Tel Aviv distillery to sell off Israel's first single malt whiskey

A bottle of whiskey made by the Milk & Honey distillery can be seen at the distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - In an unassuming building in the heart of hip and gritty south Tel Aviv, a young distillery is hours away from auctioning off a batch of what it calls the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey.

And of course it's kosher.

The distillery is unloading its first "experimental series" of the spirit, aged only three years, by offering 100 bottles in an online auction and another 291 bottles are being sold locally.

A worker of the Milk & Honey distillery works in the labratory of the distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

All this seems a bit atypical for Israel, where wineries dominate the market, attracting foreign customers for decades, and microbreweries have now taken off.

But the start-up, called Milk & Honey, is hoping to capitalize on a global renaissance among whiskey aficionados.

"There is a huge demand now for a store, for a different kind of products from different locations and climates," said company CEO Eitan Attir.

Barrels are pilled up at the Milk & Honey distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

And though all this is a first for Israel, Attir said nature had presented Israel with some advantages.

The country, for example, has a hot and humid climate which he said speeds up the whiskey's maturation. It matures as much as two and half times faster than Scotch, the company says.

Workers of the Milk & Honey distillery stand next to barrels in their distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

(Reporting by Lee Marzel; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

Bottels are on display at the at the Milk & Honey distillery showroom where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

A worker holds barley next to the grainer at the Milk & Honey distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

A stamp is seen on a barrel of the Milk & Honey distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/ Amir Cohen

Working tools are placed on a barrel at the Milk & Honey distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/ Amir Cohen

A worker pours barley into the grainer at the Milk & Honey distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Barley can be seen at the Milk & Honey distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Barrels are pilled up at the Milk & Honey distillery where they produce what they call the first Israeli-made single malt whiskey and a kosher one in Tel Aviv, Israel August 10, 2017. Picture taken August 10, 2017. REUTERS/ Amir Cohen