French Single Malt Whisky 2023 Release | 46% ABV

Score: 8/10

**Something special.**
***TL;DR***
*A magical scotch that isn’t scotch*

France vs Scotland

Imagine, if you will, a place that’s part of something bigger – it’s part of a whole country in fact, but doesn’t quite ‘fit in’. It’s a bit stubborn and sometimes reluctant even to comply with the bigger picture. A place with a unique history and distinctive geography, where folk are proud of their own culture, folklore, traditions and, indeed, language.

So much so, they’re going through great lengths in order to preserve and celebrate as much of it as possible, even if that means going against the grain of government policies who make a point of sending out a message of national unity to the rest of the world.

If you feel as if I just, in loose terms, described Scotland, you would be absolutely correct. If, on the other hand, you feel as if I just, in equally loose terms, described the French region of Brittany, you’d also be very much correct.

There’s interesting and obvious parallels to be drawn between Scotland and Brittany. Both are linked to both France and England throughout history yet outside of the British Isles Brittany is the only region on mainland Europe where a form of Gaelic Celtic language is still spoken. Also, being on the frontier between the North Sea and the Atlantic, they’re quite familiar with the concept of rain, as are of course the Scots.

With over 2,500 kilometres of coastline, they can boast both wonderful beaches and some of the most impressive and breathtaking cliffs in Europe. And if you were to assume that it doesn’t get more Scottish than bagpipes, think again. One of the world’s largest bagpipe festivals is, in fact, hosted in Brittany.

The list of parallels and similarities goes on for quite a bit, and in a way it makes sense how Brittany, through geographic location, history and cultural heritage, would always have one eye firmly fixed on the other side of the channel. In short, much in the same way a Scot wouldn’t like to be called ‘English’, a Britton might not appreciate you labelling them simply as ‘French’.

Despite my broad-brushing, I feel this build-up has merit to discuss today’s whisky and shed some light on it.

Review 1/2 - Earie

Armorik 15yo, French single malt whisky, 2023 release, ex-bourbon & ex-sherry casks, 1,500 bottle outturn, 46% ABV
€99 RRP, occasionally cheaper in other markets £65 paid

In a country so renowned for its gastronomy (speaking about France here, not Scotland), priding itself on some of the most wonderful, luscious food and drink known to mankind, it seems odd that single malt whisky took as long as it did to take off in France.

Arguably, it makes sense that the birthplace of French whisky is to be found in Brittany. To the north, in Normandy, there’s Calvados. To the south, you have the Loire region with its many chateaux and wines, and further south the Cognac region. With all those ties to both France and Britain, I wasn’t really surprised to find out that the maker of Armorik, Warenghem Distillery, was indeed the first ever French distillery to give whisky making a shot.

The distillery has been around for well over a century, initially focussing on liqueurs using local botanicals. Hence why they named their products ‘Armorik’ after their namesake Côtes-d'Armor; where they’re located. After some experimentation in the 1980’s, eventually the WB brand (short for ‘Whisky Breton’) was born and, after building a distillery specifically for the purpose of making whisky, the ‘Armorik’ brand of whisky was launched in the late 1990’s.

As they were pretty much the pioneers in France (and, by expansion, most of mainland Europe), with little to no regulation as to what can be defined as French whisky, they deemed it important to make sure some sort of benchmarks regarding quality and production methods would be maintained. They worked hard to settle and improve the reputation of their brand and managed to have their Fine Bretagne (cider brandy, akin to the more famous calvados from the neighbouring Normandy region) recognised as an Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) and the whisky from Brittany recognised as an Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP), abbreviations you probably recognise from some wine labels.

These are certificates granted to agricultural products, identifying and recognising the specific regionality, know-how, and craft that goes into it, establishing the specific stages of production and processing as well as the specific techniques. In doing so, deliberately or not, they also clearly state that their products are ‘Breton’ first and foremost, rather than being ‘French’.

When I was gifted a sample of this 15 year old expression, it took me by surprise, in the best of ways. During holidays visiting the region I stocked up, and at festivals I tried a few, so they’ve been on my radar for a while. This particular sample, however, was nothing short of a showstopper. I was desperate now to get my hands on a full bottle.

Not only to be able to relive that epiphany moment, but also see if my initial thoughts and impressions would hold up. With none of my go-to bricks-and-mortar shops showing any stock, a bit of online shopping was required and I soon managed to bag one from the Whiskybase webshop.

Upon opening the bottle, I immediately set aside a sample for my esteemed colleague Ainsley Fife. For whatever reason, living in France, and actually working in the booze business, doesn’t guarantee being able to find this French (sorry, Breton) whisky, or at least not at affordable prices. A second opinion is rarely a bad thing, after all.

