Top 10 Chick French Whiskey Brands You Must Try When Visiting France
You may associate France with wine and champagne, but most people do not associate the country with its lavish French whiskey brands. However, France has more distilleries producing some of the finest whiskeys in the world than Scotland, Ireland, also American and Japanese whiskeys.
The French populace also loves to drink whiskey, and the French have a higher per capita consumption of the drinks than anywhere in the world. The French drink more whiskey than they partake in wine, champagne, or cognac.
A citizen of France consumes, on average, 2.15 liters of whiskey every year, which is greater than any other country anywhere in the world. France has over 60 distilleries, and the district of Brittany is the place of origin of the French whiskey.
The terrain and the soil which grows the grains for the whiskey also plays a huge part in the flavors of the whiskey as French distilleries use produce from their area to make whiskey.
France has a long tradition of producing the finest drinks, and this rich history is aiding the French distilleries to produce some of the best whiskeys. France also has the essential raw materials for whiskey production, with close to 30% of the malted barley production in the world.
As a popular whiskey quote says:
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.”
– Mark Twain
If you are visiting France, you need to try the best French whiskeys and expand your flavor horizons. In this guide, WanderGlobe brings to you the top 10 chick whiskeys you must try in France.
1. Bastille 1789 handcrafted French Whiskey
The Bastille 1789 is an exquisite creation from the distilleries of Jean-Marc Daucourt, an exemplary master distiller focusing keenly on making an exquisite product.
This French whiskey starts with the combining of wheat and malted barley for creating the mash. The distillation process is old-fashioned that uses classic copper alembic stills. Тhe same аре in use for producing some of the cognacs!
Aging is a complex process of refinement, which lasts for 5 to 7 years and uses three different types of casks.
Different casks in use are: French Limousin oak, acacia, and cherry wood. Put these together and you get an exotic mix for producing exotic whiskey! The result magnificently combines harmonious and complex flavors.
To experience the magic, you really need to try the Bastille 1789!
This blend of whiskey has a luxurious mix of flavors such as spice, toffee, honey, and chewy. The color of the whiskey is bright and reddish copper, and the finish is that of sweet and orange spices, he adds.
You can savor a mix of leather, orange marmalade, apricot, and Christmas cake aroma and the flavors have a medium body with a blend of baked dessert bread and orange zest flavors.
2. Brenne 10 Year Old French Single Malt Whiskey
The Brenne single malt whiskey has an aging process that lasts for ten years against the typical 7-year cap on most other premium whiskeys.This whiskey is an amalgamation of 4 different barrels of 10-year-old French whiskeys to create a unique masterpiece that is soft, fruity, and inviting to drink.
The Brenne single malt whiskey originates in the city of Cognac in the southwest of Paris, which is famous for the iconic brandy that is in demand around the world. Barley is the base ingredient in making this whiskey, and the fermentation process uses 2 or 3 different strains of yeasts in a cool atmosphere.
The mash undergoes double distillation in a copper alembic still, which is the traditional distilling apparatus of the cognac. The selection process of the individual barrels is by the owner of the Brenne brand, Alison Patel, and each barrel has typical characteristics contributing to the exotic flavor.
The Brenne single malt exudes flavors of caramel, burnt sugar, creme brulee, and ripe strawberries.The aroma is that of warm chocolate and red fruits, and the finish is long-lasting and soft with tones of ginger, vanilla, and fresh honey. The spice factor is minimal and not overly rich.
3. Armorik Breton Single Malt Whiskey
Armorik is a famous name in the French whiskey industry, and their distillery lies in the northwestern edge of France, at Brittany close to the English channel.
Armorik is famous for producing exotic liquors and elixirs before France became a leading producer of whiskey in the world. The single malt whiskey from Armorik adopts the style of whiskey from across the channel in England and Scotland.
The barley for the malt undergoes double distillation in the classic copper stills, and the aging occurs in Sherry and ex-Bourbon casks. After cutting with local water, the bottling occurs at 80 proof, and the aging of the whiskey is only for around three years making it a rare younger whiskey.
