3 Need To Know French Whisky Distillers
By Chilled Magazine
Did you know that the French drink more whisky a year than any other country?
The average person drinks over two liters of whisky each year, more than the average of any other country. Most distilleries use methods of production similar to Scotch, but there are a few differences that help create a flavor profile that’s uniquely French.
Bastille 1789 Hand-Crafted Whisky
The Daucourt family has been making spirits for the last four generations. Inspired by their Irish mother, Edouard, Charles, and Jean-Marc Daucourt decided to create a whisky using their traditional gooseneck pot still–the result was two award winning whiskies.
Bastille 1789 includes two expressions—a French Blended Whisky and a Single Malt. Both varietals are made using a water from the Charente springs, a 120-year-old yeast strain, and are distilled twice in Charente copper stills. The Bastille 1789 French Blended whisky starts with a 50-50 blend of malted barley and raw grain and is aged in Limousin oak barrels that previously held Sauternes and Cognac. Bastille 1789 French Single Malt Whisky is made from 100% malted barley and aged in Limousin oak barrels that once held Sauternes, Sherry, and Red Burgundy.
Armorik Distillery
Dating back to 1900, the Armorik Distillery has been crafting high-quality spirits in Lannion Brittany, they were also the first modern French distillery to begin making whisky starting in 1983. The brand carries a range of award-winning whiskies including several aged and cask finished expressions. The line crafted using 100% French Malted Barley, pure granitic water from the Rest Avel, and is double distilled in traditional copper pot stills before being aged. While the finishing varies by expression, the majority of the Armorik line is aged in refill American Oak Bourbon casks and some Spanish Oak refill Sherry butts.
Brenne French Single Malt Whisky
This certified Organic whisky starts with two types of heirloom barley grown on a third-generation farm distillery in Cognac. The mash is malted and mixed with a proprietary strain of yeast before being twice distilled in an alembic Charente still. The result is a fruit-forward spirit with floral notes. The brand currently has two aged expressions, Brenne Estate Cask aged fir a minimum of six years, and Brenne Ten, a limited annual release aged for ten years.