Stauning began in 2005 as nine Danish friends floor-malting barley by hand in a former slaughterhouse near Skjern, on Jutland's flat west coast, and grew into Denmark's oldest and best-known whisky distillery without ever giving up that homemade approach.
Local grain, floor-malted
Stauning uses only Danish barley and rye, malted on its own floors rather than bought in ready-processed, sourced from farmers within about fifteen miles of the distillery. Floor malting is slow and labour-heavy compared to industrial malting, and Stauning is one of the few distilleries left anywhere still doing it at this scale for its own production.
Direct fire, small stills
Where most distilleries heat their stills indirectly with steam coils, Stauning fires twenty-four small copper pot stills directly, a method that toasts and caramelises the wash and pushes the spirit toward a richer, nuttier character. Combined with the local grain and Jutland's climate, the house calls this New Nordic Terroir Whisky, and the rye in particular, made with malted rather than unmalted rye, has become the calling card.
Independent again
Diageo took a minority stake through its Distill Ventures arm in 2015, funding a larger distillery in 2018, but the founders kept majority control throughout. Diageo exited in 2025, and Stauning scaled back production accordingly. It remains Danish-owned and founder-run.
FAQ
Is Stauning owned by Diageo?
No. Diageo held a minority stake between 2015 and 2025 through its Distill Ventures arm, but the founders held the majority throughout and run the distillery independently today.
What makes Stauning's rye different?
Most rye whisky, including the American style, is made from unmalted rye. Stauning malts its rye on site, which gives a softer, more floral spirit than the spicier bite typical of rye whisky made elsewhere.
Where is Stauning made?
In Denmark, on Jutland's west coast near Skjern, using direct-fired stills and floor-malted local grain rather than the indirect heating and bought-in malt typical of Scottish distilleries.