We stay with Nordic whisky after the Sall Whisky 2020 Whisky Watcher from two days ago, this time with a duo of Agitator whiskies. Agitator Whiskymakare, a Swedish distillery founded in Arboga in 2017, stands out for its innovative production techniques. With an annual capacity of 500,000 litres of pure alcohol (lpa), their methods go beyond the typical marketing buzz around ‘innovation’ often touted by larger distilleries.
For instance, instead of adding water during mashing to extract sugars, Agitator adds water during the milling process. Later, the fermented wash is divided between two pairs of stills that operate under vacuum, enabling distillation at lower temperatures. They also experiment with a variety of grains beyond barley, use unique types of wood, such as chestnut, and even employ wave stave casks. Additionally, their approach to cask filling is unconventional, with some of their new make spirit entering barrels at 55% ABV instead of the standard 63.5%.
Today, we’ll be reviewing two single cask whiskies from Agitator, both selected by an independent bottler, and both using wave stave casks: the Agitator 2019 and 2020, bottled by The Whisky Jury.
A Wave Stave Cask?
A wave stave cask is an innovative type of ageing barrel designed with staves (the wooden planks that form the cask) shaped in undulating waves rather than the traditional flat design. This wavy structure increases the cask’s internal surface area, allowing greater interaction between the whisky and the wood. The enhanced contact can accelerate maturation and intensify flavour extraction, potentially adding complexity to the spirit in less time. Wave stave casks represent a creative evolution in barrel ageing, aimed at deepening the character and enhancing the profile of spirits like whisky.
A study conducted by ISC Barrels a few years ago revealed significant increases in the extraction of wood compounds over 12- and 48-month periods when comparing a wave stave barrel to a standard char #4 cask. The wave stave barrel demonstrated far superior extraction rates compared to the char #4, with the control cask being an untoasted barrel. A summary of the study’s findings can be found here.
Agitator 2019 The Whisky Jury Review
This first Agitator single cask was distilled in 2019 and bottled in 2024 by The Whisky Jury. The unpeated make from Agitator matured in wave stave cask #1024, yielding 185 bottles at a cask strength of 58.4% ABV. Around €80, at Passion for Whisky for instance or in some Belgian shops, or close to €90 in France.
Colour:
Russet
Nose:
Neat: A bright citrus sourness with notes of lemon, Granny Smith apple, hay, malt, and a touch of exotic wood, accompanied by a subtle hint of something slightly acidic like baby vomit (oddly, it’s not off-putting).
With water: A hint of dust emerges after adding water, though the aroma largely retains its original character.
Palate:
Neat: The alcohol is quite prominent, maybe even a bit overpowering, revealing the whisky’s youthful edge with a noticeable bite. There’s more woodiness than expected, leaning into an exotic profile with lots of spice and citrus – lemon juice, zest, and pith. Mid-palate, there’s a hint of smoked lemon (despite the whisky being unpeated), along with ginger, chili pepper, and chocolate, all leading to a creamy mouthfeel.
With water: Initially sweeter, with a slight return of smoky hints, followed by citrus notes and a more delayed alcohol presence.
Finish:
Oak wood notes come through clearly, complemented by hints of citrus, fresh orange juice, warm spices, and a touch of Granny Smith apple sorbet.
Comments:
An intriguing and unconventional nose that doesn’t entirely feel like a typical whisky aroma. The palate is enjoyable, though the alcohol isn’t fully integrated, highlighting the youthfulness of this Agitator 2019. However, it shows promise, and I’d be eager to try a more mature version in the future.
Rating: 6/10
Agitator 2020 The Whisky Jury Review
This second Agitator single cask, also bottled by The Whisky Jury, was distilled on March 19, 2020, and bottled in April 2024. Made with peated malt (at 40 ppm), it yielded 247 bottles at 58.1% ABV. It’s still available in Belgium and the Netherlands for just under €80, at shops like Passion of Whisky for instance, or close to €90 in France.
Colour:
Light tawny
Nose:
Neat: Close to the 2019, with citrus, green apple, exotic wood and its varnish, some spices, earthy peat, coal, flint, and engine fumes.
With water: Really dry and acrid wood smoke, with hints of solvent .
Palate:
Neat: Nice peaty arrival, tar, flint again, wood, the crema from a ristretto, with a hit from the alcohol, once again showing the youth. Then, mid-palate, some citrusy notes appear. Ginger and lemon, it’s a bit fizzy. Malt, some very dark chocolate, with a very creamy mouthfeel.
With water: Still a lot of spices, more wood and empyreumatic notes of coffee and toasted wood. More water brings some sweetness with icing sugar.
Finish:
Grilled lemon slices, a pinch of salt, some woody chocolatey bitterness and ashy resinous wood smoke, quite long.
Comments:
The nose is intense but doesn’t respond well to reduction, becoming acrid. On the palate, youthfulness is evident, with the alcohol feeling somewhat unintegrated and not fully rounded. Despite this, it remains both enjoyable and endearing. While it leans on the younger side, it shows potential—more time in less active casks could make a significant difference.
Rating: 5.5/10
Thanks Xavier!
