BASTILLE 1789 French Whisky
History
For four generations, the Daucourt family has shared a passion for spirits, experience of distillation, rigor of the production and has always imposed themselves at the origin of new industry trends, (Jean-Marc XO Vodka, X-Rated Fusion Liqueur).
Inspired by their Irish mother, their idea was to create a French whisky using the family distillery's traditional gooseneck pot stills, which are typical of the Charente region.
Jean-Marc and Edouard made their dream a reality by creating a truly French Whisky, and becoming pioneers in this new spirit category!
Production
Yeast: A cultured yeast whose strain is 120 years old.
Distillation: Distilled twice in Charente copper stills.
Water: From the purest Charente springs, naturally filtered for centuries through the limestone layers in the soil of the region.
Bastille 1789 Blended French Whisky
Tasting Highlights
Blend: 50% malted barley and 50% raw grain originating from North East of France where some of the world’s finest Scotch producers source their malt.
Aging: Limousin oak barrels which had previously held Sauternes and Cognac.
Tasting notes: On the nose, the blend is characterized by aromas of orange marmalade, dried apricots and gingerbread that give it delicacy and roundness.
On the palate, it is both dry and slightly fruity with again, notes of orange peel and dried fruits. The mouth feel is very delicate upfront, then opens up to notes of dry almonds, and light spices. The tasting experience finishes with a subtle and refined smokiness.
Reviews
Gold Medal (Whiskey and Barrel Consumer Choice Awards 2022)
94 points (Beverage Testing Institute)
91 points (Wine Enthusiast)
92 points (Ultimate Spirits Challenge)
Bastille 1789 Single Malt French Whisky
Tasting Highlights
100% malted barley from North East of France, where some of the world’s finest Scotch producers source their malt.
Aging: Limousin oak barrels which had previously held Sauternes, Red Burgundy, and Sherry.
Tasting notes: With a deep amber color, Bastille 1789 Single Malt proves to be a soft, rich, and complex whisky. It presents complex notes of fruit, sweet spices, and leather, ending with a slightly peaty finish. It reveals layers of character brought about by the triple cask aging.
Reviews
91 points. Excellent/Highly Recommended.
"Rich, stately oak and vanilla notes waft from the glass supported by hints of red apple skin, buttered sourdough, and coriander. Rich and supple mouthfeel, with citrus and orchard fruit mingling with sweet spice and cigar smoke on the finish." (Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2023)
Gold Medal (Whiskey and Barrel Consumer Choice Awards 2022)
Best World Whisky (International Whisky Competition 2019)
Double Gold Medal (San Francisco Spirits Competition 2018)
4 stars, Highly Recommended.
“The opening aromas are opulent, toasty, grainy, malty, and ripe, and frankly, much nicer than when I evaluated it in 2011; second-stage nosing passes detect delicately spiced fruit-like scents, especially spiced pear, as well as elegant, supplemental fragrances of toffee, cinnamon, allspice, and honeysuckle. Entry carries through on the spiced pear aspect while also featuring ginger snap cookies, vanilla wafers, and chocolate-covered malted milk ball candies; midpalate echoes the entry, adding more substantial texture elements and acidity that push the spiced fruit and toasted grain flavors forward into the delectable, savory, and medium-long aftertaste. (2018 rating, Paul Pacult, The New Kindred Spirits, 2021)
93 points, Finalist (Ultimate Spirits Challenge)
Press
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Sorry Kentucky, France Might Be the Next Whisky Capital
Thirty years ago, you could count all the whisky producers in France on one finger. Today, there are at least 120 distillers at some stage of serious production, each with their own story and dreams of making the next great grand whisky.
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10 Top-Rated Single-Malt Whiskeys That Aren’t Scotch
Purists might be shocked. After all, conventional wisdom is that “single malt” is synonymous with “Scotch.” But increasingly, whiskey lovers know that’s not always true.
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Say "Oui" to French Whisky
The Quest for Elegance with Heavenly Spirits French Whisky Collection
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3 Need To Know French Whisky Distillers
Did you know that the French drink more whisky a year than any other country?
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3 French Cocktails to Celebrate Bastille Day
Celebrate Bastille Day and all things French spirits with three cocktails made by bartenders as part of our Countdown to Bastille Day with Heavenly Spirits!
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![White cocktail with mint and green bamboo straw in a highball glass with Japanese whisky bottle in the backgrounf]()
6 Highballs For World Whiskey Day
Celebrate World Whiskey Day this May 15th with six Highball Cocktails from six distilleries around the world.
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Whisky Review: Bastille 1789 Blended Whisky
With a name like Bastille 1789, a distillery is almost certain to conjure images of the French Revolution in the minds of those who pass by a bottle in the store, particularly of Parisians storming the castle in 1789.
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HEAVENLY SPIRITS ADDS TO PORTFOLIO
BASTILLE 1789 whisky was created and launched in 2010 by the Daucourt family in the Cognac region of France and has already earned several industry awards.
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Heavenly Spirits adds France’s Bastille 1789 Single Malt Whisky to its Portfolio
With whisky being the fastest growing category of new French spirits, Bastille 1789 Whisky has established itself as a winner for both quality and value. Originally launched in the United States in 2012, Bastille quickly found its place alongside some of the best-known names in the “World Whisky” category.
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Review: Bastille 1789 Blended French Whisky
Quite a light, lovely, and unexpected whisky, and well worth the price.
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![Glencairn glass with whisky with two shot glasses of white spirits and mint out-of-focus behind on black background]()
Single Malts Aren’t Just For Scotch
While many still equate single malt with Scotch, increasingly spirits-lovers have come to embrace that striking single malts—whiskey made from malted barley, originating from a single distillery—are made in all corners of the world.
