As pioneers of French whisky, Armorik is one of the standout names in the country’s unbidden thriving scene. The Warenghem distillery, lolled around the north of Brittany, isn’t the only playground, there are many folklore tales embedded in the Breton culture, including mythological figures.
With Halloween just around the corner, Tattersalls’ October whisky of the month is none other than the Armorik Yuen Elez Jobic Single Malt French whisky. Yuen Elez is not only the result of the distillery’s foray into peated territories, but the name comes from an old swampy area that served as a peat bog until the mid-1900s. Legends say this swamp was the ‘Gateway to Hell’ and it is where they threw the souls that haunted the living. Tasting notes are as follows:
Colour: Pale yellow with golden reflections
Nose: Intense notes of cloves, cream pastry and cooked peaches
Palate: Slightly salty, but creamy on the palate with a dry peat smoke
Water: A few drops and you will feel like you are standing on the dunes by the bay while getting wafts of sea spray sent your way
Finish: Long lasting, spicy finish, ending with a warm wood fire
Launched in September 2020, this whisky is made with Scottish peated malted barley, using local water and pot stills, aged in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. This whisky is an exceptional single malt that reflects the Breton character; elegant and fruity peat.
If you are a lover of Scotch whiskies but tend to shy away from peat, then you will love this. It is definitely not as hellish as the name will have you believe, in fact, it is heavenly.
