MilHòc La Premier-Né French Single Grain Whisky Review

 

The French village of Peyrehorade has an interesting history. Founded in the Middle Ages, it sits at the crossroads between Landes, Béarn, and the Basque Country. It had a renowned market established in 1358. In the 17^th century, Peyrehorade was home to a large Jewish community that had fled the Spanish Inquisition. Today, its 3400 residents primarily engage in agriculture and small-scale industries.

 

Château de Laubade was constructed in 1870 by Joseph Noulens, a French ambassador to Petrograd during the Russian Revolution. It was, at the time, the largest estate in the Armagnac region, with 105 hectares of vineyards, and soon became the major Armagnac producer.

 

Then, in 1932, Maurice Lesgourgues launched his corn collection business near the village, and his son, Jean-Jacques, further developed it into a seed business. In 1974, they purchased and revived Château de Laubade. In 1998, the third generation of Lesgourgues, Denis, Arnaud, and Jeanne, took over its operation and remains one of the major players in the production of Armagnac.

 

In the meantime, Denis founded MilHòc Whisky Français, which is distilled at Château de Laubade, and its first whisky, La Premier-Né, is gaining real estate on store shelves.

 

Now, I do not speak French, nor do I do a good job imitating Inspector Clouseau, but I am capable of sharing with you some pronunciations and translations: MilHòc, pronounced Mi-Yoc, means corn in Gascon. La Premier-Né, pronounced Lah Puh‑Meh‑Nay, means the firstborn, which is fitting.

 

“Our very first creation is a French single grain whisky crafted in our terroir of bas-armagnac, well-known for its corn production. This corn, cultivated on our lands, and the malted barley sourced in France, are slowly distilled in our column-still alembic that gives its singular personality to our whisky. Made from the careful blending of new casks, first-fill Bourbon casks, and first-fill Armagnac casks, maturing in our own cellars, La Premier-Né is a whisky of noble origin and unmatched in its style.” -   MilHòc Whisky Français

MilHòc La Premier-Né is made from a mash of 54% estate-grown corn and 46% French malted barley, distilled only once in a small copper Armagnac column still at 60%–61% ABV, which is supposed to retain more flavors than double- or triple-distillations. While it carries no age statement, MilHòc Whisky Français indicates on its website that maturation took place between 4 and 5 years in virgin French oak, 1st-fill Bourbon casks, and 1st-fill Armagnac casks. It is non-chill filtered and naturally colored.

 

Distribution is slowly growing across the country; this was brand-new to Wisconsin, and I picked up a 700mL at Watertown Wine and Liquor Store in Watertown for $44.99. Did I make a smart purchase? Let’s #DrinkCurious and find out.

 

• Whiskey Type: French Single Grain Whisky
• Distiller: Château de Laubade
• Age: NAS (between 4 and 5 years)
• Mashbill: 54% estate‑grown corn, 46% French‑sourced malted barley
• Cooperage: A mix of new French oak, 1^st fill Bourbon casks, and 1^st fill Armagnac casks
• Alcohol Content: 45% ABV (90°)
• Price per 700mL: $44.99
• Non-chill filtered, naturally colored

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whisky neat. Its color was that of a refined Chardonnay, and it created a medium-thick rim with thick, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: After allowing La Premier-Né to rest in my glass for 15 minutes, I was ready to begin interacting with its aroma. Vanilla was prominent, with additional notes of lemon peel, cinnamon, toffee, honey, and almonds. I drew the air into my mouth and encountered toasted coconut.    

 

Palate: My first sip had a medium weight and soft texture, with a solid punch of French oak and allspice. The second one revealed vanilla, toffee, and mocha on the front, while my mid-palate pulled flavors of lemon zest, nutmeg, and hazelnuts. I tasted French oak, clove, and black pepper on the back.  

 

Finish: An interesting interpretive dance of sweet, savory, and spicy notes stuck to my tongue and throat. I found vanilla cream tangoing with coffee, black pepper mingling with older leather, and hazelnuts cozying up with chocolate (think Nutella). All the while, French oak and clove circled the floor. The finish grew in intensity as it dehydrated my mouth, leveling out at 49 seconds. It didn’t completely fade until 1:16.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Many people who visit a liquor store have a decent idea what they’re after. For me, it is a quest to find a whisky I’ve never even heard of; that’s what I immediately gravitate to. There are so few French whiskies on American store shelves that they stand out. Most are single malts. A French Single Grain? That was absolutely intriguing! At only $45.00, I had assumed it would be 40% ABV and was pleasantly surprised to see an additional 10 proof points. Suddenly, MilHòc La Premier-Né was worth taking the risk.

 

MilHòc La Premier-Né is a well-balanced, characterful whisky that won’t break the bank. It wasn’t trying to mimic any Scotch or Irish Single Grain. Instead, it had its own story to tell, one that captivated my attention from start to finish. My Bottle rating is well-earned; this one is definitely a keeper. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.