Distillerie des Menhirs

History

Distillerie des Menhirs is a family-owned distillery in Brittany, expressing Breton pride in craftsmanship through two iconic raw materials: apples and buckwheat (blé noir). A family saga across several generations that began in 1921 with the purchase of an old distillation setup for the production of lambig and later flirted with apple cider and pommeau, before a new era began under Guy Le Lay around 1986. Since 1999 they began developing the unique Eddu whisky, made exclusively from buckwheat IGP, and in the years that followed they expanded with Ed Gwenn (barley), Eddu Grey Rock (blend), as well as a range of limited editions and cuvée collections such as «Carnets de Voyage» and Graal. The Le Lay family has carried the distillery through five generations and has expanded to international markets since 2020. Today the distillery combines a deep-rooted connection to Brittany with ambitious regional ingredients and a signature that focuses on buckwheat and the apple terroir.

Production

The distillery uses a unique raw material in buckwheat (Pur Blé Noir) and works with two traditional copper stills of around 25 hL, often heated by fire rather than steam. After distillation, the distillate is aged in various casks of French oak from Limousin and to a lesser extent in oak casks from the Breton forest Brocéliande, as well as casks previously containing port wine, Burgundy wine or cognac. The old technique of slow reduction (adjusting strength by manual dilution) is used, and there is a thorough expedition in the cellar by the Master of Chai, who crafts balanced blends before bottling at the distillery. Brittany's seasonal climate provides favorable maturation, where humidity and mild temperatures influence flavor development and structure. Several of the products are used for both limited editions and collaborations, including Eddu Graal and «Carnets de Voyage».

Eddu series (selected)

• Eddu Pur Blé Noir – pure buckwheat (70 cl, 43% vol). Buckwheat offers chocolate, praline or coffee notes in the creams; notes of chocolate, praline and a creamy texture in the creams are highlighted in the descriptions.

• Eddu 10 ans – buckwheat, French oak casks, 43% vol; notes of flowers, dried fruit and spices; very long finish.

• Eddu 15 ans – pure buckwheat, 15 years, in cognac casks; notes of spices (curry, cinnamon), fruit confit, a rounded and full mouthfeel and an extra long finish.

• Eddu 12 ans – Single Cask – buckwheat, 12 years in cognac cask; fruity notes, apple, pear, apricot and a refined finish; recommended with two drops of water.

• Eddu Tourbé – very limited peated version; floral and fruity on the nose, chocolate and smoky notes on the palate; longer aftertaste.

• Eddu Grey Rock (Blend) – 70% barley and 30% buckwheat; aged in cognac cask, later re-casked in port wine casks; notes of citrus, berries and vanilla; full-bodied finish.

• Eddu Grey Rock Porto – version with port-wine finish; sweet, full finish.

• Eddu Grey Rock Brocéliande – Brocéliande oak cask; stronger oak notes and floral/gorse notes.

• Ed Gwenn – barley-based (orge); up to 4+ years aging in French and American oak; fruity notes and an exotic finish.

• Eddu Carnets de Voyage – three wine-cask-based editions from Bordeaux, Burgundy and Northern Rhône Valley; each with unique wine-cask components and complexity.

• Eddu Graal edition N°2 – single cask, 21+ years, 46% vol; exclusive edition with citrus fruits and marmalade notes; one of the oldest French bourbons.

• Eddu Brocéliande – 5 years in Limousin casks and final maturation in Brocéliande casks; notes of vanilla, flowers and dried fruits; long finish.

• Eddu Carnets de Voyage (Bordeaux/Burgundy/Northern Rhône) – wine-cask collections; variants express terroir in wine casks.

Crème de Whisky (creme) – selected range

• Crème de Whisky Eddu Pur Blé Noir – buckwheat-based cream; added Ethiopian Moka coffee (organic), milk and cream; notes of chocolate and praline; creamy texture; best served at 8–12°C.

• Crème de Whisky Eddu Blend – Eddu Grey Rock base with coffee, milk and cream; coffee notes highlighted; a creamy mouthfeel.

• Crème de Whisky Eddu Pur Blé Noir – Ensemble de 3 (Pur Blé Noir) and Eddu Blend – two triple sets; 70 cl bottles.

Recommended overall experiences

• Eddu «Carnets de Voyage» Escales in Bordelais, Bourgogne and Vallée du Rhône Nord – limited editions with wine-cask finishing; bottle counts vary per edition.

Visits / Experiences

The distillery offers guided tours through the cellar and stills, as well as a tasting in the shop. The visits are free for individuals, while groups (at least 10 people) pay €4 per person. There are virtual tours and fixed events such as «Jeudis de la Distillerie» in the summer months with live music and special tastings. The shop is located in Plomelin and open year-round; there is also an online shop and the possibility to buy gift vouchers with a selectable amount (50€, 80€, 100€).

Philosophy

The distillery draws on Brittany and wind-blasted heritage; apples and buckwheat as signature products that promise aesthetics and terroir. The Le Lay family has carried a lineage through five generations and remains faithful to locally anchored ingredients and craftsmanship, while exploring new expressions and international markets. Layer after layer of history, artisanal craft and terroir are the foundation for Eddu and the other products that showcase the distinctive Breton sensibility.