Armorik Edition Originale (40%, OB, 2013)

• Breton single malt whisky from Distillerie Warenghem
• 40% ABV, €18.90 from E. Leclerc, St. Hilaire du Harcouët
• Score 68/100

What they say:

Warenghem Distillery : the heart of Breton spirits for over 100 years.

At the end of the 19th century the Warenghem family, from the North of France, chose to settle on the banks of the Leguer, a coastal river running through Lannion, to found their Distillery. Initially specialising in the production of liqueurs, they carved out a reputation for quality in the field of spirits, particularly Whiskies, keeping the Breton tradition and skills alive. Its fame would soon spread beyond the borders of Brittany.

The Warenghem Distillery created the first Breton Whisky, WB, and the first Single Malt in Brittany, Armorik. Our thirst for constant innovation means that today we can offer you ranges of spirits that are full of character, like the inhabitants of this region steeped in the Celtic spirits. Today the Distillery team has 15 employees who dedicate themselves entirely to distilling high-quality Breton spirits. Next time you are in our beautiful region, come and see us. We will be delighted to tell you all about our passion for our work.

We put a blend of malted barley and Breton granite-filtered water through a double distillation process to make this whisky. It is aged for many years in oak barrels in our Breton distillery cellars. We are proud of this Breton Single Malt, which won the silver medal at the Los Angeles Spirits Competition in 2008 and achieved an excellent score (91/100) in the new edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.
Nose: light, with floral notes, developing into citrus notes.
Palate: a smooth, honeyed attack, slightly spicy, refined with well-controlled woody notes. Fine citrus notes complete the palate.
Finish: light smoke and cereal aftertaste.

What I say:

Couldn’t resist this Armorik Edition Originale in E. Leclerc for under €20. So this is one of the Breton single malt whiskies, how did it compare to Scotch single malts?

Colour:

Gold

Nose:

Lemons, pears and apples, pear drop sweets [esters],  sweet malted barley/cereal.

Taste:

Waxed lemons, beeswax and furniture polish, reminiscent to blend or grain or a very young speyside whisky in mouthfeel and taste, there is very light citrus, vanilla and coconut in here and slightly spicy, spirity and buttery notes

Finish:

The finish was very short, smooth and almost tasteless then a  little green oak creeps back in and builds

Would I buy it again:

Probably not, it is pleasant enough but not as well finished, rounded or complex enough for my liking. This tastes like a young single malt that hasn’t truly found its character yet. Still it is much more drinkable and cheaper than many of the no-age statement entry level Scotch single malts available here in Scotland.