Bastille French Whisky – Review

Bastille French WhiskyBastille Hand-Crafted French Whisky

80 Proof

Price Point: $25 – $35 for 750 ML

Distiller: Daucourt Ste

 

Background

Quite possibly the greatest thing about whiskey is its diversity.  Flavor profiles are generated and differentiated by ingredients, distillation techniques, and geographic location.  The culture, knowledge/experience, and personal preferences of the distiller also have a large effect on the outcome of the spirit.  Because of this, I always get excited to try whiskeys from places that may have an entirely different perspective on the concept of whiskey than the tried and true methods.

I had my first experience with Bastille at Whiskey Fest 2011.  It was actually the first whisky I sampled that night.  Obviously I was giddy to try anything, but it was nice to start my night off with a whisky at the caliber of Bastille.

 

Review

The nose of Bastille is very unique.  It’s light and florally, with just a touch of a Highland Scotch scent.

Bastille’s taste really stands out, too.  My first taste at Whiskey Fest immediately reminded me of Penderyn, a Welsh whisky.  Of course, Bastille retails for about one-third the price, so you already feel a bit smarter drinking this stuff.  Bastille is a bit lighter than Penderyn and less fruity.

Immediately after, you’ll notice a bit of a malty taste, which fades into the florally flavor you previously experienced.

 

Rating & Recommendations

Bastille French Whisky is another example of a unique whisky I would recommend trying, if anything, to say you’ve had a French whisky.  I give this brand an 81 out of 100.

This whisky is light enough to drink neat.  In my opinion, any ice or water added to this would dilute too much of the flavor.

Whiskey is such a diverse product.  What makes it great is that everybody sees and tastes it differently.  The French have given their own perspective with Bastille, and I have to thank them for that.

 

-Ryan

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  1. great post I’m a big whisky drinker from Ohio

      • Ryan on December 27, 2011 at 1:53 pm
        Author
      • Reply

      Thanks Kelly, and thanks for checking out my blog!

      -Ryan

    • Anthony on April 29, 2012 at 11:37 am
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    Questions – if Balvenie is malt what is it for Bastille? In the bottle, it is written finished in French Limoisun oak casks. Glenlivet 15 year French Oak Reserve also writes maturation in French Limousin. This oak must be powerful in delivering light and sweet flavor – I think. In total, do you know how many years they age the whisky before it is sold in the market? Thanks.
    Anthony

    1. Hi Anthony. The Balvenie range consists of single malt whiskies, whereas Bastille is a blended whisky. This means that the contents of Bastille are sourced from unknown distilleries and can be a mixture of malted barley and grain.

      Yes, French Limousin Oak absolutely delivers a sweet, fruity flavor. Aside from that, the differences between Bastille and French Oak Reserve are numerous. I wouldn’t call the Glenlivet a light whisky by any means.

      I’m not entirely sure how long Bastille is aged before being bottled. Because it is a blend, there will be discrepancies between the various sourced whiskies. From the taste alone, I would guess it arrives in the bottle at a fairly young age across the board.

      Thanks for the comment!

      -Ryan

    • Lars on December 6, 2012 at 8:52 am
    • Reply

    Great write up.
    I wonder when the price will go up

    • Iain on March 23, 2013 at 7:20 pm
    • Reply

    I got young, lemon rind (not a bad thing), dark cocoa finish. a hint of water brought out cherries

    • Braden on April 22, 2013 at 7:45 pm
    • Reply

    Bought this today and was pleasently surprised… the French did it right! Nice review and cool blog too.

      • Ryan on April 27, 2013 at 12:36 pm
        Author
      • Reply

      Thanks for the comment Braden, and thanks for “liking” my page on Facebook!

      -Ryan

    • eli on July 18, 2015 at 3:13 am
    • Reply

    I agree with Kelly

    it is different from the other whisky’s I drink

    delicious

    • Charles R Ruhl on December 7, 2016 at 4:56 pm
    • Reply

    Just tried this. I don’t know how it made it to Pennsylvania with our state store system, but it did. I reminds me of a lighter, fruitier Glen Garioch, which is sold here under the McClelland’s brand name. Not complex, but pleasant. Definitely some barley single malt going on. I like the flavor/texture. Light cotton-candyish, buttery. An excellent whiskey to introduce to non-whiskey drinkers. OK: based on the price-point, an 80 out of 100.

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