2024 has been quite a unique year for me, both personally and in my journey with spirits. While I’ll keep the personal side of things private – those who need to know are already in the loop – I’d love to share what this year has meant for me in terms of exploring spirits. It’s been about so much more than just whisky, and I’m excited to reflect on the highlights and, of course, reveal my favourite whiskies and spirits of the year.
The Launch of Whisky Sans Souci
For a couple of years, I’d been toying with the idea of starting my own small company focused primarily on whisky (with just a sprinkling of other spirits—no, I still don’t care about gin). In 2024, I finally made it happen. I took the plunge and registered my own small business under France’s auto-entreprise status: Whisky Sans Souci.
Why start this company? Well, as some of you know, I’d already been working at Whisky Live Paris with Dingle in previous years. This year, I found myself working for a different brand – though not the one I initially expected (more on that later). To properly bill for my services and take on other small jobs in the whisky world, having a formal company made things much easier. Plus, thanks to connections I made last year, I had opportunities to do ambassadorships at whisky shows and lead tastings at off-licences. Becoming a company rather than just an individual was the next logical step.
With Whisky Sans Souci, I had the pleasure of working at two major French whisky events: Whisky Live Paris at the end of September and the Nantes Spirits Festival in mid-October.
After three wonderful years with Dingle at Whisky Live Paris, it was time for a change. Toward the end of last year, I’d been in talks with another distillery, whose director was a good friend of mine. Everything seemed promising – I even briefly met their founder – but things didn’t go as planned. They faced a challenging 2024, ultimately didn’t attend Whisky Live Paris, and my friend left the company.
Thankfully, another good friend, Aurélien Nuisement – Pernod Ricard’s Malts Brand Ambassador and someone I’ve accompanied to the Lyon Whisky Festival (as a visitor, so far) – invited me to join the Aberlour stand at Whisky Live Paris. I can’t thank him enough. The stand was absolutely stunning, one of the most beautiful at the event, with an incredible selection of whiskies to pour. I’ve always had a soft spot for Aberlour, and the experience was fantastic. The Pernod Ricard team was great to work with, and my colleagues at the Scapa and Glenlivet stands – part of our shared Scottish Malts triple stand – were a joy as well. The three days were a whirlwind of activity: meeting people, talking whisky, and exploring incredible drams, including Scapa’s new releases and some treasures in the VIP private tasting area at our stand.
Two weeks later, I was at the Nantes Spirits Festival, hosting a stand for The Single Cask Limited, an independent Scottish bottler. I poured several stunning single casks from various distilleries, including a secret Highland Park that was a standout. The event was a resounding success, showcasing beautiful whiskies to an enthusiastic crowd.
On top of these festivals, I also led tastings for William Grant & Sons at various off-licences across western France, from Nantes to Normandy. While I didn’t take on a huge volume of contracts in 2024, it was an exciting first step for Whisky Sans Souci.
For now, Whisky Sans Souci isn’t meant to replace my main job in IT. It’s more of a side project, fuelled by my passion for whisky, and a way to earn a bit of pocket money to reinvest into that very passion. It’s a small start, but one I’m incredibly proud of.
Whisky Shows & Malt in France
Until the end of 2023, I had experienced whisky shows in two capacities: as a visitor and as an exhibitor for Dingle. But 2024 introduced an entirely new role for me – organiser. Alongside my friend Clément, the local SMWS ambassador and president of the Du Malt au Verre association, and several other people, I helped (not as much as I would have wanted – personal life again) bring to life the first-ever French whisky-dedicated show: Malt in France.
The event took place on April 6 and 7, 2024, in Rennes, Brittany, at Les Ateliers du Vent, a former mustard factory turned events venue. We hosted more than 30 exhibitors, including three independent bottlers (Version Française, Zero Nine Spirits, and Swell de Spirits) and nearly 30 distilleries. All the Brittany distilleries were present, with the Whisky Breton IGP even serving as a sponsor, alongside distilleries from across France. Visitors had the chance to explore around 150 different whiskies, and the turnout of several hundred attendees made the event a fantastic success. We’re already planning the second edition, which is scheduled for April 5 and 6, 2025 – mark your calendars!
Just a few weeks before Malt in France, I attended the Lyon Whisky Festival, one of my favourite whisky events. Held at the stunning Palais de la Bourse, the festival always has an incredible atmosphere, with friendly and engaging visitors and exhibitors alike. As tradition dictates, the first day ended with an SMWS event featuring an impressive lineup of bottles. We gathered once again in the cosy underground cellar of L’Officine bar—a perfect spot for such a celebration.
Later in the year, in September, I attended the Dugas Club Expert show. Dugas, a distributor for brands such as Suntory (part of Diageo) and many others, showcased an exciting range of whiskies and spirits.
Of course, my whisky show highlights didn’t stop there. Whisky Live Paris and the Nantes Spirits Festival offered amazing opportunities to explore incredible spirits during my breaks. At Whisky Live Paris, my personal highlights included sampling the new Scapa range, the remarkable selections at the Whisky Sponge/Whiskyland/Decadent Drinks and Gordon & MacPhail stands, and sharing a dram of 1992 10-year-old Laphroaig (which I brought) with the Laphroaig team and Antoine, Bowmore’s brand ambassador.
At the Nantes Spirits Festival, however, the standout for me wasn’t whisky – it was cognac. The Grosperrin lineup was nothing short of spectacular, with the 1964 and 1939 cognacs leaving a lasting impression. I was so taken by them that I ended up ordering a case of the 1964 and a bottle of the 1939 for myself and a few friends just weeks after the festival.
