Review: Brenne Ten French Single Malt Whiskey
Review: Brenne Ten French Single Malt Whiskey
Brenne is perhaps the best known single malt whiskey made in France, unique thanks to its finishing in Cognac barrels. While regular Brenne doesn’t carry an age statement (it’s typically about 7 years old), Brenne Ten, obviously, does, spending a guaranteed 10 years in a combination of virgin French Limousin oak barrels and barrels previously used for aging Cognac.
That said, compared to Brenne’s NAS version, I don’t see a huge difference between the two expressions.
The extremely pale whiskey nose sees big notes of apples — reminiscent of Calvados — alongside notes of toasted almonds and scorched caramel, plus a vegetal undertone, reminscent of camphor. The palate is a bit gamy, with a harder spice edge and notes of cooked apples, cloves, and spiced nuts. The finish is all applesauce and nutmeg, with hints of tannic oak and more of that meaty gaminess.
Did I mention the apples? That’s the main flavor profile here, through and through, and though I like apples just fine, it just doesn’t give you much to hold on to at a whopping $100 a bottle.
96 proof.
B / $100 / drinkbrenne.com [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS]
Brenne Ten French Single Malt Whiskey
$100
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Yeah, no. I’m only commenting on this Ten because you said you didn’t sense a great difference between the two expressions. It’s the other one that I just opened and tasted for the first time. First and last time.
I know, you’re a reviewer, and I’m not. You don’t want to come off as too unforgiving. But for me, as a consumer, i have to say that I would give this the lowest rating of any whisky I’ve ever had. Ok, there are others that are down there because they’re swill. Rotgut. Truly terrible well whiskies. But this is not that. The problem here I think is what it tries to be, not what it ends up being. It just bears no resemblance to whisky. One reviewer likened the nose to green jolly ranchers. Another mentioned creme brûlée. Mix those together and this is the result. I would give it 1/10 rating.