MAY 2025: BRENNE ESTATE CASK

Brand

Location

Expression

ABV

Age

Casks Used

Brenne Single Malt
Cognac, France
Estate Cask French Single Malt Whisky
40%

6-8yrs

New French Limousin oak and Wet ex-Cognac casks

The Whisky:-

From the heart of Cognac, France - Brenne brings a truly unique single malt experience. Made from heirloom organic barley, twice distilled in alembic stills then aged in both new French oak and ex-Cognac casks, this whisky captures the magic of its location’s chalky soil and microclimate. Lightly filtered and proofed down with local Charente water, Brenne Estate Cask is a bold celebration of tradition, terroir and a little bit of serendipity.
 
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The Distillery:- 

Tucked away in the heart of Cognac, France, Brenne was born from a family farm distillery known for its Cognac since the 1920s. Brenne’s journey into whisky was almost accidental - a passion project. That is, until American entrepreneur and whisky lover Allison Parc stumbled across it and saw the incredible potential.


Working closely with the distilling family, Parc helped shape Brenne from a backyard experiment into a globally recognised expression of French craftsmanship. What sets Brenne apart isn’t just it’s French heritage, but the way it intertwines the elements of Cognac-making tradition with a true grain-to-glass ethos.


It all starts in the fields: Brenne consists of two types of organic heirloom 2-row barley, Vanessa and Prestige, on the property’s chalk-rich soils. This chalk plays a vital role, affecting the barley’s pH and allowing the soil to retain water and reflect sunlight, creating crops packed with character. Cognac’s unique microclimate, where northern coolness collides with southern warmth, provides ideal conditions for growing and aging, producing a whisky that is lively, silky and decadently delicious.
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Brenne’s fermentation is equally special. Using a proprietary yeast strain handed down through generations for Cognac production, the malted barley ferments slowly, developing floral richness before it ever meets a still.
Distillation takes place in traditional copper alembic stills, another nod to Cognac methods. The whisky is double distilled, with only the pure heart cut retained, ensuring an elegant and flavourful spirit. From there, Brenne matures its whisky in a two-cask system: new toasted French Limousin oak and ex-Cognac barrels that lend softness and depth.


The whisky ages 6-8 years on-site, but due to Cognac’s warmer, more humid climate, it matures quickly, meaning Brenne’s 6-8 years are comparable to a 10–12-year-old Scotch whisky. No shortcuts, no rushing; just slow, thoughtful maturation.


Bottled at 40% ABV, Brenne is lightly filtered to preserve texture and character but do expect a full mouthfeel and the occasional flocculation (tiny natural particles), a sign of minimal intervention.


Since its debut in 2012 (delivered around NYC by Allison herself on a CitiBike!), Brenne has gone from a small passion project to an international darling. It’s organic, non-GMO and every drop tells a story of place, patience and pioneering spirit.


This isn’t just a whisky made in France; it’s a whisky that could only be made in Cognac.

Like it? Buy it here:

House of Malt | Master of Malt | The Whisky Exchange 
 

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