherry (47.2% ABV). Notes of nuts and dried fruits; palate of sweet rye bread, honey, raisins and nuts; finish with caramel and mocha.

• Kyrö Peat Smoke Whisky 700ml: 100% Finnish malted rye smoked with Finnish freshwater peat, primarily aged in Kyrö Peat Smoke and Kyrö Malt casks (47.2% ABV). Nose of mossy peat and apples, honey; palate of sweetness from rye malt, citrus, warm spice and damp smoke; finish with beeswax.

• Kyrö Wood Smoke Whisky 700ml: alder-smoked malt rye, smoked in the Riihi lock; aged in ex-bourbon, French oak and new American white oak casks (47.2% ABV). Notes of vanilla, caramel and pepper on the nose; palate of strong smoke with rye bread, honey and oak; finish with clear oak notes.

Visits / Experiences

Kyrö comes from Isokyrö, Finland, and has a visitor centre (Isokyrö Visitor Centre). Tours and experiences around their products are offered, and there is also a bar for visitors. They also have concepts such as Kyrö Sauna Stories and a sauna-bar in Finland, as well as a focus on direct sales through their webshop.

Philosophy

The philosophy is closely linked with the name: "Born in a Sauna" and "Rye – The Spirit of Finland." Kyrö produces all spirits with 100% Finnish rye and seeks to bring people together around unconventional spirits. "Kippis!" frames the mood and the community around their beverages.