It's no secret I'm a fan of whiskey. My favorite cocktail is scotch based. I think meat goes best with a glass of beer and a shot of whiskey. And, you can always find a bottle of bourbon in my apartment. (My two cents:Everyone might keep some vodka handy, but to me, bourbon is the more versatile spirit. You can drink it neat, impress your guests with a simply made old fashioned or splash a little lemonade or ginger ale in it for those guests that don't think they like bourbon - they are usually wrong.) 

And, oh yeah, I'm a woman.  What?! It's not as shocking as it may seem.  While years ago whiskey might have been seen as an old man's drink, more and more women I know are drinking whiskey...and loving it. In fact, I like to tell my friends, "I don't trust a girl who doesn't drink whiskey." It may be a judgmental statement, and I am partially joking, but I do feel the ability to move past the vodka sodas shows, not only a desire to try something new, but also, the boldness as a woman to drink what history may have deemed a "man's drink."  


Meet Allison Patel, The Whisky Woman 

Enjoying whiskey from time to time and knowing a lot about whiskey are two different things.  I'm not an experienced whiskey drinker, but since I'm quite fond of it, I've decided to learn more about the many different kinds currently on the market.  Thankfully, the best way to learn about whiskey is also the most fun - taste them!  

So this past Monday, I had to pleasure of attending at whiskey tasting at one of my favorite bars, Ward III. I went specifically to meet Allison Patel and taste her Brenne Whisky.  You see, a friend of mine had previously gone to a tasting with some family friends and had raved about Brenne. Actually, it was the women in my friend's party, who at first swore they didn't like whiskey because it was too leathery and old man-ish, that left the tasting declaring their love for whiskey and Brenne.  When I heard this I knew I needed to try a whiskey that was changing women's negative impressions of the spirit.  

First, a few things about Allison. I had already known about her through her blog, The Whisky Woman.  If you haven't read it, you must.  Her reviews on whiskies are both intelligent but not stuffy.  She knows what she's talking about and is more than happy to share her knowledge and passion with you.  This passion is also obvious when you meet her in person and learn about Brenne.  When arriving to the tasting on Monday, she was immediately eager to welcome me and my friend and share with us her journey from whiskey lover to launching Brenne whisky.   

Brenne Whisky: The Tasting

Brenne Whisky is a single malt French whisky. What's special about Brenne is that it is aged in new French oak and used Cognac barrels, adding a fruity, sweet flavor to the malt. Firstly, it smells great.  It's not off putting.  Quoting my friend's female friend who originally didn't like whiskey, some whiskies do have that harsh, leathery smell. There is no sense of that here.  You want to take a sip upon being handed the glass.  Of course, that's just what I did.  

While the hints of cognac and fruit are evident in first smell, don't let that fool you - this is definitely whisky.  The sweetness isn't overpowering, allowing you to enjoy the whisky itself. In fact, as you sip the whisky you get hints of spice too, which I would almost liken to the flavors you might find in scotch, but definitely less harsh.

Overall, I'd say Brenne is a great single malt whisky. One that is probably best enjoyed neat (but per a suggestion from one of the bartenders at Ward III has a flavor profile that would also go nicely in cocktails, and I'd could see that as well.)  It's a drinkable whisky and a great one for those women (and men) that might originally be put off by the harshness of whisky. 

If you'd like to snag some Brenne (rhymes with men, by the way) please visit their website.  It would definitely make a great Valentine's Day gift for that whiskey drinking lady in your life! Also, make sure to check out the Brenne events page and follow them on Twitter for updates on the next tasting.  As I mentioned before, the best way to learn more about whiskey is to try it!