G. Rozelieures Fumé Collection Single Malt

G. Rozelieures Fumé Collection is a peated single malt from Grallet Dupic Distillery (Distillerie Grallet-Dupic) based in Rozelieures village at Lorraine, France.

This French whisky has been distilled two times and it’s actually been aged in three different locations on the distillery property. They store some of the barrels high up in an attic kind of area. They also use a vaulted cellar and to make things fascinating, an old military fort which was abandoned in the 1870’s.

As mentioned, this one’s peated. The malt has a medium peat level of 20 ppm. The whisky has been matured in old Fino Sherry barrels for 8 years.

The French Connection of smoky whisky

The peating differs from typical Scottish (such as Islay) whiskies because the French peat used in this malt consists from different kind of plants than what Islay bogs has to offer.

It’s quite dry and I guess it’s even woody. So the character in this Frenchy is not iodine-like or medicinal, like those healing Islay peat smoke whiskies.

This whisky is interesting, something you should definitely try out, if you happen to bump into this kind of stuff. It’s always refreshing to try out other peated whiskies than Islay ones, to widen your perspective.

So get your French Connection of peat if you can!

Matured in:

Ex-Fino Sherry barrels

ABV: 46%

Colour: Golden amber

Nose: Marzipan and nutty notes are strong in beginning, sweet sherry and caramel rise from the back. Dry rose wine aromas start to dominate. Ends with wet and dumpy sherried oak and sweet fresh pears.

Taste: Starts with crispy oranges. Hints of dry peat comes along. Plums and almonds, along with hints of slightly bitter and thick, very sweet sherry. Juicy pears and ripe green apples.

Finish: Unripe slightly bitter tangerines and wee smoke. Raisins and sherry. Overly sweet plums rise up late in the aftertaste. Peaty licorice stays with you quite some time.

Balance: Young age shows but there’s lots of different notes though. After the bottle has been opened for a while and oxidation has truly taken place, this French whisky shows nicely matured sweet, fruity and full sherry notes.