Valour + Lemaire has launched two new spirits that confirm the French distillery start-up’s desire to build a diverse offer with a hint of innovation.
The first spirits beverage launched by French distillery Valour + Lemaire, called LeMalt (540 bottles), is a made from a peated malt distillate aged for two years. Legally, it can’t be called whisky, which requires aging for a minimum of three years, according to European regulations. The other is a vodka aged in Grand cru Chablis casks called Bételgeuse (240 bottles). Both are presented in stock Saverglass bottles topped with Vinolock glass stoppers and decorated with a one-piece band label printed by Lucas Etiquettes.
Each of the two references will be added to one of four existing product lines: LeMalt will feature in Origins, which includes permanent products that are accessible for tasting, and Bételgeuse is the latest “star” to join the Constellation line. The company has two other product lines: Seasons, intended to be seasonal and event-driven, and Collection, a more exclusive line that focuses on numbered bottles produced in series of no more than 80.
Valour + Lemaire opened its distillery in Burgundy in March 2020, a few days before the first lockdown went into effect in France. Despite launching in a difficult context, the young company was soon equipped with three modern, multi-functional stainless-steel stills. Its offer stands out for its focus on small productions that sell quickly thanks to its active social media presence.
“We don’t necessarily follow the traditional codes of distilling, and we want our spirits to stand out for their personalities,” says Arnaud Valour, co-founder of the distillery with Benjamin Lemaire. The structure of the brand’s offer, he says, is a learning curve. “The consumer begins at the bottom, without taking any risks, and gradually acquires knowledge,” he explains. While prices in the company’s best-selling Constellation line do not exceed €65, the founders are looking into creating editions with a more premium positioning.
