Warenghem, a pioneer of Breton whiskey, still has the wind in its sails

A pioneer since the 1980s, the Warenghem distillery in Lannionn is taking full advantage of the Breton whiskey craze.

A pioneer in the 1980s, the Warenghem distillery takes full advantage of the popularity of Breton whiskey, which has seen its sales grow steadily over the past five years thanks to the reputation of the Armorican terroir.

Founded in Lannion (Côtes-d'Armor) in 1900, the family distillery has long been confined to the manufacture of a liqueur of plants, the Elixir d'Armorique. It was not until 1983 that it became the first distillery of whiskey in France, under the leadership of its leader Gilles Leizour. "At the time, we had to save the distillery," says his son-in-law David Roussier, general manager since 2009.

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The first bottles of WB-Whiskey Breton are marketed in 1987, in supermarket. "It was an equivalent of the Clan Campbell, a blend (assembly, note) of entry level, very good to mix with coca" , says David Roussier. "At first, we completely adapted to the market," he concedes.

Thirty years later, Warenghem remains number 1 whiskey in Brittany and France. It has doubled its production since 2015 to reach 150,000 liters of pure alcohol per year, or about 500,000 bottles.

"We still sell 250,000 bottles but we produce 500,000," said David Roussier. "We are trying to produce a lot to anticipate the increase in sales, and even if sales do not double, I could value my stock by aging it . "

"The nerve of war in whiskey is aging," he points out.

Always a pleasure to visit Warenghem distillery, home of @ArmorikWhisky with such a nice guide. Thank you @DavidRoussier! pic.twitter.com/o6Y14vSs2l

Established in large white sheds at the entrance to Lannion, the distillery has inaugurated this summer a vast new winery to store its 4,500 barrels. " The buildings are industrial but it is still very artisanal," says Mr. Roussier, who is at the head of an SME of 18 employees.

Geographical Indication

Originally aged in barrels of Bourbon or sherry, as in Scotland, Warenghem whiskeys have been in Sauternes, Pineau-des-Charentes barrels for a few years, or in casks made by a cooper from Finistère.

"Now that people have integrated whiskey into Brittany, we can afford to be more original," explains David Roussier.

The distillery also went upmarket with the marketing of a wide range of single malts, the first of which was bottled in 1998. A 10-year-old single malt has been sold since September.

"What people are looking for in whiskey is a certain form of authenticity, they want to be told about a terroir, and in Brittany for that, we are pretty well equipped," says David Roussier.

An aspect supported by the establishment, in 2015, of a Geographical Indication (GI) "Whiskey of Brittany" or "Whiskey Breton". The event had, however, been tarnished by a controversy with the Glann ar Mor distillery of Pleubian (Côtes-d'Armor) who had accused the new GI to force it to close, which ultimately did not happen. Contacted by AFP, its founders did not respond.

"I remain convinced that Glenn ar Mor could have joined the GI" , regrets David Roussier. "It's a shame because people have stayed on this story."

However, the GI is "a simple framework to respect.It allows to hoist everyone upwards," said Lenaïck Lemaître, assembler and distiller at Naguelann in Languenan (Côtes-d'Armor). "It's also a commercial argument because people like Brittany," he adds.

Today, six distilleries have joined the GI, producing 370,000 bottles a year, a figure up 12% over three years. Among the biggest, the Menhirs Distillery designs the "only black buckwheat in the world," according to its website.