Nose

Red fruit and red apples, apple syrup, mixed in with nutty and earthy notes. A very subtle note of sweet smoke with an equally subtle hint of roasted coffee. Some white and tropical fruit notes of banana and melon, stewed fruit and marmalade, caramel and a whiff of chocolate notes provide a soft, gentle sweetness running though it all. Hints of marzipan and charred wood deliver the finishing touch. So rich and yet also restrained and subtle; this is stunning.

Palate

Rich arrival of dark, red fruits, soft peat and smoke with an element of old varnish and leather and again roasted and charred notes of coffee, nuts and wood. A pleasant salinity I didn’t pick up on the nose joins the party. A medium full, viscous and mouth coating body which leads towards a warming, medium long finish driven by cooked red fruit, roasted notes of wood and nuts and an ever so gentle echo of smoke.

The Dregs

A truly gorgeous whisky. Any self respecting Scotch distillery would scream it from the rooftops if they’d pulled off a little masterpiece like this. I feel it speaks volumes that my two most memorable whisky experiences in 2024 so far have come from two distilleries outside of Scotland. European whisky is coming around nicely indeed.

And obviously, both Zuidam and Warenghem have been around for quite some time now, with over two decades of whisky making experience under their respective belts. Getting it right is, more often than not, a case of trial and error and no doubt each have had their fair share of both, but if these two may be regarded as the torchbearers for other European distilleries, it’s safe to conclude that they are raising the bar for non-Scotch and, dare I say, Scotch distilleries alike.

Score: 8/10 EA

Review 2/2 - Ainsley

Armorik 15yo, French single malt whisky, 2023 release, ex-bourbon & ex-sherry casks, 1,500 bottle outturn, 46% ABV
€99 RRP, occasionally cheaper in other markets. Sample exchange.

First of all, massive thanks to my fellow continental European Earie for this generous sample. First collaboration of many I hope.

Armorik is really growing in reputation, and becoming a true iconic brand here in France. Even people who are not into whisky at all have heard that there’s good whisky made in Brittany, or Bretagne, and most will recognise the simple yet timeless design of Armorik bottles.

There’s one thing I have trouble with though. In France, they are currently distributed in France by La Maison du Whisky, who are known to, let’s say, not be cheap. Currently, the RRP for Armorik 15 is 99€, or about £85. Now, that’s not cheap, but it’s not absolutely crazy for a 15yo whisky, being on par here with Glendronach 15yo, Fettercairn 16yo, or Speyburn 15yo. The problem is, Earie was able to buy this bottle for about 75€, and he’s not in France. I just noticed the same thing on the Armorik 10yo; equivalent to 50€ on Master of Malt, 70€ RRP in France.

May I add, as a retailer, I can tell you that la Maison du Whisky doesn’t really allow us to make a proper margin, often deciding on RRPs being in the realm of x1,6 the buying price. As an example, even if I don’t have the exact prices in mind, I could buy Armorik 15yo from them for about 62€ (ex. tax), and then be supposed to sell it for 99€ (inc. tax). That would leave me with a raw margin of about 20€. In retail, that is not a lot.

Anyway, I don’t want to dwell on this too much more right now as, in the end, I’m just here to give you a second opinion. Let’s hope it’s as good as Earie suggests it is.

Score: 8/10

**Something special.**
***TL;DR***
*Delicious, but I’m frustrated at having to pay more in France*

Nose

Syrupy malt, toffee, then very floral, on dried roses and pot pourri. Rose water, turkish delights, and a lot of pine resin. This resinous side reminds me of some american hops. Underneath all that are sweet, malty undertones. Strong oriental vibe: turkish delights, roses, fresh pistachios, almond paste. Sultanas and dates glazed in a rich, dark honey.

With water: Slightly more herbal, some more sticky caramel. A massive waft of flamed orange peel emerges, along with very dark chocolate. I also get a hint of yuzushu (Japanese yuzu liqueur).

Palate

Sweet, floral honey, then quite mentholy and pine-y. Very fresh despite the apparent texture and richness. There are also delicate tannins, which make me think those sherry casks may have been European oak. The herbal side is there, with a pleasing finish on gentian and crushed nettles.

With water: a bit fresher, more on dried citrus peels and gentian, as in a great London dry gin. Menthol remains, accompanied by black pepper, for a spicy and refreshing finish.

The Dregs

Damn it, this is very good. I might need to get a bottle of this! It’s also quite unique, which is great. It’s not a typical sherried 15yo, yet it is delicious. I particularly love this very noble fresh herbal side, along with the oriental-type notes I get on the nose.

Forget it isn’t Scotch, it is a complex, engaging, well put together, mature single malt whisky. When the time came to score it, I hesitated between a 7 and an 8, but honestly, this is indeed something special, and if you get the chance to try it, I’d advise you do.

I did not expect to like it this much, and I can only take pride in the fact this is made in France. Alright fine, Bretagne.

Score: 81/0 AF

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. EA

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