The 5 Best French Whiskies to Try

When you think of France, wine probably comes to mind before whisky. Yet France is one of the largest importers of Scotch whisky. And beyond importing, France produces its own whisky too. We’ve rounded up five of the best French whiskies you’ll definitely want to try.

There are now more than forty distilleries in France with steady production. On top of that, dozens of small distilleries produce only during certain times of the year. You’ll find distilleries all across the country, from Brittany to Alsace to the Alps, and even on Corsica. It’s a fact that the French are drinking less wine. Whisky could well become the new national drink.

French whiskies often differ from their Scottish counterparts. That doesn’t make them any less compelling, some outstanding expressions are being crafted. Many producers work with casks made from French oak, and you’ll also see widespread use of ex-cognac and ex-French wine casks.

The oldest French single malt dates back to 1998. It was made in Brittany on the Pink Granite Coast at the Warenghem distillery, which is over a century old and originally distilled liqueurs and local spirits.

The Warenghem distillery in Brittany has racked up numerous awards for its whiskies. The best-known Armorik Double Maturation even earned the title of Best European Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards in 2013.

For Armorik Maître de Chai, cellar master Erwan Lefebre, the maître de chai, was given free rein. For this expression he selected multiple French wine casks to bring fruitiness, plus bourbon and sherry casks to soften and perfect the aromatic balance.

The bottle lists all the cask numbers used for this whisky. The result is a beautiful golden dram with an intensely fruity nose and an exceptionally long finish. It’s a limited release, bottled at 50 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

The Rozelieures farm distillery keeps everything on site, from barley to bottling. The distillery uses ex-bourbon casks as well as wine casks. The Fût Unique – Tokaj is finished in Hungarian oak Tokaj casks from the famed dessert wine. This approachable young whisky shows dried fruit notes with a touch of honey and some spice on the finish. Bottled at 46 percent ABV.

Celtic Whisky Distillery was founded in 1997 in northern Brittany. Alongside blends and refined single malts, the distillery also produces heavily peated single malts reminiscent of Islay whiskies. These expressions are released under the Kornog name. Each year, Celtic Whisky issues a special edition matured in Sauternes, Pedro Ximénez, or Oloroso sherry casks.

These specials are always single casks. The 2022 edition matured in Sauternes casks and offers floral and fruity notes, a touch of coastal salinity, bold peat, and wood tones. With its 54.8 percent ABV, this is a whisky to sit down and savor.

Brenne Whisky was founded by Allison Parc, a former ballerina. Her goal is to showcase French terroir in whisky. Using local barley, maturation in local Limousin oak, and a partnership with a cognac producer, she’s achieved just that. Brenne first launched in New York, a noteworthy choice.

And thanks to its success, it’s now available widely. Brenne Estate Cask is aged for six years and bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume. It carries a clear cognac signature, with aromas reminiscent of French pâtisserie and crème brûlée, and a gently spiced finish.

The name Charmeval blends the location of the Charmoy distillery with the valley of the Val de Loire. The master blender’s aim is to craft whisky that’s welcoming to everyone and this expression certainly delivers. It’s friendly, approachable, yet full of flavor. Charmeval Finition fût de Banyuls matured in bourbon casks, white Burgundy wine casks, and then spent a few months in Banyuls wine casks. That combination makes it a true crowd-pleaser.