By Andreas Lykke, The Daily Whisky
Destillerie Farthofer grows its own ancient grains on a certified organic farm in Lower Austria, malts them in-house, distils with spring water from a private nature reserve on the property, and finishes everything in barrels that once held Mostello — a pear dessert wine the Farthofer family invented. No other distillery in the world can do exactly what they do. We tried two of their expressions, and our expectations were rearranged.
Who is Destillerie Farthofer?
The Farthofer family has been distilling in Öhling, a small town in Lower Austria’s Mostviertel region, since 1867. The current master distiller, Josef Farthofer, began sharpening the operation early: he bought his first press at 18, produced his first pear schnapps at 24, and by 2003 had the distillery certified organic at a time when that was genuinely rare in the spirits industry.
Whisky came in 2011. Today Farthofer is the largest whisky distillery in Austria and the only one with its own in-house malting. Most distilleries purchase malt from large commercial malting plants. Farthofer grows grain on their own 45-hectare organic farm, malts it in a two-tonne drum on site, and even prints the specific field name on the label. “From the field to the bottle” is an accurate description of the operation, not a slogan.
The water comes from a private spring on the property, situated inside a protected nature reserve.
Then there’s Mostello. It’s a pear dessert wine that the Farthofer family created themselves, and the barrels that held it have become the signature finishing cask for their entire whisky range. You cannot source Mostello casks anywhere else. That fact alone makes Farthofer worth knowing.
The two expressions: What we tasted
Farthofer Schlägler Rye 55% ABV Mostello Cask
Nose: Fresh pear, green apple, full sweet maltiness, sharp spirit lift, rye spice
Palate: Rye grain spice, Mostello fruit-sweetness, brandy-like mid-palate, full body sits between a grain whisky and a fruit eau-de-vie
Finish: Medium-long, warming, dried pear, light grain pepper
ABV: 55%
Grain: Schlägler rye, estate-grown
Cask: Mostello (pear dessert wine) finish
Volume: 500ml
The wax seal and considered bottle design signal something more deliberate than a standard indie release, and the liquid backs it up. At 55%, the nose announces itself without apology. That’s not a flaw: it’s honest about what it is.
On the palate, this sits somewhere between a rye whisky and a brandy. The grain provides spice and structure; the Mostello cask delivers a fruit-forward sweetness that sits outside the classic whisky register entirely. It won’t appeal to everyone. For drinkers who want whisky that genuinely does something different, pay attention to this one.
Farthofer 2015 Emmer Malt 6 Years Mostello Cask 41.4% ABV
Nose: Restrained, almost delicate dried pear, light grain, faint honeyed sweetness
Palate: Ripe pear, soft grain, pear cider character, fine tartness, very cask-forward
Finish: Medium, tart, pear skin, light grain clean and dry
ABV: 41.4%
Grain: Emmer (ancient wheat variety), estate-grown
Cask: 6 years Mostello finish
Vintage: 2015
Volume: 500ml
Emmer is one of the earliest cultivated wheats in human history. Farthofer grows it on their own farm, malts it in-house, and then rests it for six years in Mostello casks. Six years in a dessert wine barrel is a long time for a spirit to absorb character and this one has completely surrendered to the wood.
The colour is deep amber. The palate opens into something closer to pear cider than anything in the conventional whisky canon: soft, fruity, with a fine tartness on the finish that stops it tipping into sweetness. The grain has taken a back seat; the cask is driving entirely.
Where the Schlägler Rye makes a statement, the 2015 Emmer is a slower conversation.
