M&H ‘Elements’ Pomegranate Wine Cask Single Malt

M&H Distillery (also known as “Milk & Honey”) was founded in 2012–2013 by a group of Israeli entrepreneurs led by Gal Kalkshtein, with the goal of creating Israel’s first true single-malt whisky distillery. They selected a site in Tel Aviv and, recognizing Israel’s warm Mediterranean climate and its impact on whisky maturation, they brought on board the late Dr. Jim Swan—one of the world’s foremost experts in whisky production in hot climates, as consultant and first master distiller.

From the beginning, M&H committed to international whisky-making standards (particularly those used in Scotland) even though Israel lacked its own regulatory framework. With custom-made copper pot stills, a dedicated water-treatment lab, and a warehouse using bourbon, wine, and STR (Shaved-Toasted-Re-charred) casks, they leveraged the accelerated maturation effect of the climate—reports note an angel’s share of around 11% annually in Tel Aviv and up to 25% near the Dead Sea.

In 2017, M&H unveiled Israel’s first domestically produced single malt whisky.