This whisky was a forgotten relic of the Communist era, distilled in 1989 shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall in East Germany led to the downfall of the Warsaw Pact and the eventual breakup of Czechoslovakia. The name comes from the distillery’s hammer-style mill, and not any reference to sharks. The whisky was eventually bottled after Western investors acquired the distillery as former state-owned enterprises were privatized.

The nose is peppery and intense with notes of black pepper, chipotle, and a touch of clove, along with touches of dark chocolate fudge and grassiness that become apparent with time. The taste is grainy and buttery at first, with sharp spices kicking in gradually and adding notes of chipotle, clove, and cinnamon, along with touches of fudge and licorice. The finish is grassy with hints of citrus and lingering spices. (August, 2014)