Par Pascal Cayeux
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Immediate boarding, direction America. Soon, Naguelann whiskeys (anagram of Languenan, commune of Côtes-d’Armor near Dinan, where they are made) will be on sale in New YorkChicago ou encore Seattle. For a bit, Lenaick Lemaitre would think he was dreaming, he who embarked on this adventure only 8 years ago, it was in 2014.
Nine different recipes
“At the time, I bought alcohol that I transformed into whiskey. From the second year, I bought a first still, then a second, to become a distillery in its own right”, says the bartender and sommelier training, who also runs a bar in Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine) after exercising his talents for a few years in palaces in Paris.
Back home, he launched into the production of the sweet beverage in the family property of Languenan. His first vintage, at Grand Pahas long seduced enthusiasts.
Today, Naguelann whiskeys are available in nine versionsrecipes skilfully kept secret for the most part, even if Lénaïck Lemaître does not hide his taste for aging and refining in cid barrelsre or in barrels of Bordeaux wines, Saint-Émilion in the first place, “which gives a pink color”.
And more 90 tonnes of local barley per year, he also uses buckwheat to further anchor his spirits in their terroir of origin.
“Me alive, we will never be in supermarkets”
Each year, the company sells 15,000 of its different bottles (from €47 for a 50 cl bottle and up to €75 for a 70 cl bottle) but must produce the equivalent of 60,000, “to anticipate the aging time required before bottling and marketing”.
Two jobs created
Most of its production, approximately 80%, is distributed at 400 independent wine merchants“me alive, we will never go to mass distribution”, and on a few fine restaurants.
Half of what is sold “is in Côtes-d’Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine”, specifies the one who greatly participated in obtaining for Breton whiskeys an IGP, protected geographical indication, with the specifications that go with it. We count seven marks of whiskey in Brittany.
Lénaïck Lemaître created two jobs and Naguelann now has a turnover of around €350,000.
At a crossroads, the company intends to move on to top speed and hopes for this to raise funds to the tune of 1 million euros, “of which 400,000 € will be invested for the construction of a new aging cellar”, explained the entrepreneur to Arnaud Lecuyer, president of Dinan Agglomeration and also vice-president of the Brittany region, which provides his support with Languenan whiskey.
Lénaïck Lemaître aims to‘increase its production but will retain a handmade model. This does not prevent us from targeting new markets. for export. When you set foot in the United States, all dreams are allowed…
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