Michel Couvreur Candid Malt Whisky 70 cl 49%

Bouze-lès-Beaune sits deep in Burgundy, a long way from Scotland's peat smoke and the sun-baked bodegas of Jerez – and yet both worlds meet right here, in the cellar Michel Couvreur dug beneath the hillside. The whisky crosses the Channel young and peaty, and only really becomes itself after years spent in the dark alongside casks shipped up from Andalusia.

The Expert's Description

Michel Couvreur Candid is a French Blended Malt Whisky, distilled at undisclosed Scottish distilleries and matured in sherry half-casks in Burgundy, bottled at 49%.

Candid carries the subtitle "The New Disclosure Expression" – a reworking of the house's earlier Disclosure bottling. The spirit arrives in France as a peaty, iodine-driven malt whisky and is then laid down exclusively in half-casks that previously held Pedro Ximénez Sherry. Part of the maturation happens in the driest section of the cellar, and the rest is moved to the humid part, where the air is denser and ageing slows down. That's the whole point of Michel Couvreur's method: the cask does most of the work, not the distillate.

The house was founded by Belgian-born Michel Couvreur, who originally traded Burgundy wine before he began, in the 1970s, bringing Scotch malt whisky home and letting it mature further in his own wine cellars. Since his death in 2013, the tradition has been carried on by his son-in-law Cyril Deschamps and cellar master Jean-Arnaud Frantzen, who still travels to Jerez for the best used sherry casks and drives them back to Burgundy himself.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit and a touch of iodine meet toasted almonds and a whisper of smoke, with a sweet, almost cake-like depth from the sherry casks.

Palate

Round and full-bodied, with raisins, a light buttery sweetness and an underlying peatiness that keeps it grounded.

Finish

Long and spiced, with a dry Sherry character and a lingering, mineral smokiness.

Specifications

Name: Michel Couvreur Candid
Bottler: Michel Couvreur
Region/Country: Scotland (distilled) / Burgundy, France (matured and bottled)
Type: French Blended Malt Whisky
ABV: 49%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Sherry half-casks
Edition: The New Disclosure Expression

Flavour Profile

Peated · Sherry-matured · Fruity · Spiced · Rich

Did You Know?

Michel Couvreur never used brand-new casks. He sourced used sherry casks himself in Jerez and drove them back to Burgundy personally, so they arrived as fresh as possible – a practice still carried on today by cellar master Jean-Arnaud Frantzen.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Michel Couvreur Candid

What makes Michel Couvreur Candid special?

It's a peated Scotch malt whisky sent to France and matured exclusively in sherry half-casks in Michel Couvreur's own cellars in Burgundy. That combination of Scottish peat and French Sherry ageing is the house's signature, and it sets Candid apart from an ordinary Islay whisky.

Is Michel Couvreur Candid a Scotch Whisky?

Not legally, no. The whisky is distilled in Scotland, but it's matured and bottled in France, and Scotch Whisky rules require the entire process to take place in Scotland. It's marketed as French whisky instead, even though the malt originally comes from Scottish distilleries.

Should Michel Couvreur Candid be served with ice or neat?

Try it neat or with a few drops of water at room temperature first. Ice mutes both the Sherry sweetness and the underlying peat, which is a big part of the whisky's character.

Which glass suits it best?

A narrow whisky glass such as a Glencairn glass holds onto the aromas and makes it easier to separate dried fruit, almond and smoke. See our range of whisky glasses.

Who is behind Michel Couvreur?

Belgian-born Michel Couvreur started out as a wine merchant in Burgundy before finding his passion in the 1970s: bringing Scotch whisky home and maturing it further in his own cellars. He passed away in 2013, and the house is now run by his son-in-law Cyril Deschamps and cellar master Jean-Arnaud Frantzen.

Does Michel Couvreur Candid pair well with food?

The rich Sherry sweetness and smoke work well with dark chocolate, mature cheeses or spiced dishes such as curry – flavours strong enough to stand up to the whisky without disappearing into it.

Is Michel Couvreur Candid a whisky worth collecting?

Not in the classic sense. Candid is a standing part of the house range with no vintage or numbered release, so it appeals more to the curious drinker than to the investment collector.