Maison Benjamin Kuentz

History

Maison Benjamin Kuentz is a French whisky author-publisher (éditeur de whisky français) with the idea that French producers can release whiskies as beautiful works. They seek to reveal terroirs in France and the sensory experiences behind the name whisky. Benjamin Kuentz travels to the four corners of France to meet people — farmers, grain producers and distillers — who work with passion and ethics. After meetings, he invites them to express their sensitivity to create modern, authentic and elegant French whiskies with a unique and strong personality. A story understood as a four-handed collaboration, where farmers, distillers and master of the casks contribute to editing whiskies with a focus on passion and quality. Their whiskies have strong literary roots and the poetic DNA of a story written in collaboration.

Production / Manufacturing

Whisky is defined as eau de vie de céréales (water of cereals) and is produced by distilling beer, which is then aged for at least three years in wood, before working with a blended recipe drawn from different casks. This describes a number of central principles such as: a regulated whisky landscape in France; the presence of a maître de chais (a master of maturation, often also a master-assembler), who selects casks and creates meaningful fusion patterns; and French engineering in agriculture and grain production. There is an emphasis on innovation and openness to explore whiskies beyond traditional boundaries. Benjamin Kuentz is also a sea-loving person: he immerses casks and bottles in the sea off Ouessant (in the Iroise Sea), which means that exposure to the environment and interaction with it can yield unique flavor experiences, without being bound to traditional aging sites. There is also a description of Les Dessous du Malt and Les Secrets de Fabrication as part of their universe, where whisky is produced according to a set of principles and can be described through seven central steps, which you can discover further in the whisky universe.

Products / Whisky Series

Current whiskies included in the list (with price and notes):

• (D’un) verre printanier — €59.00 — Note: 5.00/5.0 — a single malt described as floral in their texts, and thus an expression of a blooming, floral aroma.

• Fin de Partie — €69.00 — Note: 4.80/5.0

• Végétal Musette — €67.00 — Note: 5.00/5.0

• Spicy Nouba — €67.00 — Note: 5.00/5.0

• Uisce de Profundis — €550.00 — Note: 4.43/5.0 — a special project described as underwater aging under the sea near Ouessant and described as majestic; I cooled the first casks and bottles underwater three years ago.

Opus and Philosophy sections

As part of the narrative, they also describe that the chain around the editor role and the four hands in the story give the whisky a unique personality, and that the appellation whisky does not necessarily require traditional aging sites, but that terroir and the environment play a role in the tasting experience.

Events / Experiences

• Gifts & Whisky

• Atelier faire son propre whisky (Workshop to make your own whisky)

• Whisky tasting box

• Discover the universe around whisky
  There are also sections around Les Dessous du Malt and Les Secrets de Fabrication inviting users to gain insight into how whisky is produced and the steps behind it. There are also articles on food pairings and whisky-friendly dining experiences, with a particular focus on the relationship between tradition and the power of innovation in French whisky.

Philosophy

Benjamin Kuentz describes an innovative approach that moves beyond the traditional rules of the whisky world, while preserving the best of tradition. He/she sees whisky as a French publishing house voice and has an approach where the whiskies have literary roots and a history written in four hands — through collaboration between farmers, grain producers, distillers and masters of the cellar. A central part of the philosophy is that naming of whisky does not constrain aging to traditional sites, and that aging environments — including marine environments such as the Iroise and Ouessant — can create unique experiences. They also emphasize that French whisky is regulated and follows specific rules, and that France today is among the largest whisky producers in the world. Furthermore, regional protection (IGP) in Brittany and Alsace is highlighted, and the emphasis on the master of chais, who selects casks and creates balance between notes from different casks to produce exceptional whiskies. A broad palette of aromas and styles is presented — from salty, fresh, floral, fruity to grainy notes — with a focus on offering a tailored proposition to a broad audience.