It is in the Bacalan district, a stone's throw from the Garonne River, that history is distilled.

There, Aventure — the slightly crazy project of Antoine, Olivier, Éric and Jean — comes to life amid shiny copper and time-worn barrels.

As soon as I enter, Antoine welcomes me with a warm smile. In the distance, Arnaud, in his immaculate smock, is busy working on the column still.

‘Here, we don't follow the rules, we distil them,’ he says, pointing to their hybrid machine, half pot still, half column, designed to tame rye.

It's a technical challenge, because rye, dense and viscous, does not allow itself to be brewed without resistance. But that's also what makes their whisky so unique: frank, spicy and uncompromising.

Why rye?

Antoine answers without hesitation: "Because it has character. And because no one really dared to do it here. "

Their organic grain, sourced in Savoie, is processed on site, from brewing to bottling. No subcontracting, no cheating. Just grain, fire and a lot of passion.

In the raw cellar, the barrels are exposed to the full force of Bordeaux's temperature fluctuations. Heat and humidity battle it out. The oak barrels lie on the concrete floor (as Antoine did, sheltered by his first barrel during the long lockdown - editor's note), subjected to temperature fluctuations that would make a climatologist weep.

‘Here, three years of ageing are worth ten elsewhere,’ Arnaud explains to me.

A 20% angel's share, powerful tannins and an aromatic profile of rare intensity.

And there, between two barrels, laughter erupts. Familiar laughter.

I turn around, and who do I see? Jean Dujardin, shirt open, glass in hand, saying in a falsely serious tone: ‘You know, whiskies are like women. They need character, otherwise... it's no fun,’ in the manner of Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath in his heyday.

Antoine bursts out laughing. He explains to me that Jean is more than just a figurehead, he's been part of the adventure for a long time. He knows our casks better than some of the technicians! 

Jean raises an eyebrow: ‘I even have a cask named after me. It has a persistent nose, a bit like me.’

We settle down around an old wine barrel polished by the years (whose name I will keep secret). Three bottles lined up like soldiers: Aventure No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 Double Cask.

Three expressions of the same dream, three strong rye characters.

It is the foundation, the bedrock.

A whisky made from 100% organic rye (61.7%), barley (37%) and a touch of buckwheat (1.3%). Distilled with precision by Arnaud

Aged for four years in French oak casks, giving it an elegant, woody touch, it has a coppery brown colour.

The initial nose of this rye is quite sweet and dominated more by spices (cinnamon and nutmeg) than by rye.

On the second nose, it remains fairly discreet but reveals more pronounced notes of toasted rye and vanilla. 

On the third nose, it becomes more fruity.

The nature of rye becomes much more apparent on the palate, with pronounced notes of toasted rye. There are also pastry notes and tannic notes from the oak cask.

As is often the case with rye, the finish is long and dry. Spicy and woody notes linger on the palate.

L'Aventure No. 2 will prove to be the most American of the three, and not just because it spent three years ageing in casks from across the Atlantic.

In fact, it will have more of a rye flavour as it is composed of 80% malted rye and 20% barley.

It spent three years in American Heavy Char oak casks in the urban heat of Bordeaux. However, its colour remains quite similar to that of No. 1.

Its nose is inexorably much more rye than No. 1, with the first impression of toasted rye notes and a lemony lift.

The second impression is a mixture of sweeter notes, but above all peppery notes.

The third nose retains its cereal and spice notes but reveals some nutty notes. 

Unlike the nose, the palate is rounder and richer than No. 1, with pronounced notes of vanilla and coconut. However, the tension and woodiness of the rye are still present. The finish is more honeyed but retains the woody notes of rye.  

The finish is fresh and mentholated. The length reveals more creamy and buttery notes with a hint of rye bitterness.

No. 3 will focus more on demonstrating the impact of ageing on Bordeaux Distilling's distillate.

Although produced before No. 1 (it is older), it is made from the same base as the latter (61.7%, 31% and 1.3%).

However, it undergoes double ageing: first for three years in French oak casks (like No. 1), then for two years in Bordeaux Grand Cru casks.

This ageing process gives it more coppery tones than its two predecessors.

A meeting between rye and wine, between rigour and voluptuousness.

The nose of this rye is more marked by soft, warm notes of dried fruit (figs and raisins) against a light background of spices.

The second pass remains quite soft and warm with notes of ripe fruit. However, it reveals the first hints of rye.

It is on the third pass that we discover the more assertive notes of rye accompanied by spices. But here again, they remain fairly discreet.

The palate is much more pronounced with notes of cocoa beans, leather and even toasted rye. The spices explode on the tongue and palate but do not linger too long in the mouth, giving way to more honeyed notes (on a peppery background).

The finish is long and releases fresher notes of menthol and liquorice.

As we leave, the golden light of Bordeaux illuminates the vats.

Antoine whispers to me: "The hardest part isn't making a good whisky. It's keeping the spirit of ADVENTURE alive. "

I smile. Because in this urban cellar, between grains of rye and grains of madness, you can sense that the adventure is only just beginning and that we haven't heard the last of RYE in Bordeaux.