Comparison: Schlägler Rye vs. 2015 Emmer Malt
| Schlägler Rye | 2015 Emmer Malt | |
|---|---|---|
| ABV | 55% | 41.4% |
| Grain | Schlägler rye | Emmer (ancient wheat) |
| Age | NAS | 6 years |
| Cask | Mostello finish | Mostello (6 years) |
| Nose | Bold, fresh pear, rye spice | Delicate, dried pear, honey |
| Palate | Full, spicy, fruit-brandy | Soft, pear cider, tart |
| Finish | Warming, dried pear, pepper | Clean, tart, pear skin |
| For whom | Whisky drinkers wanting something genuinely different | Those who prefer softer, cask-led expressions |
Why Farthofer matters beyond Austria
Austrian whisky sits entirely outside the traditional production regions which also means it sits outside most radars. The legal framework for Austrian whisky requires three years of maturation in oak casks of maximum 700 litres; in practice, Farthofer goes significantly further in both time and cask sourcing.
What makes Farthofer singular isn’t novelty. It’s genuine vertical integration: the grain, the water, the malting, and the finishing cask are all controlled at source. The Mostello barrel, in particular, is something no Scottish or Japanese distillery can copy. It comes from their own winemaking operation, in their own region, from their own pear orchards.
Both of these bottles challenged what we expected from the category. That’s the best thing a whisky can do.
Where to buy Destillerie Farthofer whisky
Farthofer is available directly from the distillery at destillerie.at and through select European specialist retailers. The distillery ships internationally. If you’re travelling through Lower Austria, guided tours through their cellar (built 1874), show distillery, and on-site tastings are available by arrangement.
Distillery address: Öhling, Mostviertel, Lower Austria Website: destillerie.at
Our verdict
Schlägler Rye (55%): If you drink exclusively in the classic Scotch register, this will disorient you. If you approach it as what it actually is — a grain spirit that uses its Mostello cask as a genuine flavour statement — this is compelling and genuinely unlike anything else. Buy it curious, not expecting familiar.
2015 Emmer Malt (41.4%): Softer, slower, more integrated. Six years in Mostello cask has produced something delicate and fruit-forward that will appeal to drinkers who find cask-strength expressions too demanding. At 41.4%, it’s approachable without being simple.
Both bottles are worth hunting down. Farthofer is building something that no one else can replicate, in a category that is only going to attract more attention.
Frequently asked questions
What is Destillerie Farthofer? Destillerie Farthofer is an organic farm distillery in Öhling, Lower Austria, founded in 1867. They are the largest whisky producer in Austria and the only one with in-house malting. Their whisky is made from estate-grown heritage grains, spring water from a private nature reserve, and finished in Mostello a pear dessert wine barrel that the Farthofer family created themselves.
What is Mostello and why does it matter for whisky? Mostello is a pear dessert wine produced by the Farthofer family from their own orchards. The barrels that previously held Mostello are used as finishing casks across Farthofer’s whisky range. No other distillery in the world has access to Mostello casks, which makes Farthofer’s cask finishing genuinely unreplicable. The result is a pear-fruit character that sits outside the standard whisky flavour register.
What does Farthofer Schlägler Rye taste like? The Schlägler Rye is bottled at 55% ABV and is bold and expressive: fresh pear and green apple on the nose, with rye spice and fruit-brandy character on the palate. The Mostello cask adds a sweet, pear-forward sweetness. It sits between a grain whisky and a fruit spirit — distinctive and not for drinkers expecting a conventional dram.
What does Farthofer 2015 Emmer Malt taste like? The 2015 Emmer is bottled at 41.4% ABV and spent six years in Mostello casks. It’s considerably softer than the Rye: restrained dried pear on the nose, a pear-cider palate, and a tart, clean finish. The emmer grain an ancient wheat variety takes a back seat to the cask influence, making this one of the most fruit-forward whiskies in the Austrian category.
Where can I buy Farthofer whisky? Farthofer whisky is available directly from the distillery at destillerie.at, which ships internationally. It is also stocked by select European specialist whisky retailers. Availability outside Austria and Germany can be limited — the distillery website is the most reliable source for current stock.
Is Farthofer whisky suitable for international shipping? Yes. The distillery ships internationally from their website at destillerie.at. Check their current delivery countries and shipping costs at the time of purchase, as these may vary.
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