Michel Couvreur : Candid Malt Whisky

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Candid Malt Whisky - Michel Couvreur

Tasting

Color
Due to being bottled without cold filtration, this spirit retains all of its aromatic compounds and fatty acids, which can give it a slight natural haze (chill-haze) when served chilled.

Nose
A deceptive yet fascinating opening! The first notes of vanilla and caramel, a direct legacy of the Pedro Ximénez casks, quickly give way to a far more complex structure. Sweet spices such as cinnamon and ginger mingle with dried fruits (raisins, walnuts) and subtle citrus zest. Malted barley and a herbaceous touch are wrapped in a buttery texture, while a rich yet subtle peat blends with rare elegance into the sherry aromas.

Palate
The attack offers a dynamic tension between vibrancy and roundness, evoking the indulgent profile of a "Christmas cake". The buttery, spiced notes from the nose intensify, joined by liquorice and a more ashy peat. A lovely mineral salinity balances the sweetness, allowing dark stone fruits, such as black cherry, to come through, brightened by the freshness of grapefruit and orange. The finish, long and complex, lingers on black berries, dried fruits and a gentle peppery warmth, remaining resolutely dry and elegant.

Food and Wine Pairing
The house recommends serving at 14°C in a Riedel Veritas-style glass to optimise aromatic perception. It can be enjoyed neat, with a few drops of water to release its aromas, or even over ice for a gradual evolution. At the table, its salinity and peat work wonders with characterful meats (venison, duck, wild boar) seasoned with liquorice or fennel. It also enhances smoked fish such as salmon or mackerel. When it comes to cheese, try a farmhouse-aged cheddar or a bold blue cheese. Finally, those with a sweet tooth will pair it successfully with 65-70% cocoa dark chocolate. This is a meditation spirit, ideal for late afternoon or as a digestif.

Mixology
Although it stands beautifully on its own, this malt also ventures brilliantly into the world of cocktails. The house suggests the "Candid Lemon", a refreshing drink combining the spirit with fresh lemon juice and sparkling water, highlighting its minerality and citrus notes. Adventurous mixologists also use it to reinvent classics such as the Sazerac or the Vieux Carré, where its liquorice notes pair perfectly with a touch of absinthe.

Other Characteristics
This single malt has an alcohol content of 49%. It stands out for its moderately peated profile (estimated at 30 to 40 ppm), designed so that the smoke is present yet perfectly integrated, bottled just before the peat would otherwise fade from the aromatic profile.

A Great Peated Scottish Malt Matured in the Heart of Burgundy

The Michel Couvreur House: The Art of Maturation in Burgundy
Founded by visionary Belgian Michel Couvreur, a former wine merchant, the eponymous house has revolutionised the world of Scotch whisky since the 1970s. Based in Bouze-lès-Beaune in Burgundy, the company is built on a bold premise: 90% of a whisky's quality comes from its ageing in wooden casks, and only 10% from its distillation. As a result, carefully selected distillates mature in exceptional underground cellars, hewn from limestone rock, in exceptionally fine Andalusian sherry casks. Since the founder's passing in 2013, the continuity and excellence of the Michel Couvreur house have been ensured by his daughter, Alexandra Couvreur, and his son-in-law, Cyril Deschamps. Supported by cellar master Jean-Arnaud Frantzen, they carry on this artisanal philosophy while also developing new projects, such as the creation of a malting house and the launch of their own distillation in 2022.

Candid Malt Whisky: The Perfect Balance Between Peat and Sherry
The Candid Malt Whisky is a singular expression that perfectly illustrates the house's expertise. This Whisky is the result of meticulous ageing of eight to nine years, carried out exclusively in half-casks (approximately 250 litres) that had previously held Pedro Ximénez and Amontillado sherry wines. This choice of smaller vessels is crucial: it increases the contact surface between the wood and the spirit, thereby accelerating aromatic development and flavour intensity.

The creation of this Malt Whisky is based on a moderately peated Scottish distillate. The aim is not to dominate the palate with smoke, but to create a harmonious tension between the earthy character of the peat and the rich, sweet, oxidative qualities of the sherry casks. The name "Candid" reflects this desire to offer an authentic expression, bottled at the precise moment when the peat becomes fully integrated into the aromatic profile, without ever fading away.

True to its artisanal approach, the house bottles without cold filtration in order to preserve the full range of fatty acids and the textural richness of the spirit. Each bottle of Candid Malt Whisky is given special attention, with labelling and waxing done entirely by hand, underscoring the rejection of industrial production methods in favour of true spirit craftsmanship.