Aromas from wine barrels & elephant dung: Namibia's first whisky

Far from Scottish traditions, Wolfgang and Esther Koll have created their very own whisky in Namibia – Ondjaba. Namibia's first whisky is produced at their Erongo Mountain Winery, located at an altitude of 1,226 metres.

The name ‘Ondjaba’ means ‘elephant’ in the Ovambo language. Appropriately, the grain is smoked over dried elephant dung, which gives the whisky a sweet, smoky aroma reminiscent of cigars.

Another regional ingredient is mahangu, a type of millet that has been cultivated by the local population for thousands of years. It is sourced directly from local farmers, milled at the winery, malted and used as the main ingredient.

The winery uses its own casks for maturation – in addition to brandy and red wine casks, it also uses casks that previously stored a red port-style liqueur wine (Gravino) and a white, sherry-like wine.