Discover the World’s Highest Whiskey Distillery

Experience the World’s Highest-Altitude Whiskey

At 3,303 meters on St. Moritz’s Corvatsch Peak, the air is delicious, the view is sublime, and the whiskey is rare. For the past 10 years, local distillers Pascal Mittner and Rinaldo Willy have been quietly distilling Orma, Europe’s most eco-friendly, single malt, small-batch whiskey that you may never taste — unless you’re visiting the Swiss region of Engadin.

St. Moritz is renowned for many reasons, including excellent skiing, breathtaking nature, luxurious resorts, and a rich linguistic heritage with four languages spoken alongside English, including Romansh. However, it now boasts the distinction of producing the world’s highest-altitude whiskey, distilled and aged atop the highest peak in the Grisons canton.

“Orma” means “soul” in Romansh, a fitting name for a whiskey crafted with passion and care. Each batch utilizes water from nearby springs, combined with Alpine aromas and herbs from the region, such as Swiss stone pine. Mittner and Willy distill on Corvatsch, with most batches aging in cellars and monasteries across the valley. However, the 288 bottles aged on Corvatsch are kept in the distillery’s basement storage room.

The Unique Process of Crafting Orma Whiskey

The journey began several years ago, when Willy and Mittner scaled Corvatsch on a warm August day to celebrate Willy’s cancer recovery. They chose to make it a tradition, returning to the same spot each year to toast on that day. Inspired, they began creating small-batch whiskey, selecting Corvatsch for its breathtaking views and adventurous spirit.

Moreover, the higher altitude significantly enhances the sustainability of the whiskey-making process. This unique environment results in a lower boiling point, requiring less energy and heat while preserving a richer flavor. “At this altitude, the distillation occurs at a temperature around 10 degrees lower than at sea level, leading to more preserved aromas and greater complexity,” stated Willy.

Tasting Options for Orma Whiskey

Currently, Orma offers 12 different whiskey variations, each batch being a limited edition. However, Orma does not export its whiskey, which means you need to visit either Corvatsch Ski Station for a tasting at the distillery or the onsite Restaurant 3303. Here, you can enjoy Orma delicacies, such as the exquisite gerstensuppe, a light barley soup adorned with an airy Orma whiskey foam. Additionally, you may request an Orma mule at the Kulm Country Club Bar, featuring Orma peated whiskey blended with ginger beer. Consequently, if you wish to sample the world’s highest-altitude whiskey, it might be time to start planning your trip to Switzerland.