A Belgian rye with a story beneath the surface
Filliers began as a farm in Deinze. In 1869, Karel Lodewijk Filliers bought the land where the distillery still stands today. At first, distilling grew out of the agricultural work: grain became genever.
In 1880, the next generation installed a steam engine and received a licence to distil, turning that farm activity into a more professional operation.
There’s a curious story behind Filliers’ rye. The distillery says its workers tried to hide their copper stills from the German occupiers by throwing them into the Rekkelinge, a side branch of the Lys. Filliers’ own timeline tells two versions of what happened next: one says the stills were recovered after the war; another says the Germans found them and the family had to invest in new ones.
So the story behind the name Sunken Still has a loose end, and I’d rather leave it there than pretend I know exactly how it ended.
What we do know is that rye has a place in Filliers’ history. In 2016, the distillery launched Sunken Still, which it describes as Belgium’s first rye whisky.
In 2023, Filliers introduced its 5- and 8-year-old Single Rye whiskies.
This 8-year-old is made from 100% rye, traditionally distilled in copper stills and matured in new American oak.
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Rye whisky is made with rye grain rather than relying mainly on malted barley.
Rye brings its own character: often lively, grain-forward and gently spicy.
In this Filliers, the mash is 100% rye, with eight years in new American oak adding the vanilla, chocolate and warmth that meet that spice in the glass.
I’ve tasted rye whisky before, but this is the first one I’ve chosen as the Whisky of the Month.
It’s also my first Belgian whisky.
October, then, gives me two good reasons to pour a dram: a new whisky-making country for my monthly feature, and a style with a story that begins in the grain and, perhaps, under the water.
Whisky of the month October
FILLIERS
BELGIAN SINGLE RYE WHISKY
8 YEAR OLD, 46.5%
Filliers
Belgian Single Rye Whisky
8 Years Old 46,5%
Belgian craft, 100% rye, eight years in new American oak
Tasting notes
When I open it:
The first thing I notice is spice.
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Not a cloud of it, but a lively, peppery edge that makes me want to take another smell.
Beneath it, softer notes begin to appear: vanilla, a hint of chocolate and the warm, dry scent of oak.
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There’s a grainy quality too, which feels right for a whisky made entirely from rye. Give it a little time in the glass and the sharper spice settles, letting the sweeter notes come through more clearly.
When I taste it:
Vanilla and chocolate arrive first, bringing a gentle sweetness.
Then the rye steps forward with black pepper and a warming, slightly dry spice.
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The new American oak seems to round things out. It brings warmth and a touch of sweetness, but doesn’t take over.
The pepper remains present through the middle of the sip, giving the whisky a lively character and keeping those softer flavours in balance.
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It feels smooth, but it isn’t sleepy. There’s enough spice to keep me coming back to see what appears next.
When I swallow it:
The warmth builds gently and stays with me.
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Pepper and oak last longest, while the sweetness fades more slowly, leaving a light chocolate note behind.
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The finish is warming and steady rather than sharp, with the rye’s spice still there at the end.
I like this finish it makes me think and wait a little before taking the next sip.
Mouthfeel
It arrives smoothly, with a little weight on the tongue.
There’s a gentle warmth as it settles, then the rye spice gives it a dry, lively edge.
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It doesn’t feel heavy, but it has pleanty of precense.
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The texture and peppery finish invite me to take another sip.
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Gin.whis notes
I like a whisky with a story, especially when the story has a question mark in it.
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Filliers’ account of its hidden stills doesn’t quite agree with itself.
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One part of the distillery timeline says the copper equipment was pulled from the water after the war; another says the Germans found it and the family had to replace it.
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The name Sunken Still holds on to the attempt to hide the stills, even if the ending is unclear.
That little contradiction feels oddly appropriate for a whisky built around rye.
Rye isn’t a quiet grain. It brings spice and character, and here Filliers pairs it with eight years in new American oak.
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The notes point to black pepper, vanilla and chocolate, a combination that is familiar yet distinctly different from the malt whiskies I usually reach for.
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I’ve tried rye whisky before, but this is my first time putting one in the Whisky of the Month spotlight. And because this is also my first Belgian whisky, I've enjoyed finding out what Filliers has made of a style with strong roots elsewhere.
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Enjoy it with:
One small beef meatball, a little wholegrain mustard and a thin slice of apple. That’s the pairing i made with this rye.
The savoury meat gives the whisky something substantial to meet.
Mustard echoes the peppery side of the rye, while apple brings a fresh, slightly sweet note alongside the vanilla and oak.
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But a small piece of dark chocolate with a few flakes of sea salt.
Let the chocolate begin to melt, then take a sip of the Filliers.
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The cocoa should pick up the whisky’s chocolate note, while the salt brings the rye’s peppery warmth into sharper focus. It’s a tiny pairing, but it gives this Belgian rye a rather good after-dinner moment.
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Producer: Filliers Distillery
Origin: Deinze, Belgium
Style: Single rye whisky, made from 100% rye
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46.5%
Maturation: New American oak casks
Bottle size: 50 cl