Blaue Maus

Germany's oldest whisky distillery, producing Franconian single malt since 1983 -- over a decade before the modern European craft whisky movement began. Founded by Robert Fleischmann in the tiny village of Eggolsheim near Bamberg in Franconia (Bavaria's famous beer region). The name 'Blaue Maus' (Blue Mouse) is Franconian dialect for an improbable thing -- much as German whisky itself seemed improbable in the 1980s. Uses locally grown Franconian barley and ages in a combination of German oak, sherry, and bourbon casks. The whisky is produced on a single small copper pot still and output is extremely limited. The flagship expression is aged 14+ years, giving genuine depth and complexity. Blaue Maus proved that German whisky could exist and be excellent, paving the way for the 200+ German whisky distilleries that followed. Robert Fleischmann was making German single malt when the idea was literally laughable -- he had the last laugh.