Milk & Honey highlights terroir in whisky
Tel Aviv-based Milk & Honey (M&H) Distillery has released a four-bottle Apex Terroir Series, which experiments with ageing in different climates.
Each single malt in the new Apex Terroir series is matured in different climate zones across Israel, imparting ‘a distinct character’ to the whiskies.
This series is described as an exploration of terroir and capitalises on the country’s unique geographic diversity, showcasing desert, coastal, mountain, and Mediterranean climates that are just hours apart.
Each expression is said to highlight how climate, elevation, and landscape influence the whisky’s character and complexity.
The series was inspired by the late Dr Jim Swan’s view of the region’s potential as ‘a playground for whisky innovation’.
Tal Chotiner, global sales vice-president at M&H Distillery, said: “This series represents the culmination of years of research, patience, and passion. It embodies our identity as a distillery, bold in our ideas, driven by experimentation, and committed to playing a key role in the future of the whisky industry.”
The Apex Terroir series is now available in Germany, Poland, and Austria, with France, the Netherlands, and Belgium to follow in mid-July. The UK release for the series is scheduled for September.
Four diverse terroirs
The Apex Terroir Dead Sea is matured at 351 metres below sea level, exposed to arid and hot summer temperatures. The expression is bottled at 57.4% ABV.
Tomer Goren, head distiller of M&H Distillery, described the release: “The climate at the Dead Sea – the lowest point on dry land – is far harsher than the postcards suggest. This expression, rich in minerality and spice with a well-rounded sweetness, offers a rare glimpse into one of the most extreme explorations of whisky terroir ever undertaken.”
The second edition, Jerusalem Mountains, is matured 576 metres above sea level and offered at 55.4% ABV.
Goren said: “Aged in the cool, high-altitude pine forests of Jerusalem, this whisky undergoes slow and gentle maturation. The result is a light, fresh expression with green, herbal notes and a crisp clarity that reflects its forested terroir.”
Meanwhile, Apex Terroir Negev Desert (54.2% ABV) has been aged at 563 metres above sea level.
“Daily expansion and contraction of the casks at 563m altitude enables gentle yet active maturation, resulting in a delicate, fruit-forward whisky with a dry finish unique to this arid region,” explained Goren.
The last of the quartet, Sea of Galilee, is aged 154 metres below sea level, where the Sea of Galilee meets the Jordan River. The expression has an ABV of 56.2%.
Goren described the release: “Balanced maturation enhanced by grape-based marc casks, with a push-pull climate that amplifies both sweetness and spice, resulting in a bold, fruit-forward whisky with rich, concentrated warmth and layered complexity.”
All expressions have a suggested retail price of ILS₪550 (US$165/£121).
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