If Merak whispered, Phecda speaks a little louder. The third release in Spirit of Hven's Seven Stars constellation series steps confidently into the smokier corner of this micro-distillery's catalogue, and the result is one of the more characterful expressions in the lineup.
Spirit of Hven occupies a flat, wind-scoured island in the Oresund — the same patch of land where the Renaissance astronomer Tycho Brahe once kept his observatory, an inspiration that runs through every part of Henric Molin's distilling project. Founded in 2008, the distillery champions organic Swedish barley, slow fermentations and an obsessive attention to cask provenance, and Phecda is a fine example of that craft.
The nose is unmistakably Hven: gentle peat smoke, beeswax and citrus zest layered over roasted malt and a quiet undercurrent of vanilla cream. The peat here never overwhelms — it feels grafted onto the malt rather than imposed upon it. On the palate, smoke and honey lock together in a way that recalls coastal Scotch but with a distinctively Nordic accent: drier, more cereal-driven, with dried apricot and a tannic oak edge that keeps the sweetness in check.
The finish is long and warm, ember-like, leaving smoke and citrus peel and a faint clove note in its wake. Bottled at 45% and free of chill filtration, Phecda has the textural weight to back up its aromatics. For drinkers who found Merak a touch too gentle, this is the Seven Stars chapter that begins to flex Hven's full range.
