France is home to a large number of spirits producers. The market for 'made in France' spirits is growing all the time, and France has the largest heritage of spirits in the world. There are many different types of spirit to choose from, all showcasing the richness of the French terroir. Internationally, French spirits carry a lot of weight and should not be underestimated. In 2019, exports of these products were worth \u20ac4.7 billion, and there are now more than 800 brands and 44 categories of spirits. Whisky, rum and vodka are among the top 3 spirits in France.<\/p>\n
We'd like to explain to you the specific know-how behind each of these French-produced spirits.<\/p>\n
France could be considered the country of whisky. The French are huge whisky consumers, and there are around fifty French whisky producers! Generally speaking, whisky is an aged alcohol produced by the distillation of cereals.<\/strong><\/p>\n The origins of whisky can be traced back to the Celtic monk Saint Patrick, an Irish citizen, who is said to have created the drink. At the time, it was consumed for its medicinal properties. The distillation of cereals then became a ritual for the Scots, who distilled because they were unable to store their harvests. The first distilleries appeared in the 18th century.<\/p>\n Single malt<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a malt whisky produced in a single distillery. The first step is to water the barley grains so that they begin to germinate. When the buds are full of sugar, the grains are dried to stop the germination process, and the result is put into vats for fermentation with water and yeast. The sugars are then converted into alcohol to produce beer, which is then distilled twice. The distillate is then aged in oak casks for up to 80 years! Finally, the whisky is bottled cask by cask (for a single cask) or by blending several casks from the same distillery.<\/p>\n Blended malt<\/strong><\/p>\n It is a blend of single malts from several distilleries.<\/p>\n Bourbon<\/strong><\/p>\n Some whiskies are produced using a mash, which means that maize, rye and wheat are fermented together. If the mash contains more than 51% maize, it is called bourbon. To keep the appellation, bourbon must be aged in new American oak barrels.<\/p>\n Rum is a spirit made from a single ingredient: sugar cane. On the programme: crushing, fermentation, distillation and ageing.<\/p>\n Rum can be made from sugar cane juice or from molasses, the residue of the sugar industry. From this we can distinguish two types of rum:<\/p>\n Agricultural rum<\/strong><\/p>\n To make rhum agricole, sugar cane juice is fermented with yeast. This transforms the sugar into alcohol and produces a cane wine. This wine is then distilled.<\/p>\n Molasses rum<\/strong><\/p>\n To produce molasses rum, the cane juice is heated until the sugar crystals ferment. The water evaporates and the solid residue that remains is called molasses. The molasses is then diluted with water and fermented. The result is wine, which is then distilled.<\/p>\n Rum may be distilled in an iron still or a column still. It may be a single or double distillation.<\/p>\n The rum is then generally reduced with spring water to lower the alcohol content, and can then be bottled directly - this is known as white rum, and accounts for the vast majority of production.<\/p>\n However, ageing is interesting from an aromatic point of view for rum. It takes place in 600-litre tuns or 200-litre casks, often old bourbon barrels. Many aged rums are also marketed, but they must comply with certain rules to be called such: the VO (very old) rum label is available after 3 years\u2018 ageing, the VSOP (very special old product) label is obtained after a minimum of 4 years\u2019 ageing and, finally, the XO (extra old) label means a minimum of 6 years in casks.<\/p>\n The \u2018finish\u2019 trend is also very much in evidence. This involves aging the rum in casks containing other spirits for a few months before bottling. Many producers, for example, make finishes in cognac casks!<\/p>\n The French style of rum is agricultural rum made from sugar cane juice, mainly produced in the French West Indies. These rums are highly successful and often win awards!<\/p>\n Vodka is also a very popular spirit in France. This spirit is obtained by fermenting and then distilling musts made from cereals or vegetable matter. Unlike the other spirits mentioned above, vodka can be produced from a wide range of raw materials: grains, grapes, potatoes, molasses, beetroot, and all other varieties of plants and agricultural raw materials. In France, vodka producers use all these ingredients.<\/p>\n The raw materials are pressed and then fermented. The must is then distilled. Most vodkas are produced by continuous distillation in a column still. This is often a single distillation. During this stage, the methanol (\u2018bad\u2019 alcohol) is eliminated, but the ethanol is retained. Distillation produces a very strong alcohol, close to 95 degrees. This is the basis of future vodka. It is then necessary to reduce the alcohol, which is why water is added. This brings the alcohol level down to around 40. The final stage involves filtering the vodka, to retain the best aromas. Very often, vodka is filtered several times (up to 7 times). Unlike rum or whisky, vodka is a spirit that does not age.<\/p>\n Cognac is also one of the top spirits made in France. To find out more, visit our article dedicated to the making of cognac!<\/a><\/p>\nThe different types of whisky<\/h4>\n
Rum<\/h3>\n
Vodka<\/h3>\n