An essential barometer of the French’s appetite for premium spirits, the latest edition of Whiskey Live Paris, last October, welcomed 21,000 visitors, a figure up 15% compared to last year. Having come to taste the productions of more than 200 distilleries, bottlers and brands, they were also able to discover some 350 new products! Which says a lot about the dynamism of a profession which has recently faced some headwinds, between inflation, general increases in raw materials and supply difficulties, particularly in glass bottles.
Expectedly, whiskey and rum remain the favorite alcohols of French spirits consumers. But, according to the Sowine study, the second has become their favorite (81% of them say they appreciate it, compared to 68% for the first); a trend which has been confirmed in recent times. Unsurprisingly, anise comes behind and, according to the Ipsos/La Maison du Whiskey barometer, vodka and gin continue to grow, like tequila, which is recording strong growth in terms of purchases (25% compared to 19% in 2022). ).
This ranking could give the impression that the years follow one another and are similar. The reality is more nuanced. One event should not go unnoticed: French whiskey is a prophet in its country. France has entered the very closed circle of major producing nations; still according to the Ipsos barometer, it arrives in the hearts of the French, just behind Scotland and Ireland, but ahead of Japan and the United States. The volumes produced and the quantities of spirits exported are obviously not in line with theirs. Respondents appreciate its responsible and sustainable manufacturing methods, its quality, its organic ranges, its modernity and its high-end positioning.
A hundred French distilleries
However, who would have bet a kopeck on the Breton Warenghem distillery when it launched, in 1983, WB (for Breton whisky), before releasing Armorik, the first French single malt, in 1998? Others will follow, still in the West, such as the Menhirs distillery and its Eddu, which has become a classic, with its buckwheat base. Or Rozelieures in Lorraine which, today, produces a very wide range including sophisticated finishes (in ex-vosne-romanée barrels for example) and plots which magnify the terroirs.
With around a hundred distilleries scattered throughout the country and numerous bottlers, French whiskey is celebrating its 40th anniversary with fanfare. A file was even submitted to the National Institute of Origin and Quality (Inao), last June, by the French Whiskey Federation (FWF) to obtain the Geographical Indication (GI) designation, an assurance for the consumer to purchase a product brewed, fermented, distilled and aged within our borders. Another guarantee of success at the time of the advent of the short circuit.
On this point, France is particularly well placed. Cereals are never very far away, when they are not grown nearby (domaine des Hautes Glaces, in Savoie) and even the barrels do not need to cross the oceans by plane or boat. Cognac has reserves of a quality that the whole world envies and Calvados, Armagnac or Pineau des Charentes offer great alternatives, as do the wine appellations.
Last green indicator: long considered artisanal, French whiskey is now taking over the shelves of major retailers. Building on the success of Bellevoye, Les Bienheureux launched the Lefort, Bercloux and Beauchamp brands, the Norman Busnel distillery two other references, and the distributor Whiskeys du monde pure malt Fondaudège. As summarized by Matthieu Accar in A brief but intense history of French whiskey, which has just been published by Flammarion: “With this diversity, France has incredible assets to become the fifth whiskey nation. The adventure could well be just beginning.” Fingers crossed.
A skimming phenomenon
Will French gin follow the same path? Casually, this other new flagship of the French spirits industry will soon celebrate its 30 years of French production with the Citadelle brand, launched near Cognac in 1996. “Gin will continue to develop”, predicts Jean-Pierre Cointreau, president of the French Spirits Federation. Even if Thierry Bénitah, CEO of La Maison du whisky, notices “a phenomenon of skimming among new brands”, due according to him “to abuses committed on prices”. And not linked to a drop in demand.
French-style juniper brandy plays in the premium category. Which forces it to maintain its rank by exploiting local resources. Former oenologist based in Charente, Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, also creator of Ciroc vodka, replaced the cereals in his G’Vine gins with grapes and vine flowers, a sleight of hand which gives them a special silky which is very popular with mixologists.
But who says juniper brandy, says botanical. And there, the field of possibilities is almost unlimited. “Unlike cognac and whiskey, the specifications for gin are flexible enough to work with more freedom,” says Christophe Amigorena, who launched Melifera three years ago, after having worked for a long time in the wine sector. cosmetic. Its production is based on the use of immortelle flowers: “I spend a lot of time on the island of Oléron [Charente-Maritime]where the smell of this plant that grows in the dunes has always fascinated me,” explains the designer.
Regional anchoring, a winning martingale? “No, he risks locking a brand into his region.” A phenomenon from which French whiskey suffered in its early days. “On the other hand, I believe much more in the artisanal work of a craft distillery, we pick all our flowers by hand before placing them in alcohol for a maceration of several days,” concludes Christophe Amigorena who, after Japan and Singapore aims to conquer other markets, why not the United States, if it finds a good partner? Export, this Holy Grail which has been so successful for cognac and liqueurs.
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