Best-Selling Single Malts from a Whisky Pioneer

“The magnificence that is Michel Couvreur has always been clear.” – David Othenin-Girard

For those familiar with Michel Couvreur, we urge you to read our recent blog post on what makes the bottlings featured here so special. And for those who may be new to these very special single malts—a bit of explanation is due. The late Michel Couvreur was a Belgian wine dealer who moved to Beaune in the 1950s. Then, in the 1960s, following his passion, he moved to Scotland to become more involved with the Scotch whisky industry, having developed a taste for sherry-aged single malt. He worked out a few contracts from suppliers and began purchasing whisky to mature in his own sherry butts that he secured from Jerez. In the 70s, Michel decided to move back to Beaune, in order to focus more on quality cooperage (Beaune was closer to Spain and easier to work out of) and that’s when he decided to mature his own casks, in his own cellar, built deeply into the side of a nearby hill. Michel would contract whisky from Scotland, barrels from Spain, and make his own expressions of single malt whisky from the heart of French wine country. These single malts, while not technically Scotch, soon became the stuff of legends. When our spirits team finally got a chance to taste coveted single malts, an exclusive deal was struck immediately. Fast forward several years, and the single malts Michel Couvreur have become one of our fastest selling spirits. Recently arrived into inventory is a long time favorite, the “Peaty Overaged,” as well as a special release, the 16-Year-Old “Mrs. Couvreur”— a favorite of Michel’s wife. Both are gorgeous expressions that sure to delight novice and the season Scotch drinker alike. While Michel may be gone, his brand lives on and as the pair here shows, it lives on gloriously.

Michel Couvreur “Peaty Overaged” K&L Exclusive Malt Whisky (750ml) ($79.99)

The chance to work with Michel Couvreur on a special K&L whisky project was something that we had been dreaming of for years. We had heard the stories. This crazy Belgian had moved to Burgundy in the ’60s, carved out a wine cellar inside a mountain, only to fill it with Scottish single malt whisky instead of Pinot Noir. He set up camp in Beaune, ordered new-make spirit to be delivered by tanker, and drove down to Jerez himself, selecting his own sherry butts to insure only the finest quality casks for his contracted spirit. Unfortunately, Michel Couvreur passed away in 2013 from pancreatic cancer, thus ending the career of one of the industry’s most courageous pioneers. Luckily for us, however, apprentice Jean-Arnaud has carried on after studying under Michel for more than a decade. When we visited the underground cave, we were all in total awe. The tunnels of dripping stone go on forever, and the amount of whisky stored in this secret lair is jawdropping. We put our trust completely in Jean-Arnaud and are happy we did. Our peated version of the incredible sherry expression is a seamless creation that drinks like the best version of Johnnie Black ever, mixed with the most supple and soft expressions of Macallan. It’s a lush, unfiltered, creamy, caramel-laden dream of a whisky composed only of malts 12 years and older. There’s a bit of peat on the finish, but the soft sherry is the star. (NOTE: do NOT cut the hard wax seal, use a wine opener to go through it)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 14, 2014

The magnificence that is Michel Couvreur has always been clear, but it wasn’t until we stepped into the special cave, carved out of the rock, in Bouze-Les-Beaune that you can full appreciate the incredible endeavor in process at this fine producer. While this is by definition NOT Scotch, because it is aged outside of the country, the old school practices utilized at here are unusual back in Scotland. The fact that these guys literally drive to Jerez to pick out fresh sherry casks (from Equipos Navazos no less) is totally unique in modern times. In fact, no producer of malt whisky is getting access to fresher barrels than these guys. Not being able to use the famous moniker does not preclude this from being one of the most authentic and absolutely delicious malts on the market. Stupendous depth and complexity even at 86 proof, while the sherry is toned down from the standard version a subtle fino/amontillado quality exists in the back ground. This is pointed by a fabulous smokey sweetness, which hints at the source whisky. Maybe an island somewhere, maybe a drop of Islay, wildly high-quality Highland whisky with a French sensibility. A truly unique gem.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 25, 2016

This Michel Couvreur Malt Whiskey is a perfect marriage of smoke and sherry-aged spirit. There is a nice amount of smoke aromas and flavors that are integrated well with the richness from the sherry barrels. On top of this, it is complex and will surprise and delight.

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 22, 2014

One of the best bottles of “Scotch” I have had in a long while. I have been moving away from peated malts recently…but this bottle has the perfect marriage of smoke and sherry. The malt has a beautiful chewy texture and richness on the palate (perhaps owing to the fact that they don’t remove any of the first fill sherry barrel residue before bottling). It is brimming with red forest fruits, sweet rancio tones, wood spice and earthy nuances. A really complete drop and serious value for the money, in my book.

Shaun Green | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 07, 2014

I love it! Super creamy with a mild peat, lovely sherry character and an absolutely wonderful sexy texture on the palate. What an amazingly charming whiskey!