2024 was a year filled with whisky (and cognac!) adventures, and I’m already looking forward to what 2025 has in store.
More Drams Less Drama
Once again, my publishing schedule this year was far from consistent, with some lengthy gaps between posts. Personal life was challenging at times, making it hard to find the inspiration or motivation to write. However, as you’ve probably noticed, I’ve been much more regular with my posts toward the end of the year. I even managed to stay healthy enough to fully enjoy my cognac advent calendar, publishing a review every morning without missing a beat.
This year saw a greater focus on brandy and malternatives on the blog, along with my longest article ever – not about whisky, but on the topic of what is cognac.
Despite publishing only 53 articles, this was the best year yet for views and visitors. Those 53 posts totalled nearly 56,000 words, and MDLD reached just over 37,000 views – a modest number, I know, but still a 57% increase compared to last year. I’m optimistic that a more regular publishing schedule will improve reach and encourage returning visitors. December alone brought in 14,000 views, with higher engagement per visitor, proving that consistency really does pay off. Maintaining this momentum will be my goal moving forward!
Interestingly, the most read articles this year were older ones. The reviews of Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve, 12yo, and 18yo once again topped the list, followed by the Johnnie Walker Black and Green Label reviews.
As for where my readers came from, the majority were from the United States – by a significant margin – followed by the UK and France. In fact, the U.S. had nearly seven times more visitors than the UK. Perhaps it’s time to consider switching from British English to American English! Visitors spanned 144 countries, including a few where alcohol is presumably prohibited – an intriguing surprise.
Here’s to continuing this positive trend in the year ahead!
Now, let’s talk about the publications themselves. Of the 53 posts this year, 52 were reviews, while the remaining one was my in-depth article about what is cognac. Unsurprisingly, the number of whiskies and malternatives reviewed was relatively modest: 81 whiskies and 30 malternatives.
2024 also marked the introduction of my new scoring scale, so here are a few stats:
- For whiskies, the lowest score was 3/10, the highest was 8.5/10, with a median of 7 and an average rating of 6.6.
- For malternatives (mostly cognacs), the lowest score was 5/10, the highest reached 9/10, with a median of 7.5 and an average rating of 7.2.
It’s been an interesting year of exploring and scoring, and I’m looking forward to refining this system further as I continue to share my reviews.
My Whisky and Malternative Statistics
Last year, I reached an all-time high with 610 whiskies tried, but in 2024 I was more restrained – though still quite active – sampling only 472 new whiskies. This year also marked the continued tracking of malternatives, with 54 new ones explored. In total, I’ve now tasted close to 2,400 different whiskies from 305 distilleries spanning 30 countries. For 2024 alone, the whiskies came from 20 countries and 154 distilleries (excluding blends and undisclosed sources).
The whiskies I tried this year had an average ABV of 50.4% and an average age of 14 years and 8 months.
The oldest whiskies I tasted in 2024 were remarkable:
- A 1964 Glenburgie bottled by Gordon & MacPhail (59 years old).
- A 1966 Singleton of Dufftown (54 years old).
- Two 50-year-olds: the 1972 Notable Age Statement blend from Decadent Drinks and an undisclosed Speyside 50-year-old from MacPhail’s.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I also tried a few new-makes – essentially 0 years old!
For malternatives, cognac and armagnac proved to be exceptional (and more affordable) opportunities to explore very old spirits. A standout moment was opening a 1924 Famille Cabanne 100-year-old cognac on Christmas to share with my father. It was an unforgettable experience, and a review of this special cognac is coming soon. Yes, it is a century old.
Now, onto the tops and flops:
The Flop
The worst whisky I tasted this year was the Benjamin Kuentz Uisce de profundis. This French whisky, aged in a cask that had spent time under the sea, was overwhelmingly salty – so much so that it felt like seawater had mixed into the whisky. It was overly salted to the point of being nearly undrinkable, earning it the dubious honour of being one of the worst whiskies I’ve ever tasted.
The Tops: Whisky
Using Brian MaltMusing’s 0-to-5 rating scale, I rated 17 whiskies a perfect 5/5 this year. Out of those, here are my top three:
3rd Place: Springbank 1998 Whiskyland – Chapter One
A stunning 26-year-old Springbank, bottled by Angus MacRaild in his new Whiskyland range.
2nd Place: Bowmore 2004 Whiskyland – Chapter Two
The best Bowmore I’ve ever had, also bottled by Angus.
1st Place: Glenburgie 1964 59-year-old Gordon & MacPhail
Bright, complex, and not overly woody despite its incredible age, this whisky was the clear standout of 2024. Simply fantastic.
The Tops: Malternatives
For malternatives, my top picks include:
3rd (ex aequo):
- Vaudon 75/78/80 Grape of the Art
- François Voyer Hors d’Âge
- Grosperrin Lot 64 Heritage Borderies
1st (ex aequo): Roger Delisle Lot 53 and Famille Cabanne Lot 24
Both were absolutely stunning examples of what cognac can offer.
Time to Wrap it Up
Well, let’s wrap it up here. Since it’ll already be 2025 by the time this article goes live, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! Here’s to many more articles, plenty of great drams, and hopefully the chance to share a whisky (or two) with some of you – maybe at a festival or spirits event in 2025. Cheers!
