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To my surprise, the answer was yes. Where Brenne Estate Whisky is inelegant and insipid, Brenne 10 is leaner and more focused, exactly what this whisky needs. This bottling consists of a blend of four casks “hand-selected for their distinctive complexity and balance by the brand’s founder, Allison Patel.” Quantities for this release are thus limited at 290 cases for 2015, but Brenne hopes to make Brenne 10 an annual tradition. Tasting Notes:
Alison Parc, the founder, revolutionized the industry with her innovative practices, and her brand's recent acquisition by Heaven Hill promises a bright future for Brenne. Very hard to judge because there’s not much to compare it to. It doesn’t fit into any flavour camp and rather is an entire category on its own. Please do try it when you get the chance, but don’t expect anything that resembles whisky as you know it. I’ve never tried to hide my girliness around the boys, and I think I’m doing a disservice to other women if I try to change that. I certainly don’t try and talk to them about mascara, but I’m not quieting how I want to portray myself, no matter the setting. If I’m going to break a mold, I might as well break it genuinely.” The aroma is a fruit salad of bananas, apricots, raisins, passion fruit and guava layered bubblegum and topped with vanilla frosting and Froot Loops. It’s so sweet it comes across more like a fortified dessert wine than a whisky to me.In early 2022, Heaven Hill acquired the portfolio of Samson & Surrey — including the Brenne whiskey brand. In November 2022, Parc commented that with Heaven Hill's "guidance, support, funding, and expert industry know-how, Brenne has moved into an amazing house with a large global family of care takers, ready to serve our community for many years to come. " The inspiration behind this notion of identity and nontraditional whiskies was a sip of Yamazaki 18, a Japanese single malt. Patel describes herself as a “late bloomer” who didn’t try alcohol until well after most of her peers knew their way around a bar. But when the Japanese whisky hit her lips, the experience was her “hook.”
Heather Greene: Oh my god, Googling under the table. Yes, that still happens. I agree with Nicola, I always felt like I had to hit the ball way harder than anyone else. In 2012, right around the time I met you and Brenne, Allison, I was actually turned down for every single ambassador job at whiskey companies when I was looking. I was told by some insiders that having a woman represent a brand was a “nonstarter.” They were terrified of feminizing whisk(e)y. I am super excited about the progress; I don’t think that happens anymore – at least I hope. Made from organic barley and aged in French Limousin oak casks, Brenne's single malt whiskeys offer a smooth and sophisticated taste experience. With notes of tropical fruit, honey, and subtle spice, they're a delightful departure from traditional whiskey styles. Distinct flavors and commitment to quality make Brenne a must-try for whiskey enthusiasts seeking something truly special. Expand your whiskey horizons with Brenne's single malt expressions. Get To Know Brenne WhiskeyWhen reviewing whiskey, consider several key factors. The appearance looks at the color and clarity of the whiskey. The nose evaluates the aroma, identifying any notes of fruits, spices, or other scents. The taste examines the flavor profile, including the balance of sweetness and bitterness. The mouthfeel considers the texture and viscosity of the whiskey on the palate. The finish refers to the lingering taste and sensations after swallowing. Brenne Estate Cask Single Malt What I love about these Cognac barrels is it punches up the fruit notes. So if you taste our distillate right off the still, we get a lot of ester molecules coming off these stills and tons of fruit notes in our distillate. Which, when the whisky just sat in the new French oak, those got quieted down and it was a lot more of this creme brûlée vanilla takeover, right? Patel likens her use of terroir to that of the peat in scotch: originally used for fuel efficiency, the smokey substance is now an emblematic flavoring agent. Patel has been a lot of things. She’s a ballerina with a 14 year tenure. She’s a marketing guru who boosted the sales of a luxury company thrice-fold during the 2008 recession. But most importantly, she’s a whisky fanatic dedicated to true terroir. When she first decided to take the plunge into starting her own company, she wasn’t expecting to build her own brand. Instead, she wanted to found an import company, showcasing whiskies from countries not traditionally known for whisky production.
TWW: You are doing a lot of things which are driven by local consideration, in terms of the ingredients you’re using, and hat kind of gets that sense of terroir. Talk a little bit about what terroir means to you from a whisky perspective. It’s pretty well known by folks about wine, but for whisky, it’s a little more of a newer concept. Innovation played a vital role in French whiskey production, especially in the maturation process. Whiskeys were aged in French oak barrels previously used for wine, cognac, or other spirits, infusing diverse flavors into the final product. This approach gave French whiskey a distinctive terroir-driven character that set them apart. Within a short period, more than 50 distilleries have emerged across France, each creating its own expressions that respect local traditions while pushing the boundaries of whiskey-making. TWW: When you think about the products in your portfolio, can you talk a little bit about each of the whiskies that you have? Parc: I’ve been selling it for eight years, but I have been working on this since 2004. I love it. This company completely changed my life, and I have been able to connect with such an incredible community and travel a bit differently than the way I was traveling for my jobs beforehand.
Brenne French Single Malt Details
No longer heading the Brenne brand, Parc is a consultant for entrepreneurs at various stages of business development, with future plans for whiskey brands. Keep your eye on her journey! Heaven Hill and Brenne French Whiskey The bottle itself is tall and slender, something that will definitely make it stand out on a liquor shelf. The majority of the bottle is transparent, showing off the beautiful golden color of the whiskey within instead of trying to hide it like some other designs. The only real branding is a single small square label that defines the manufacturer’s information and a wrapper around the cap (which is a synthetic and cork stopper). All of the labeling is done in a pale blue color that’s very French indeed. The whiskey just gets lost in the mix. There’s a bit of the apple note coming through, but otherwise the drink is just far too sweet. I knew right away. French Single-malt Whisky. It was a holiday gift from someone in the office. I’m thinking, wtf? Not “Oh, that sounds interesting.” It did not. I knew.
The liquid is a pale amber color in the glass, almost more like you just poured yourself a glass of gold. The smell is consistent with that lighter coloring — what I get is mainly a lot of fruit. I think apple is the primary fruit in there, with some lemon added for good measure and perhaps a touch of orange. From smell alone, it honestly reminds me, just a bit, like a green Jolly Rancher. The Estate Cask Single Malt initially matures in French Limousin oak barrels, then finishes in previously-used Cognac casks, which imparts a distinct flavor profile. It's a sophisticated, elegant single malt with 40 percent alcohol by volume (abv) that showcases French distillation artistry and innovative aging techniques, providing a truly distinct drinking experience.
@AllisonParc
So I went to Japan. I read everything about Japanese whisky and Japanese business culture and everything like that. Had some really incredible experiences over there. Had some incredible meetings. Realized it wasn’t necessarily my avenue. I just really wanted to have a whiskey that was using a 100% local ingredients. So not trying to make scotch in another country. I wanted to have a whiskey made, a single malt, particularly, made outside of Scotland that was using 100% local ingredients from wherever that was being made. It’s delicious, that’s for sure. Light, crisp, and fruity. Easily sippable by itself, but I would caution that the lighter flavors might get lost among some of the common whiskey-associated activities (such as cigar smoking). On Ice AP: Heather, you have worked in many areas of whisky to now run your own brand. What is something you want to see in the future?
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