Alpine Glacier Whisky from Switzerland

1 December 2020

Whisky is derived from the Celtic words “Uisge Beatha“, the water of life. Whisky is a drink of Irish and Scottish origin.

The word ‘water of life’ is misleading. Whisky must contain at least 40% alcohol and be aged for at least three years in wooden casks not exceeding 700 litres. The other ingredient is water indeed.

Switzerland was not previously known as a producer of whisky. Two companies from the cantons of Graübunden and Valais produced Swiss-made whisky called ‘Glacier Whisky’.

A distillery in Brig-Glis (canton of Valais) and a cellar in Tantermozza near Zernez (canton of Graubünden) produced the first 6,000 litres, stored in twenty oak wine casks from Valais. They used water from springs in Valais and Graubünden.

The first barrel is mature enough to be bottled and marketed. Switzerland is also a country of Uisge Beatha nowadays.