Michel Couvreur 16 Year Old “Mrs. Couvreur” Single PX Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($299.99)

The ultimate offering from Couvreur was selected by the late master’s wife. Her involvement with this special whisky house is generally fiduciary in nature, but in this case she’s put her personal approval on one of the most extreme and delicious single casks to come out of the magical Couvreur cellars. Starting with Golden Promise that is peated to 45 ppm, Mr. Couvreur filled a very old Pedro Ximenez sherry butt from the famous Bodega Malaga Virgen. These ultra-mature American Oak sherry butts have spent decades being impregnated with sweet PX sherry and while they’re not as dark and rancio as those from Bodega Toro Albala, they provide the perfect frame for the powerful peaty malt. After years in the deepest, dampest part of the Couvreur’s cavernous cellar, this exceptional whisky was bottled by hand without any filtration or dilution whatsoever. Couvreur has drawn from this cask a total of three times and the final batch of the Mrs.’ special cask is a full 16 years of age. Only 60 bottles (45 liters) of this unprecedented offering is for exclusive sale in the U.S. While the price is not inexpensive, a single cask of whisky from an Islay distillery of this quality at this age and full strength would easily command a similar price point had it been bottled in Scotland. Add the impressive vessel, Couvreur’s magical cellars, and the incredible rarity of this old glory and the price makes perfect sense. A one of a kind specimen from the wizard in Bouze.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 13, 2018

This no hiding the fact that I’m completely in love with what Couvreur is doing. The quality and complexity of each offering is reshaping how we look at blended whisky, but occasionally they’ll put together a product so superlative and over the top that we just can’t resist even if the prices are high. Yes on paper this whisky seems crazy. 16 -year-old malt whisky from a single cask for $300? We’ve had high-end offerings from Couvreur before and they’re often met with skepticism, but as soon as you taste them all disbelief is suspended. The initiated usually know right away that this is something they should strive to acquire, but for the uninitiated it can seem almost farcical. Why would we pay a French man extra for Scotch that I can get from the Scottish for less? But the truth is, you CAN’T get this from Scotland. There are so many reasons why these whiskies are so unique and this particular bottling doubly so. Mrs. Couvreur’s choice represents the absolute best evidence that little house in Bouze-les-Beaune’s hypothesis is correct: the old ways were BETTER! Yes, entry into their highest level isn’t cheap and on paper you might find better values from the Scots, but in the glass no whisky on the market today will deliver what this special whisky offers at this price. Not to mention that the US release is sold exclusively at K&L and is two years older than the European version that sells for the same price. Beyond its incredible rarity, the idea that exemplifies this whisky most accurately is the word balance. Yes it’s from one of Scotland’s peatiest distillers—my money is on Laphroaig or Ardbeg although Couvreur won’t come close to confirming those suspicions—but the peat is not out of control. Instead it melds and mingles so perfectly with the sweet, nutty, sherry character and provides backbone against which the rich maltiness unfolds. The nose is one of the most complex things I’ve ever come across, reminding me of some of the true ancient legends I’ve had the incredible privilege of tasting. On the nose fresh plum preserves, ozone, dried yuzu peel, ripe pear, crushed oyster shell, roasting nuts from afar. Entry is surprisingly peat driven but not at all rugged. It proceeds to open up to the sweet stewed fruits of the sherry tamped down by an invigorating briny sea spray. More yellow plums build to a long, smoky, ultra-pleasurable finish. It feels like a privilege to be selling this whisky and I can already see the future of me nursing my last bottle in terrible fear of never tasting this wonderful whisky again. That terrible feeling is well worth with it considering the pure joy the rest of the bottle made me feel.

Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 06, 2018

The phrase “one of a kind” gets bandied about excessively these days, but it truly applies to this bottling from Michel Couvreur. The elusive Pedro Ximenez cask finish alone should have single malt aficionados clamoring for a dram of this nectar, and the juice does not disappoint. Elegantly complex, it starts on the nose with salty smoke that gives way to honeyed sweetness of candied dates kissed by sea breeze. The malt itself leans toward the savory, with hazelnut and smoky bacon adorned by tropical nuance and a lingering fire. All the elements are perfectly integrated, displaying a deft balance and creating a voluptuous texture that is not overbearing. The finish is full, maintaining the exquisite character of the sherry and the richness of the malt but offering a touch of toffee and spice as a final farewell. I implore, if you have the opportunity, to taste this bottle immediately —you will not regret it.

Keith Mabry | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 05, 2018

It’s not often that we get to try something this extraordinary and those who even deign to read this far down the page have probably already made their commitment to this whisky. Let me be the first to tell you, you are right! The Couvreur whiskies are a reflection of a time long gone when whiskies were aged in pure unadulterated sherry cask and that may be hard to wrap our modern heads around these days. You already know that so much sherry cask is rushed to market with inferior Sherry aging in it and though it imparts some character it is seldom that we see something like this. An authentic Pedro Ximenez barrel that had been part of a long aging solera intensifying and sweetening its charge. Again, you already know the story about this crazy French guy, Mr. Couvreur, driving to Jerez to buy his casks, settling for nothing less than the real thing and loading them on his little truck and driving them back to his cellar. So much detail in the procurement alone was enough to peak your interest. The added fact that it is aged in a cave in the middle of France instead of the salt caked island of Islay makes the malt even more transparent and adds to its mystique. The whisky itself was expressive barley first on the nose but as you dive further in, the smoke builds in a subtle way As a first fill PX Sherry cask, it rounds out the flavors allowing the malt to shine through with a nose of toasted spelt, candied dates and sweet tea. The cask frames the smoke, not the other way around. It is complex and detailed on the palate and has a long savory finish. The Couvreur is top tier and worthy of any collector’s shelf. One of the best peated styles I’ve tasted this year. Thanks for reading, now enjoy that bottle.

Kaj Stromer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 05, 2018

It only takes one whiff of this spirit to know that you have something very special in your glass. While I have the fortunate opportunity to sample world-class spirits on a weekly basis, few have caught my attention like this one did. It’s quite an unusual spirit as it’s a white whiskey from Scotland aged in Sherry casks in the cellars of Burgundy. The effect of the “magical” sherry butts imparts an almost Cognac-like sweetness to the palate. This spirit possesses the hallmarks of a Scotch whiskey but its informed by a French sensibility. It almost seems like a more complete, seamless beverage. I must say that this is the most intriguing and compelling whisky I’ve tasted this year. I enthusiastically give it a strong BUY recommendation.