Michel Couvreur: The Visionary Pioneer of Whisky in Burgundy
Michel Couvreur was a pioneering figure in the world of whisky, who took an unconventional route by crafting whisky in France, in the Burgundy region, while sourcing his distillate from Scotland. Born in Belgium, Couvreur initially worked in the wine industry in Burgundy but fell in love with Scotch whisky in the 1950s. In 1978, he fully committed to whisky production, establishing his unique method by combining Scottish distillation techniques with French maturation traditions, aging his whisky in Sherry casks and Burgundy wine cellars.
Terroir and Unique Aging Process
Couvreur’s whiskies stand out for their distinctive aging process, which occurs in an ancient wine cellar in Bouze-lès-Beaune—deep within the limestone hills of Burgundy. The aging in these humid cellars and the use of Pedro Ximénez and Fino Sherry casks give his whiskies a complex, rich profile with flavors of dried fruit, nuts, and spices. He also employed less common grains such as Bere Barley, an ancient, low-yield variety that adds depth and texture to his whiskies.
Couvreur was an interesting character and would have crazy ideas! He also had various passions and one of them was engineering underground tunnels. He called the same company that built the famous Mont Blanc tunnel to create an underground labyrinth under the nearby limestone hills. The maze is still used today to age all of Couvreur’s production. These single malts, while not technically Scotch, soon became the thing of legends.
Michel believed that 90% of a whisky’s quality comes from the maturation process, with the cask playing a critical role in developing its character. He sourced old Sherry barrels directly from Spain, still full of Sherry, to ensure the whisky matured in casks that retained the most aromatic qualities. This meticulous attention to cask management and aging underpins the aromatic intensity and complexity of his whiskies.
Key Whiskies
Michel Couvreur’s range includes iconic expressions such as:
- Overaged Malt: A blend of single malts aged for 12 to 27 years, matured in Pedro Ximénez casks, known for its rich, sherried notes of almonds, cocoa, and sea breeze.
- The Unique: A blend of malted and unmalted whiskies, aged partly in Scotland and partly in France in small Sherry casks, offering a complex palate with notes of peach, brine, and florals
- Intravagan’za: A cask-strength whisky, matured in Moscatel and Oloroso casks, with rich notes of caramel, vanilla, and oatmeal.
A Lasting Legacy
Michel Couvreur passed away in 2013, but his legacy lives on through his family and close collaborators, who continue to produce whisky according to his philosophy. His son-in-law, Cyril Deschamps, along with master cellar Jean-Arnaud Frantzen, have maintained the commitment to traditional aging methods, sourcing top-quality casks and preserving the distinctiveness that makes Couvreur whiskies highly sought after by connoisseurs.
