Angel Spreading Amrut Fever

For most whisky lovers, a favourite dram is a matter of preference. But for a rare few, it becomes a way of life. Dennis Steckel from Sweden is one such rare spirit — a whisky aficionado whose love for Amrut Single Malt runs so deep that it’s inked into his very skin, and woven into the fabric of his everyday life. Founder of two exclusive whisky clubs, with a personal collection that reads like a love letter to Amrut’s finest creations, Dennis isn’t just a fan; he’s a devoted ambassador of the Indian whisky that captured his heart from the very first sip. If you were to ask Dennis to describe Amrut whisky, he will say it embodies family, love and devotion.

His story is one of passion, perseverance, and a heartfelt mission to share the magic of Amrut Single Malt whiskies with the world, writes Bishan Kumar.

Dennis is a logistics professional with IKEA and a junior league football coach in Sweden. His first encounter with Amrut led to instant love. “At first, I was intrigued by the name Amrut and then when I had my first sip, the endearment to it hit me immediately,” he recalls, noting it quashed his scepticism about Indian whisky. Starting with Amrut’s core single malt, he quickly ventured into exploring different variants, often travelling great distances to procure bottles. 

Dennis started looking throughout Europe for every Amrut expression he could find, often making trades for soughtafter single malt scotches he owned. “Some people could not understand why I was giving away scotch whisky and wanted Indian whisky,” he says with a laugh. He now has a collection of over 250 bottles of Amrut, including some of the rarest releases like Greedy Angels 12 Year Old, and the first Blackadder independent bottling from 2008.

The Inner Circle

Dennis first co-founded an exclusive whisky club in Sweden, the Elme Uisge Academy and later set up the Amrut Fever Club in 2016, and soon there were 235 members in the club and another 500 in the messenger group. Both are closed groups that open once a year. Only select members of the messenger group are then invited to join the club.

Over 100 applicants are still patiently vying for acceptance into the club, which convenes only four times a year. Each session exudes sophistication, and members eagerly anticipate the opportunity to share in Dennis’s passion for Amrut.

Memorable Moments

At 51, Dennis lives in Älmhult, the birthplace of IKEA, with his wife Linda and their three children— Tea (22), Liam (20), and Disa (18). But his connection to Amrut is so profound that he has made it a point to visit the distillery in India. His first trip in August 2016, just eight months after establishing the Amrut Fever Club, was exhilarating, marking his inaugural journey to India and meeting Amrut representatives for the first time. 

“It was really exciting in every way as I had never been to India and had not met anybody from the distillery, except for Ashok Chokalingam whom I had met in Sweden while he was doing some masterclasses,” Dennis narrates.

Returning in 2018 with Linda, he was eager to showcase the brand that held such importance in his life. “It was very important for me to show Linda why I put in so much energy and time towards my big passion and how much Amrut valued me,” he says.

When they visited the distillery on July 25, at the end of the tour Dennis noticed two new buildings that had not been there during his first visit. These were the seventh warehouse and a new distillery plant. It was the day the plant was to be inaugurated and Dennis did not want to lose the opportunity of clicking photographs of the event. “To my extreme surprise, the Managing Director Rakshit Jagdale approached me and said that it would not be possible to take photographs while cutting the ribbon. He was offering me the chance to inaugurate the plant. It was one of my most emotional moments and I was thrilled, to say the least,” he recalls. 

There are many such Amrutrelated incidents that Dennis often weaves into heartfelt stories to share with club members. One poignant memory involves the Amrut Greedy Angels 12 YO, a whisky he sought to enjoy with his father. “I heard a friend of mine got hold of one so I asked him to exchange the bottle. When I told him I had a special release of a Macallan 1972 to exchange, we agreed on a deal. When he received the Greedy Angles he had it in his belongings for less than 24 hours before I drove to him so we could do the exchange,” he recalled.

Trading a Macallan 1972 for a second bottle, he surprised his dad by intending to open the valuable €1,200 bottle that evening and that spontaneous choice turned into a cherished memory.

A Personal Mission

Dennis Steckel’s mission transcends mere whisky appreciation; he strives to introduce Amrut whisky to as many people as possible. His earnest passion has made him a respected figure in the European whisky community, earning him both admiration and envy from brands worldwide.

“I’m doing a lot of tasting in Sweden, I call them Amrut Masterclasses where I’m telling the story of Amrut and my journey but also taking them on a special taste journey. From what I know, I’m the only one doing this kind of special taste journey,” he claimed.