Coperies Single Malt French Whisky 750ml

Coperies takes its name from a genuinely old word in the local Charentais dialect meaning "harvest" — a fitting choice for a whisky built by a family whose real expertise has always been in wine and brandy, not grain distillation. Distillerie Merlet & Fils has operated for more than 170 years, distilling Cognac, fruit liqueurs, and other spirits in Charente-Maritime, and in 2021 brothers Luc and Pierre Merlet decided to bring that centuries-old know-how to an entirely new category: French single malt whisky.

Every part of the process stays deliberately, entirely French — the barley is grown, malted, and brewed domestically before being distilled and aged at the family's own distillery. Distillation runs a double pass through traditional Charentais copper pot stills, the same style of still used across the region's Cognac production, producing what Coperies' own copy calls "round and elegant malt spirits." The whisky then ages in French oak barrels, deliberately balancing new and old wood to build "subtle spicy notes and silky tannins" without letting oak dominate. The first batch aged three to four years before release.

Christopher Null's independent review for Drinkhacker found the Cognac connection "immediately apparent from nosing the freshly-poured spirit: fruity and floral, one could be forgiven on first blush for assuming this was indeed brandy, as even the mild earthiness feels at home in a younger Cognac." He noted "a grainy character underneath that definitely places this in whiskeydom," with "a toasty oak element adding to the traditional profile," describing the palate as "sweet — again, quite brandylike — with notes of rum raisin, lavender, and brown sugar all in a swirl," the "granary notes" well-integrated, giving "the whisky a breakfast cereal quality that is typical of many a single malt from other countries." He concluded: "the finish keeps a toe down on that brown sugar quality, allowing the whisky to finish on the sweet side. Again, the more I sip it, the more I think I'm drinking Cognac — and that's no slam." Whiskybase's community found "stoned fruits — plums and apricots, a hint of syrup sweetness with a hint of spice behind, slightly prickly," though one reviewer found it "a little on the thin side in terms of mouthfeel," with "tinned prune juice in terms of flavour" and "a little pepper balancing the sweetness." This is genuinely distinctive whisky — the product of a Cognac house's own sensibility applied to an entirely different category, and it shows in every sip.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Coperies Single Malt French Whisky is produced by Distillerie Merlet & Fils, a family Cognac house with a traceable history dating to 1850 and more than 170 years of distilling expertise in Charente-Maritime, France. In 2021, brothers Luc and Pierre Merlet launched Coperies as the family's first foray into whisky production.

The whisky is made entirely from French barley — grown, malted, and brewed domestically — then double distilled in traditional Charentais copper pot stills, the same style used in Cognac production. The finished spirit ages in French oak barrels, balancing new and old wood for subtle spice and silky tannin. The first batch aged 3 to 4 years. Bottled at 40% ABV / 80 proof, 750ml.

Critics Reviews

No formal numerical critic score from a major spirits publication is confirmed for this product at this time.

Christopher Null, Drinkhacker (extended independent review):
"The Cognac connection is immediately apparent from nosing the freshly-poured spirit: Fruity and floral, one could be forgiven on first blush for assuming this was indeed brandy, as even the mild earthiness feels at home in a younger Cognac. There's a grainy character underneath that definitely places this in whiskeydom, of course, a toasty oak element adding to the traditional profile. The palate is sweet — again, quite brandylike — with notes of rum raisin, lavender, and brown sugar all in a swirl. Granary notes are well-integrated, giving the whisky a breakfast cereal quality that is typical of many a single malt from other countries. The finish keeps a toe down on that brown sugar quality, allowing the whisky to finish on the sweet side. Again, the more I sip it, the more I think I'm drinking Cognac — and that's no slam."

Whiskybase community (extended reviews):
"Stoned fruits — plums and apricots, a hint of syrup sweetness with a hint of spice behind. Slightly prickly. Another example of an interesting French whisky — worth trying if you can find it in a bar somewhere." A separate reviewer noted: "Not a bad dram — a little thin with a note of stewed fruits — raisins or the like."

Distillerie Merlet & Fils / Maison du Whisky (official description):
"The result is a floral, fruity whisky of unparalleled finesse."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Fruity and floral, genuinely brandy-like, with mild earthiness reminiscent of young Cognac, alongside a grainy character and toasty oak.

Palate
Sweet and brandy-like, with rum raisin, lavender, and brown sugar swirling together, developing well-integrated granary, breakfast-cereal notes, alongside stewed plum and apricot.

Finish
Sweet-leaning, closing with lingering brown sugar and a touch of pepper balancing the sweetness — genuinely more Cognac-adjacent than typical single malt.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Fruit tarts and stone fruit desserts
• Soft, creamy cheeses
• Light pastries
• Dried fruit and nut boards

Serving Note

Best enjoyed neat, in a tulip-shaped glass, to appreciate its genuinely Cognac-adjacent aromatics.