Spiritique is setting its sights on the global travel retail channel with the introduction of its super-premium French single malt whisky brand Cohobé at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes. The company is seeking to capitalise on the growing popularity of the fast-growing world whisky category in duty free stores.

Spiritique is a French premium craft spirits company founded in 2018 which owns established brands including Yu Gin, Amaethon Whisky, Bistro Vodka and Noces Royales Cognac Pear Liqueur. The company’s vision is to ‘Refresh the world of spirits’, creating unique brands with a strong focus on bespoke expressive design, great taste and high quality.

With Cohobé, Spiritique’s objective was to explore a new vision for single malt whisky, “with delicate, precise, intense, delightful aromas”, inspired by French luxury codes and infused by the richness of French double distillation, the same process used in creating the Cognac drink.

Fittingly then, the name Cohobé is derived from the French word cohober, which in English means ‘to redistill’ and was chosen because of the double distillation process used in its production. The whisky is distilled in traditional French pot stills known as alambics.

Cohobé whisky, which uses the best French barley, is matured using 250 and 350 litre French oak barrels (smaller than traditionally used in whisky maturation, to ensure better contact between the liquid and the wood) and is produced in the Cognac region.

The brand’s exceptionally attractive, luxury bottle has the shape of the traditional French pot-stills. It has distinctive glass ribs starting from its base which gets thinner from bottom to top, with the idea of symbolising what distillation is: concentration, refinement, precision.

Produced in small quantities, super premium whisky Cohobé has an RRP of €89 for a 70cl decanter.

The two expressions of Cohobé whisky have distinct flavours (see tasting notes for Libération and Élévation below). Both whiskies are aged in the small French oak barrels but with different characteristics.

Spiritique Commercial Director Olivier Hidier said: “Cohobé is for all spirits lovers who appreciate beauty in design and great taste. Beyond this we believe there are many new consumers across the world who will appreciate this new vision of whisky.

“We also see Cohobé as an attractive whisky brand for women, who are more and more becoming whisky connoisseurs. The distillation process and flavour profiles of the whiskies are quite unique, and we have high expectations of what we can achieve with the brand in airport duty free.

“We are pleased to partner with JP Aucher, who is so well connected and knows the travel retail industry inside out. We’re excited to showcase Cohobé with JP in Cannes.”

JP Aucher said: “The world whisky category is a very fast-growing one and Cohobé fits so well into that, coming from a country not normally associated with great whisky. What Spiritique have produced with this brand is something outstanding, something that bucks that trend.

“Many whisky consumers buying in airport stores are looking for something unique, something that stands out from the crowd on the whisky walls. Cohobé fits perfectly with that demand with its fantastic appearance, memorable flavours and unique method of production.”

Tasting notes

LIBÉRATION

Eye: Golden yellow, slightly amber. Clear and shiny.

Nose: Woody and mineral notes harmonise together and gradually reveal rich floral, fruity and spicy scents, punctuated with roasted and balsamic notes.

Taste: A complex richness, a beautiful opulence where generous notes with fruity tones dominate. The accord is well structured by the wood offering a powerful, supple and persistent finish. Libération evokes fields of cereals heated by the sun, subtle pastries and candied fruits but also more autumnal and spicy notes.

ÉLÉVATION

Eye: Gold blonde. Clear and shiny.

Nose: The whisky offers a remarkable and slightly mineral finesse. Delicate malty notes are expressed followed by more floral notes (rosehip, narcissus) immediately relayed by delicate fruity accents and spicy notes.

Taste: Swirls in the mouth in a harmony of aromas and great finesse. The tannins are silky, and the texture is light, but the flavours are frank and very present around slightly spicy floral notes like pollen, and with a long and delicious finish. Élévation evokes tension, a subtle aromatic play, all in balance like a tightrope walker of flavours. There you can enjoy hot grains, flowers and fresh fruits. It’s an ode to naturalness.