Although the original Armorik was at 40% at bottling, the modern version stands at 46%, providing more punch. The core of the Armorik is the smooth and silky notes with nougat, apple, honey, and malty bread flavors.
The taste is similar to scotch whiskeys, and there are only subtle variations in flavor, such as the hint of smokiness. Although the Arorik only ages for a short while, you can taste the resemblance to the luxurious Dalmore whiskey from Scotland.
4. Eddu Silver Broceliande
The Eddu Silver is a product of the Distillerie des Menhirs, and the original purpose of this distillery by Guy Le Lay is to make the Brittany version of the apple brandy.
The Silver Broceliande uses buckwheat from Brittany for producing the whiskey, and the name of the brand Eddu means buckwheat in the local language.
The aging takes place in oak barrels, and the complex flavors have notes of dried fruits and vanilla.
5. Vulson White Rhino Rye
The Vulson White Rhino Rye gets its name from the famous French poet Marcus Vulson de La Combiere.
The production of this whiskey is from organic rye after a lengthy fermentation process of 120 hours and a triple distillation process.
The white rhino rye has an aroma of cereal, sweet spices, and crisp apples. The flavors are a combination of anise, plum, honey, cloves, and cinnamon.
6. Kornog Peated Single Malt Whiskey
The Kornog peated single malt arises from the Glann Ar Mor distillery of Brittany province in the northwest of France.
The whiskey is non-chill filtered, uncolored, and the production is in ex-Bourbon casks. The Kornog peated single malt has an alcohol content of 46% at the time of bottling.
The whiskey uses 100% Barley for malt, and the drying is with peat. The whiskey has a peppery, smokey, and fruity finish and a creamy and smoky aroma.
The flavors are of buttered vanilla and toasted chocolate marshmallows with a spicy and smoky aftertaste.
7. Rozelieures Origins Collection
Rozelieures is a tiny village of the Lorraine province of France, where the Distillerie Grallet-Dupic resides.
Although the distillery was in existence from the 1860s, they only started to produce whiskey from the early 2000s. The Rozelieures Origins collection is the first whiskey from the province and it undergoes a double distillation process.
The whiskey uses 100% malted barley and the aging and the maturing process take place in sherry oak casks.
8. Bellevoye Bleu Triple Malt
The Bellevoye bleu uses a combination of non-peated malts from three different regions – Cognac, Alsace, and Brittany, of France.
The aging process takes place in Oak barrels for a period of 3 to 8 years and after blending they undergo further aging of 9 to 12 months in new French oak barrels.
9. Vicomte Single Malt 8 Year
The Vicomte single malt uses 100% organic French barley in its production and the distillation is in traditional copper stills.
The double maturation process takes place in French limousin oak barrels for 6 months initially and then in ex-Cognac barrels for 8 years. The whiskey contains 40% alcohol by volume.
10. Le Pertuis Pure Malt Whiskey
Le Pertuis originates from the Ile de Re, a small island off the coast of northwestern France in the Pertuis strait. The whiskey is a pure malt and uses locally grown grains.
The aging takes place for 5 years in oak barrels and after that finishing in three different barrel types.
It has a mahogany color with a warm sea salt toffee finish making it a blessing to help with anxiety and stress. The flavors are a blend of cinnamon, apricot, fruitcake, chocolate, and figs.
Final remarks
The last 30 years are seeing France emerging as a major producer of whiskey, and the quality of the whiskey from some of the distilleries is the best in the world. The gentleman of whiskey knows that French whiskey has an elegant and soft touch with silky, palatable, round, and balanced flavors, unlike the bold and big American counterparts.
The French prefer complexity and refinement in flavor, and you can observe the same in the French whiskeys. The number of French whiskeys is quadrupling in just seven years from 215,000 whiskey bottles in 2010 to 800,000 bottles.
The bulk of French whiskey is for domestic use, unlike the Cognac, which is primarily for export. This makes it imperative to try the best French whiskeys in France as only 10% of the total produce reaches export.
With the recent start of the production of whiskeys in France, the distilleries are still evolving, with plenty of innovations happening in the industry.