Ah, Italia – land of spaghetti, mozzarella, pizza, and so many other Mediterranean delights. New to the list of the peninsula’s treasures, however, is Made-in-Italy malt whisky! With great enthusiasm and profound passion for the Scottish “water of life,” the Ebensperger family founded PUNI, Italy’s first-ever distillery, in 2010 near the Ortler mountain range in the Italian Alps, just outside the small town of Glorenza. Often referred to as the "Highlands of Italy," the area is ideal for creating extraordinary whisky.
Val Venosta
Along with the golden wheat fields producing the greatest pasta in the world, you’ll be surprised to discover that Italy provides the natural elements and the skill set to offer Italian malt whisky worldwide. Not only is PUNI unique as the sole Italian malt whisky, but the Ebensperger family also employs an unusual recipe using three different malted grains – barley, wheat, and locally-grown rye – to create a signature mash. The local rye grows in the foothills of the Alps near the Ortler mountain range in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, where the distillery sits as a landmark to modern Italian design and distillery innovation. The Alpine climate contributes to the particularity of PUNI’s whiskies, which are aged on the family’s stunning new distillery campus.
The Ebensperger family
And if, upon reading this, you’re wishing you could taste-test this Italian-made whiskey, you’re in luck! PUNI has recently struck a solid deal with importer High Road Spirits. American whiskey lovers can soon enjoy Italian malt whisky with the launch of PUNI in October. Not just that, though: PUNI will be launching not just one variety of their Italian malt whisky in the US, but four!
PUNI Gold: Matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks for the “house” style
PUNI Alba (Italian for ‘dawn’ and Scottish Gaelic for ‘Scotland’): Matured in Sicilian Marsala casks and finished in ex-Islay barrels
PUNI Vina: The first in a range of limited-edition wine cask-matured whiskies aged in ex-Marsala casks from Sicily
PUNI Sole: Finished for two years in rich Pedro Ximénez sherry casks from Jerez, Spain
“After working on it for years, we are very proud to finally be able to share ‘The Italian Malt Whisky’ with the US," says Distiller Jonas Ebensperger, one of the founders of the family-run business. “We put our hearts into the making of our whisky and are very excited to now give whisky lovers in the US a chance to taste it. We have found a professional and capable partner in High Road Spirits to finally bring PUNI to the United States.”
The PUNI casks
“I have been fortunate to work closely with Jonas and the Ebensperger family for several years as we’ve planned our entry into the US market,” says Ken Fredrickson, founder of PUNI importer High Road Spirits. “It’s a great honor to share and tell the story of these beautiful whiskies. We are all very excited about it.”
PUNI Italian Malt Whisky will be available nationwide in IL, CA, MN, NY, NJ, WA, TX, and FL with more states to come. Prices range from $90 to $130.
Always drink responsibly.