Scharfenstein Castle

A castle, the Pope and a lot of whisky

The Pope almost went to Scharfenstein Castle. A circumstance that led to the impressive 13th century castle being saved from collapse. This is how the story of the Whisky World and the Scharfenstein Castle Hotel began. We are visiting the castle and exploring it from the vaulted cellar to the restaurant with the hosts Lisa Bonda and Martin Henning.

Bernd Ehbrecht saw the cancelled papal visit as an unexpected opportunity. The managing director of the brewery Brauerei Neunspringe has a penchant for whisky and an obsession. He wanted to produce his own whisky. And why not at Scharfenstein Castle? After all, concepts for using the castle were sought after it had undergone extensive repairs. Some years later, Bernd Ehbrecht opened the Nine Springs World of Whisky. Since then, not only the single malts, but also the whisky tastings and the tours have been a success. What would Benedict XVI. have thought of the idea that it is virtually because of him that whisky is now distilled at Scharfenstein Castle?

We find it exciting anyway. That is why we are pleased that Lisa Bonda, hostess of the castle hotel, is giving us a guided tour. Moving around between the fragrant barrels, in which the whisky is stored for at least 3 years and one day, is a sensual experience. Tasting it also appeals to the senses. I don’t know much about whisky, which makes it all the more exciting to try the various distillates and taste the differences. The product range produced by the spirit manufacturer has now grown, and there are many different alternatives to discover. Whisky matured in a sherry barrel, with more peat or made from rye. Of course, the age and the cereal used also lead to differences in the final taste.

Meanwhile, Flo prefers to taste the other products: gin, crema di limoncello, cappuccino cream liqueur. Lisa is delighted and says that it is a pure stereotype that men like whisky and women prefer liqueurs. Scharfenstein Castle is popular with whisky lovers of either gender from all over the world.

We, now slightly tipsy, are pleased that Scharfenstein Castle not only has its own whisky, but also roasts its own coffee. We accept a cup of this so that we can sober up again and chat with Lisa Bonda. She tells her story: in a story about a castle, there is usually also a princess. Let’s call her Lisa. Princess Lisa was a trained car salesperson and lived in the Eichsfeld, a picturesque region in the north of Thuringia. She loved her homeland and also liked restaurants. She also had a good relationship with the whisky king Bernd. Therefore, she helped out at the Whisky World or in the beer wagon from time to time. For example at a momentous festival in Duderstadt. There she met the fearless knight Martin. He had ended up in Duderstadt after years of roaming through the world’s finest restaurants. The emancipated Princess Lisa could not stand by and do nothing. She rescued the knight and took him with her to King Bernd’s castle. There, the knight opened his own hotel, and Lisa and Martin, along with King Bernd, brought Scharfenstein Castle back to life. And they all drank happily ever after. It went something like that.

In the middle of the chaos of coronavirus, Martin Henning opened the Scharfenstein Castle Hotel with Lisa Bonda at his side. The boutique hotel has 18 rooms and is located in the castle’s controversial modern annexe. The rooms, the coffee shop and the restaurant 12HUNDERT9 have the generous use of wood, greenery, and the wonderful view of the Eichsfeld in common. Lisa and Martin have created a luxurious retreat here. Martin lived out of his suitcase for years and brought with him one or two ideas from all over the world. “You have created your own Omnia,” a friend recently said to him in an allusion to the 5-star hotel in Zermatt, Switzerland, where Martin worked for several years.

The hotel in the Eichsfeld is maybe not quite that exclusive, but it has an absolutely coherent overall concept. Attractive rooms, good food, fine whisky, and nature right outside the castle walls. Flo and I are delighted to discover the culinary world of the restaurant 12HUNDERT9 after the short whisky tasting. The hotel’s restaurant is named after the first documented mention of the castle in 1209. Martin plans the restaurant menu, but is rarely in the kitchen himself. He is a trained chef, sommelier and hotel manager. However, as his head chef is out of action today, we are able to enjoy his personal culinary skills.

We are served a 4-course menu, which Martin cleverly enhances with a little amuse bouche, an intermediate course and a chocolate to end the meal. The ambience in the restaurant matches the rest of the hotel. Old elements mix stylishly with a modern design and the view of the forests and fields in the surrounding area is perpetually impressive.

The sacks of coffee from the coffee roastery are used for the presentation of the bread. We are enjoying this time-out and delight in a wonderfully fresh farmhouse bread from the bakery Bäckerei Thume. With such bread, the evening can only turn out well. The cornetto of smoked salmon served as the amuse bouche is also promising. It is jazzed up with an avocado crème fraîche mixture and dill. Then we are served the starter: a guinea fowl praline on Camembert cream with herb and mustard oil and a dainty poached egg from a guinea fowl. This is followed by a trout from the nearby Wipper river. The trout is lying on a bed of mountain lentils, surrounded by a number of stalks of roasted green asparagus. The whole thing is seasoned with rocket foam and lime. The main thing I like about this dish is that the components can be combined with one another wonderfully. Depending on whether you have only lentils, lentils with fish, or lentils with asparagus on your fork, you experience a completely different taste.

The main dish is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Cherries filled with a chanterelle cream dominate the work of art on the plate. A dark whisky gravy provides accents. Beside the saddle of venison, Martin places a portion of mushroom risotto. The venison comes from the forests around the mountain. Martin says that it will soon be possible to get a hunting licence at the castle. Living like a lord and exploring the hunting grounds on the side. Sounds logical. If you would like to get closer to nature, you will also be able to live in log cabins. A sauna in the forest is also planned to thaw out frozen hunters. The bagged venison then goes into the cold storage that is currently located in the castle and will end up on the plates at 12HUNDERT9 sooner or later.

For the time being, it is enough for me to taste the venison. I am a big fan of the combination of meat and cherries. The earthy notes of the whisky also go very well with the rest. Not to mention the wonderful mushroom risotto, which Flo spontaneously calls the best risotto that he has ever tasted in a restaurant. Still in raptures about this homage to the surrounding area in the form of a dish, we are served our dessert. A whisky tiramisu, which is sprinkled with dried wildflowers at the table. My brief fear that the dessert will put us back into the drunken state of this afternoon is unfounded. The spirit only provides an accent here.

As I look contentedly out of the window across the Eichsfeld, I am really thankful to Benedict XVI for almost visiting the castle. Without him, Scharfenstein Castle would probably not be well on its way to becoming a unique place for holidays, excursions and culinary adventures with a fantastic concept.

Our gourmet experts

Mira and Flo from the blog “How To Gourmet” are two genuine Thuringians and gourmets through and through. With them, we discover culinary beacons in Thuringia. Gourmet stories wherever we look. They take every opportunity to look for new impressions and delicacies to present on their blog “How to Gourmet”.

You will find the blog here.

Cover picture: ©Mira Held, Thüringer Tourismus GmbH