The two largest bartending schools, as well as culinary schools, bring their students for educational experiences. Being in proximity and conversation with entrepreneurs, innovators, makers and artisans, M&H has become part of the story of new products being made and celebrated in modern Tel Aviv.įurther, they invite the cocktail and restaurant community to visit the distillery to learn about the process and to taste their products. M&H also makes oak-aged gin and Levantine gin, distilled in-house with juniper and botanicals hand-sourced from Tel Aviv’s Levinsky Market-including Syrian oregano, lemon peel, orange, chamomile, verbena, cinnamon and black pepper. “The distillery is located where the Eilat bakery used to be, so it’s nice to think that the grain base has remained.” Courtesy of M&H Distillery “We built the distillery in our hometown to complement the beachfront, lively markets and architecture,” says Kalkshtein. The plan was to make whisky with classic Scottish techniques, but also to use the diverse topography and age the whisky in various locations throughout the country. They opened close to old Jaffa and the flea market and the Levontin neighborhood, an area of the city that’s home to a lot of the creative community. Kalkshtein and Goren chose to set up the distillery in Tel Aviv in order to be a part of the city’s culinary scene. He wanted to work with the most senior whisky-maker in Israel and sought out master distiller Tomer Goren, who graduated from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling in London and had worked at distilleries in Scotland. Kalkshtein’s desire to be a part of whisky culture was partly due to the time involved: not only making something that takes time to distill and mature, but also something that should be sipped slowly and savored. However, he also encountered some skepticism from those who thought a whisky from Israel made little sense. “I spoke with a few of the most knowledgeable people in the Israeli alcohol industry who also thought it was a great idea,” Kalkshtein recalls. The conversation sparked curiosity and led to more discussions in the culinary world. Kalkshtein used to brew beer at home before a colleague suggested he try making whisky. And even though their whiskies are made in accordance with the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), the brand is constantly exploring what can be distinct to whisky made in Israel. Most of their casks are ex-bourbon barrels from the world famous Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky along with a variety of STR, wine, rum and tequila casks. The team at M&H sources their barley from Muntons in the UK and yeast from Fermentis in Belgium. It’s in the barrel room, however, that being in Israel begins to inform aspects of their process. Walking into the distillery and standing next to the stills, witnessing whisky-making may teleport your brain to images of Scotland, Ireland or Kentucky and underscore the universal language of the practice throughout the world. Visitors will find a tasting room in constant motion-often set up for public tours and training for local bartenders and culinary professionals. Located in the Giv’at Hertsel neighborhood, the distillery offers tours and tastings of their wide range of expressions. In the nine years since, M&H has burgeoned into an award-winning whisky-making operation. Gal Kalkshtein founded M&H Distillery-originally as Milk & Honey Whisky Distillery-in 2014. An exploration of their Tel Aviv headquarters reveals both traditional flavor profiles as well as the special characteristics unique to making whisky in Israel’s diverse topography and warm Mediterranean weather. The innovative team utilizes the various climates around Israel to influence maturation (otherwise known as the aging process), going so far as to set up casks on the roof of a hotel by the Dead Sea. M&H Distillery, the first brand to produce single malt whisky in Israel, is a hub for experimentation.
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