Whisky pairs with a lot of things: oysters, s’mores, and —my favorite— chocolate cake. But what about whisky and Champagne? Yes, I’m serious. Whisky and Champagne may be on opposite sides of the alcohol spectrum but the right whisky actually pairs with the right bubbles. Ok, more specifically, Brenne Whisky and Champagne.

Brenne Whisky is a French single malt created by former ballerina Allison Parc. Made using heirloom barley grown in Cognac, France, the single malt is aged in new French Limousin Oak barrels and finished in ex-Cognac barrels. The result is a completely unique whisky with “a big bouquet of fruit, pastry and vanilla cream notes.” 

As President of Women Who Whiskey Chicago, I’ve been anxious to do a Women Who Whiskey event with Brenne Whisky and Allison Parc ever since I discovered them. When I asked Brenne’s brand ambassador, Diane, her favorite way to enjoy the whisky, she shocked me when she said, “Actually, I love Brenne with Bubbles.” I’m sorry, what?

When the shock wore off and she explained it, it made sense. At least in theory. I was anxious to try it and knew the Women Who Whiskey Chicago ladies would be too, so we organized a Brenne and Bubbles event at Pops for Champagne to pair whisky and Champagne.  

Brenne & Bubbles :: Pairing Brenne Whisky with Champagne

Women Who Whiskey Chicago

Women Who Whiskey is an international whiskey club for amateurs and connoisseurs, with chapters in dozens of cities. The club’s goal is to remove the stigma that women don’t drink whiskey while hosting events to learn about the spirit and meet like-minded drinkers. Here in Chicago, we hold events at least once a month, focusing on every kind of whisk(e)y. It’s free to be a member (sign up here!) but most events require tickets.

Pops for Champagne in Chicago

Pops for Champagne is one of the most impressive Champagne bars in Chicago. (Psst: there’s a speakeasy underneath!) It has 150 bottles of sparkling wine, but most focus on the authentic version from Champagne in France.  

A good rule of thumb for any alcohol pairing is to keep it within the same region. So it made sense that French single malt would go with French Champagne. But can you really pair whisky with Champagne?

Turns out, yes. But Brenne isn’t your typical whisky.

Brenne Whisky is Completely Unique French Single Malt

We were lucky enough to have founder Allison Parc at our event to share her story of how Brenne came to be. Allison told the tale in a funny, suspenseful, and exciting way, telling us how she ventured to France by herself in search for a distiller who shared her vision for terroir.

Since I can’t possibly retell the story like Allison can, I’ll just share the main points focusing on what’s in the bottle. Brenne is made from heirloom barley grown near the distillery in Cognac, France, and distilled using Cognac yeast in double-onion stills that trap the fruit flavors. It’s aged in French Limousin Oak barrels before finishing in ex-Cognac barrels. Brenne is the world’s only whisky aged in these casks!

There are currently two expressions of Brenne: the Brenne Estate Cask and Brenne 10 Year, which is only available in the United States.

Pairing Whisky with Champagne

After starting our evening with a welcome glass of Champagne, we sipped on the Brenne Estate Cask while Allison shared her story. Brenne Estate Cask has a fruity nose and flavors of creme brûlée, tropical fruits and baking spices, then finishes with spicy ginger and black pepper. Though it technically is no age statement, Allison said it’s aged about 7 years.

Then we compared it with the Brenne 10. Aged for 10 years, the Brenne 10 Year has notes of ripe fruits with hints of chocolate and honey, while the palate has flavors of red berries with vanilla and brown sugar. 

Finally we finished with Brenne whisky and Champagne together in one glass: the Carré Nouveau cocktail, a riff on the Vieux Carré. It’s a refreshing cocktail of Brenne whisky, Champagne, angostura and Peychaud’s bitters, Carpano Antica Vermouth and Benedictine. It was refreshingly light but not too sweet. (Curious about this? It’s on Pops for Champagne’s new cocktail menu!)

Brenne Whisky + Women Who Whiskey Chicago

I have to gush a bit. Ever since I first tried Brenne and heard of Allison Parc, I was a huge fan. Not just because she’s a woman making whisky (although that’s SO cool!) or because she used to be a ballerina (also cool!). But because she trusted her intuition that a terroir-focused whisky could be amazing, even though no one else was doing it. Not only that, she ambitiously made it happen, using her own life savings, her determination, and her hard work. And if that isn’t something to admire, I don’t know what is! Better yet, she is even more charming and intelligent in person. Cue me fangirling SO hard! :)

We had such a great night with Brenne Whisky and Allison Parc. Thank you, Allison, for making our night so wonderful! And for teaching us that whisky and Champagne can pair together, and that French single malt whisky is delicious. 

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Check out other Women Who Whiskey Chicago events :: Whiskey & S’mores Pairing, Boozy Tea Party at Virgin Hotel, and WhiskyFest Chicago.