Maison Lineti is the epitome of modern whisky. They are using innovative methods at every step of production to create a flavoursome whisky. From wine-making traditions to molecular chemistry, this is a single malt for true whisky geeks. Their aim is to create innovative French single malt whisky with the same standards as the most iconic Grand Cru wines.
The beginning
Dr Magali Picard (whisky master) and Alex Cosculluela (CEO) are young entrepreneurs with a passion for whisky. Magali’s background is in wine chemistry, and she has worked closely with Speyside cooperage, which has piqued her interest in the chemistry in the wood. Alex’s background is in wine and marketing, making the couple the dream team for a contemporary whisky distillery. Maison Lineti is not only a young distillery but the team behind it is also young. You can really feel the energy and enthusiasm when they talk about their roles and the distillery in general. And no wonder, the future of modern whisky is exciting.
The idea for the organic distillery had been brewing for some time, and with the help of the historic wine family Thienpont, they were able to build their dream distillery. The design of the place is stunning and modern. It wasn’t until 2023 that they began distilling and filled in their first casks. The first release will be available from September 2026.
Maison Lineti is an anagram of Saint Émilion, giving a nod to their location in the prestige wine region of Bordeaux. By finding ways to integrate wine-making practices into whisky production they are also tapping into a possible new market. By using the language familiar to the region’s wine makers (and wine drinkers), they are also attracting new drinkers from that category. We all know that whisky can be intimidating at first, so using the familiar wording (and the methods) will surely help in making it approachable for anyone with a background in the wine industry but new to whisky.
By using old, traditional methods, they are creating something new and modern.
Vintage in whisky
The future Maison Lineti whisky will be released in five chapters, after 3 years, 5 years, 8, 10 and 12 years of maturation. Each year is a new vintage, like in wine. In this way the consumer can analyse each vintage and see how it evolves over the years. Their whisky will tell a story through time.
“Inspired by Fine Wine, and unparalleled in whisky, a rare vertical tasting across12 years will reveal the pure – almost magical – effects of time and barrel maturation on a single spirit from a single year.” – Dr Magali Picard
The cellar master will then choose a selection of casks to blend to find the perfect harmony for their style. Maison Lineti’s single malts will be floral with notes of white flowers such as jasmine and lily of the valley. All balanced with some minerality, a touch of fruity sweetness and minty freshness. This may sound very delicate, but after sampling their partially aged spirits, I would say you can definitely detect some perfumed elements but with added complexity and plenty of character. Perhaps it is the molecular-level detail in the production that really allows all the compounds to shine while complementing each other.
Maison Lineti – Geek whisky
Maison Lineti uses organic French barley. The clear wort is fermented in Italian-made egg-shaped concrete tanks, sometimes seen in wine making, the first of its kind in the whisky industry. The 7000 litre tanks are lined with resin, which is replaced every five to six years, though the tank itself can last a lifetime.
The concrete limits energy consumption, and the shape and the movement of the liquid inside the tank will maximise the aromas they want for their whisky. The egg tanks also offer very accurate temperature control.
Malolactic fermentation is common in wine production as this step creates smoother and more complex wine and it improves the mouthfeel. It decreases acidity and calms down tart flavours. The malic acid is converted into softer lactic acid. In whisky making, the yeast is combined with the lactic bacteria at the beginning of the fermentation. At Maison Lineti the malolactic fermentation takes seven days at 28 degrees Celsius. The point of this step is to bring more floral notes into the spirit.
The distillery has also added lees ageing as part of the production process, which is another familiar step in wine making in Champagne, Burgundy and the Loire Valley. Lees are dead yeast cells left over from the fermentation. They have a milky appearance. The complex, biscuity and nutty notes can be found in full-bodied Chardonnay wines, for example. In whisky, it will translate as a creamy, buttery mouthfeel and lively notes on the palate. The process will also absorb any unwanted compounds that could bring in off-flavours.
Lees ageing takes an additional 14 days at 7 degrees Celsius using the egg-shaped tanks. The lower temperature allows the lees to settle in the bottom of the tank and protects the wash from bacteria. Once at the top of the vat, the lees will make their way to the bottom to be sucked up again the following day. The same movement will happen every day over the two-week period. This cycle will protect the wash from oxidation.
The stills are also a little funky. They use two 2500 litre open-fire Charentais pot stills, with an onion-shaped top and long, skinny lyne arms. The distillery also has the most stunning condensers with a matte black design.
Maturation
Maison Lineti spirit is matured in various cask types and their vintages will have a heavy focus on new French and American oak casks. It was interesting to learn more about the differences between various French oaks from different regions. The flavours these impart can vary a lot – some very fragrant and perfumed.
Other cask types include tawny port, white port, Oloroso sherry and ex-bourbon. During my visit, I tried several of these and there clearly is a lot of potential. It will be very exciting to see how the spirit evolves over the years. The young spirit has imparted a lot of flavour from these casks already. The oldest spirit we tried was approx. 20 months old, all 63.5% ABV.
They have been playing around with different levels of toasting to see which step favours the aromatic compounds they are looking for. Toasting intensity changes the molecular compounds of the wood and therefore the flavours the oak will impart. To keep it in line with wine making, they refer to the temperatures and timing used for casks in wine maturation when experimenting with their own casks, although at Maison Lineti the main focus in on light and medium toast.
Want to learn more about casks? See my previous blog post Types of Casks and How They Influence Whisky
Cask toasting for wine production:
Light 120–130C – 30min
Medium 165–175C – 30min
Heavy 205–210C – 45min
Overall
This is a very exciting chapter for French whisky! It makes great sense for a French whisky distillery to draw inspiration from the many traditions of wine making, especially when you are located in one of the most well-known wine regions.
With both Alex and Magali having experience in the wine industry and Magali’s intensive knowledge of the chemistry that goes into anything from water to oak, they have a great foundation for success. Not to forget their united vision and enthusiasm for the project.
I’m eagerly waiting to sample their first vintage. But meanwhile, if you are interested in learning more about Magali’s whisky-making methods and her research, you can find her Master Notes on the Maison Lineti website. These will offer great insight into their whisky and will certainly help us understand how they got there once we are able to analyse the final product.
Have you heard of Maison Lineti Distillery? Have you tried any French whisky before?
Disclaimer: My visit to the distillery was a part of a press trip organised by Simon+Simon.
