La Maison du Whisky, Version Française, and Everything About French Whisky

I love "visiting" new countries through the podcast. Granted, France we had technically touched before through Brenne, but I'd heard that there was so much more to learn about the French culture of drinking and spirit production - so who better to talk to than Marion Attardi and Matthieu Acar, of La Maison & Velier and La Maison du Whisky, respectively.

Marion and Matthieu are subject matter giants in whiskies generally, but both bring a special expertise to French whisky. While long a top market for Scotch single malt (drinking more per capita than any other nation), France has only recently begun distilling its own whiskies and single malts (~1983 is a general starting point). Yet despite starting domestic production around the same time as the earliest American craft distillers, French producers have remained mostly small and independent. Only the oldest and largest - Armorik, for example) have made it to the US market, and many haven't made it outside of France or the EU at most.

So, why do an episode about French whisky if you can't taste much of it? Because soon enough you'll be able to - and I guarantee you're going to love it. Whether it's a distillery that grew out of a brewery, one doing their own take on peat, one using local wine casks from Bordeaux or calvados from Normandy, the variety is astounding and delicious.

Three Version Française expressions are available in the US, with more on the way. You can also shop through La Maison du Whisky, The Whisky Exchange, and many other international retailers to find gems from all over France.

This was just the opening conversation - there will be many more! Especially if Matthieu's compendium on the first 40 years of French whisky gets an English translation...

Thank you to Marion and Matthieu for entering the Whiskey Ring!

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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring

The Bottle Share Club - the $25/month Patreon level - is SOLD OUT! You can still support the podcast for as little as $1/month, and $5/month patrons will have first dibs if a $25/month member retires.

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram and Facebook.

Version Française & La Maison du Whisky

• Version Française Website
• Version Française on Instagram
• La Maison du Whisky Website

Scottish Born, Colorodo Bred

Show Notes and Reviews

Colorado was long a bastion of the craft beer scene, and out of that grew a now-booming craft whiskey industry. Among the first of those whiskeymakers was Boulder Spirits (part of Vapor Distillery), who imported Alastair Brogan in 2012. His vision was clear: to create the best American single malt whiskey possible, while honoring traditional methods and embracing the distinctive Colorado environment. The Colorado microclimate plays a crucial role in Boulder Spirits' unique flavor profile. With significant temperature and humidity swings, whiskey ages differently here than in Scotland or Kentucky, experiencing higher evaporation rates that concentrate flavors more rapidly.

While their American Single Malt garners the headlines, they also make a fantastic bourbon, one that despite its relatively low proof (88) was full-bodied and flavorful. It confirmed my suspicions (piqued after chatting with Chattanooga) that I love malted bourbons, where malt is the secondary grain rather than rye or wheat. It holds up at a lower proof so much better than the other two.

Education remains the greatest barrier to growth - while we whiskey nerds love American Single Malts and different mashbills, the wider audience isn't always aware that ASM is even a thing, let alone a malted bourbon. That education is helped by collaborating with folks like Lost Lantern (that's how I first heard about Boulder) and putting out high-powered releases like hazmat single malt in armagnac casks.

I missed them by just a day while in Denver, but won't miss them the next time. Thank you to Alastair for entering the whiskey ring!

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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring

The Bottle Share Club - the $25/month Patreon level - is SOLD OUT! You can still support the podcast for as little as $1/month, and $5/month patrons will have first dibs if a $25/month member retires.

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram and Facebook.

Boulder Spirits

• Boulder Spirits Website
• Boulder Spirits on Instagram
• Boulder Spirits on Facebook
• Boulder Spirits on LinkedIn

Why Not, What If?

Georgie Bell and husband Fabrizio Leoni co-founded The Heart Cut, an independent bottler, with an eye towards the world. The question is relatively simple: how can we connect whisky enthusiasts with some of the most exciting, innovative, and deserving-of-attention distilleries? More than half of which - in a telling coincidence - have been Whiskey Ring Podcast guests?

Georgie and Fab are globe-trotting whiskey hunters, pulling 16 exceptional casks/releases from distilleries across eight countries in just their first 20-ish months. From Finnish rye to Israeli single malts, they're telling stories through spirits that most drinkers have never encountered. Their approach: direct partnerships, total transparency, and a commitment to showcasing the "why not, what if" spirit of craft distillers around the world.

But this isn't just about selling bottles. The Heart Cut is building a whiskey community, breaking down barriers with accessible tasting notes, virtual tastings (starting with the last few releases), and a mission to educate. Bell and Leoni's vision inspires exploration, giving us nerds a healthy mix of whiskies that both represent the heart of what a distillery can do while also pushing its boundaries.

If you're new to whisky, you'll be able to enjoy the pours. If you're deep in the fandom, every bit of information they can possibly provide is either on the label or the website. This is an IB built on the knowledge, passion, experience, and wisdom of two people who know their spirits. We spend a few minutes just on Georgie's resume simply to highlight how extensive her knowledge base is - it's that impressive.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the introductions Georgie made after the interview was over. The best IBs don't work as firewalls but as gateways. If a bottling makes me want to know more about a distillery, that's the best job an IB can do, and The Heart Cut does it in spades. Who knows - within a few months, I may have completed the collection, having all The Heart Cut partners on the podcast...

Being smaller releases, these won't usually be available in the US, but they are through both Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange. I'm picking up a bottle of the M&H (the pomegranate wine cask and Dead Sea Apex release are my two favorites, and The Heart Cut combined them!) and probably 2-5 others given the chance.

Thank you to Georgie for entering the Whiskey Ring, and for the multiple introductions she made after the interview!

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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring

The Bottle Share Club - the $25/month Patreon level - is SOLD OUT! You can still support the podcast for as little as $1/month, and $5/month patrons will have first dibs if a $25/month member retires.

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram and Facebook.

The Heart Cut

• The Heart Cut Website
• The Heart Cut on Instagram
• The Heart Cut on Facebook
• The Heart Cut on LinkedIn