EDDU Silver (40%, OB, 2013)

• 100% Buckwheat whisky from the Distillerie des Menhirs
• 40% ABV, £26.99 for 70cl
• Score 87/100

What they say:

Land of origin
EDDU means buckwheat in the Breton language.

EDDU Silver belongs to the very heart of Brittany (France) ; it is the only whisky in the world exclusively made from buckwheat. Today, buckwheat is considered to carry many secrets of good health and longevity..

Production

Distillation : EDDU Silver is produced from a double distillation in a pot still heated by a direct flame and called ALAMBIC.

Ageing : the long maturation is carried out in French oak casks ; the blending is similar to the art of a creating perfume.

Tasting notes
Golden and amber hue; EDDU Silverwill charm you with its aromatic notes such as floral scents of rose and heather, fruity touches of honey, marmalade and spicy notes of nutmeg. EDDU Silver is velvety on your palate with pleasing touches of vanilla oak

What I say:

This Breton whisky is traditionally hand-crafted like Scotch, but made from 100% pure buckwheat as opposed to the malted barley that goes into Scotch whisky. The Distillerie des Menhirs is in Plomelin near to Quimper and the Cap Finistère [literally the point of the end of the earth] at the very western tip of Britanny, France. The distillation and maturation processes are identical even down to the similarity of the rugged Atlantic Brittany coastline resembling the conditions on the Inner Hebridean island of Islay in Scotland [though the weather is occasionally a little better in Plomelin]. The result is a remarkably drinkable and complex dram reminiscent of some of the fruitier Highland malts but with that little extra ‘je ne sais quois’ that derives from both the buckwheat distillate and the French oak maturation. The emergence of non-Scotch whiskies continues apace, and here is a Breton twist that gives most Scotch a good run for its money! This bottle was purchased duty free on Brittany Ferries.

Colour:

Orange gold

Nose:

Vanilla, honey, cinnamon and a distinct spicy mix with definite cumin and perhaps a little coriander or fenugreek

Taste:

Delicate, honey-sweet with nutmeg and cinnamon, a surprisingly light mouthfeel almost water-like despite the thick rich fruit flavours of peaches and orange [syrupy in flavour but not texture]

Finish:

The finish is a little drying with hints of beeswax or carnauba wax and those lovely fruit flavours cling to your mouth and develop into a pleasantly moreish dry hay/wheat aftertaste

Would I buy it again:

Absolutely! While this may not be to everyone’s taste as it lies somewhere between a damn good scotch malt and more rye-whisky like flavours I think this is just superb. The spices in the nose give this a more exotic experience usually only found in well aged [25+ Years Old] scotch malts for which you would expect to pay around five times the price of this one at least.  Before I tried this I was sketpical to say the least about Breton whisky and even more so regards the use of Buckwheat, but this is a tour de force from the Distillerie des Menhirs. I hope to be able to get my hands on more from them soon.