“Allez Le Breuil”
Whisky Review # 1074
Country: France 🇫🇷
Region: Normandy
Brand: Le Breuil Origine
Type: Single Malt French Whisky - Double Pot Still Distillation
Age: NAS (Probably 5-6 Years)
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46 %
Maturation: Mix of small (200-250 Litres) French Virgin and American Oak casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 40-55 (December 2025)
Maturation: Mix of small (200-250 Litres) French Virgin and American Oak casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 40-55 (December 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay
Buying Advice: 🙂 It's certainly worth to give it a try. One of the better French Single Malts I have tried so far!
Colour:
White Wine (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light and Fruity. The Virgin Oak is clearly recognizable. A mix of Sweet and Sour notes. Not very complex but not unpleasant. No off-notes. It's quite Malty as well. The Pastry department of a Bakery came to my mind.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Breakfast Cereals, Dried Apple and Pineapple chips, Bread Dough, Puff Pastry filled with Peach Jam, Virgin Oak, Mix of Apple Juice & Sparkling Water, Sugared Almonds, Coconut, Wet Stones and Cinnamon.
Buying Advice: 🙂 It's certainly worth to give it a try. One of the better French Single Malts I have tried so far!
Colour:
White Wine (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light and Fruity. The Virgin Oak is clearly recognizable. A mix of Sweet and Sour notes. Not very complex but not unpleasant. No off-notes. It's quite Malty as well. The Pastry department of a Bakery came to my mind.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Breakfast Cereals, Dried Apple and Pineapple chips, Bread Dough, Puff Pastry filled with Peach Jam, Virgin Oak, Mix of Apple Juice & Sparkling Water, Sugared Almonds, Coconut, Wet Stones and Cinnamon.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Caramel, Buttered Toast, Hay, Pear, Lemon & Orange Peel, Grapefruit, Herbal Tea, Beer, Ginger, Pepper, Iron and Mint.
Palate:
Light, mainly Sweet and a little harsh. A few Sour & Bitter notes for balance. Not bad. It reminds me a bit of Irish Pot Still Whiskey.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Crème Brûlée, Fruit Candy (Pineapple, Pear & Peach), Apple Juice, Sugared Almonds, Bread Dough, Coconut, Green and Floral notes, Cinnamon and Mint.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Caramel, Honey, Butter Biscuits, Herbal Tea, Grapefruit, Virgin Oak, Cardamon & Pepper. A light Metallic note after a while.
Sweet Barley, Crème Brûlée, Fruit Candy (Pineapple, Pear & Peach), Apple Juice, Sugared Almonds, Bread Dough, Coconut, Green and Floral notes, Cinnamon and Mint.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Caramel, Honey, Butter Biscuits, Herbal Tea, Grapefruit, Virgin Oak, Cardamon & Pepper. A light Metallic note after a while.
Finish:
Light, Creamy, a little Edgy and Middle-Long. Mainly Sweet but with some Bitter and Sour notes for company. Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Caramel, Vanilla, Apple Cider, Citrus Peel, Grapefruit, Coconut, Pear Drops, Pepper, Virgin Oak, Mint and hints of Metal and Licorice.
Light, Creamy, a little Edgy and Middle-Long. Mainly Sweet but with some Bitter and Sour notes for company. Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Caramel, Vanilla, Apple Cider, Citrus Peel, Grapefruit, Coconut, Pear Drops, Pepper, Virgin Oak, Mint and hints of Metal and Licorice.
Drinking Advice:
When adding a little Water the harsh notes on the Palate and in the Finish almost disappear. But the Nose gets very "Bready" & Malty and you will lose a lot of Fruit on the Palate. Better drink it neat.
Rating: 7 (*******)
Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Conclusion:
Le Breuil Origine is produced by La Spiriterie Française in Le Breuil en Auge in the Normandy. The company was founded around 1954 as a distiller of Calvados. More recently Rum and Whisky (2015) were added to the product range. The Origine was bottled in 2021 (6000 Bottles) and was made using Golden Promise Barley.
I was pleasantly suprised by this French Single Malt. The producers appear to be on the right track. Natural Colour, a good ABV and decent casks. This Origine is a bit on the Light side still and it could do with a longer maturation. Let's hope they have the cash to mature their whisky for 10-12 years as the Spirit would benefit for sure. I'm looking forward to taste a fully matured Le Breuil and I wish them all the success in the world. Allez Le Breuil! 😃
Cheers! 🥃
Jan van den Ende December 3, 2025
