Description
FIRST EDITION 3303
The «FIRST EDITION 3303» is limited to 2,020 bottles – a deliberate tribute to the year in which the world’s highest whisky and gin distillery was built.
The whisky was matured in selected Sauternes casks from France as well as in Completer casks from Martin Donatsch in Malans. As a sign of their connection to Liechtenstein, where Rinaldo and Pascal learnt their craft at Telser, a 500-litre Chardonnay cask from Viticulture Hoop was also used to blend the casks.
A story that begins on the mountain
When ORMA opened its distillery on the Corvatsch in 2020, the venture was extraordinary: distilling whisky in a place where others strap on their skis and let their gaze wander over the peaks. The vision at the time was to rethink Swiss whisky and make a mark with a unique location.
The media covered the opening with great interest. The focus was on the unusual altitude of 3,303 metres and the question of how the extreme conditions would affect the production and maturation of the whisky.
Six years later, we have our first answer: the «FIRST EDITION 3303»
The mountain is also reflected in the packaging
The story of the «FIRST EDITION 3303» does not end with the bottle. It continues in its packaging.
Together with our long-standing designer Mauri Cannizzaro and ARGO, a workshop for people with disabilities in Surava, ORMA has developed a special wooden packaging design. Crafted from spruce wood from Bergün and modelled on the shape of a safety carabiner, it combines regional origins, thoughtful design and skilled craftsmanship.
The carabiner symbolises the mountain world, safety and the immediate proximity to the Bernina summit. At the same time, its shape makes it clear where this whisky is at home: not just anywhere, but in the Upper Engadine, at the world’s highest whisky distillery.
The label also reflects its Alpine origins. The figure 3,303 metres becomes a defining element of the design. The light blue is inspired by the colour of glacial ice and brings the clear, cool world of the Corvatsch to the bottle. So it is not only the whisky that tells its story – its packaging also makes its origins visible.
From a Visionary Project to a Matured Single Malt
“In 2020, we brought a vision to the mountain. Back then, we knew we’d need patience. You can’t rush whiskey. Now, six years later, we’re finally able to showcase what was created back then at 3,303 meters.”
The «FIRST EDITION 3303» is thus far more than just a first bottling. It is the liquid proof of an idea that began six years ago on the Corvatsch.
On October 10, 2026, we’ll come full circle:
October 10, 2020 – the first distillation.
October 10, 2026 – the first bottling.
10:10 a.m. – the moment the whiskey is poured from the bottle.
The first chapter of ORMA’s whiskey history was written in 2020 at 3,303 meters. Now it’s ready to be poured.
