Our Whisky Switzerland Range

Swiss whisky, with its short history, still remains somewhat of a hidden gem. However, the small but exquisite niche of Swiss whiskies already boasts a variety of high-quality offerings.

A crucial development in the relatively young history of Swiss whisky was a legal change in 1999. In 1885, Switzerland had banned the distillation of spirits from potatoes and grains. While the legislature lifted the food rationing from the Second World War in 1947, it remained prohibited to distill potatoes or grains until 1997 and 1999, respectively. Consequently, Swiss distillers only began producing whisky in 1999.

Since that year, around 60 whisky brands have emerged in Switzerland. Approximately three years after the legal change, the first Swiss whiskies entered the market. As early as June 30, 1999, the Rugenbräu brewery from Interlaken presented a simple grain spirit. Over the following years, additional brands were introduced. These are developed by both younger companies and traditional distilleries and breweries, some of which are family-owned.

The current market share of Swiss whiskies, at about two percent of domestically consumed whiskies, is relatively modest. Swiss distilleries produce approximately 380 hectoliters of whisky locally each year. In comparison, around 18,000 hectoliters are imported annually.