December 05, 2022
A story of dreamers
When we think of the gastronomy of Aubrac, the images of a good aligot or a tasty piece of meat come to mind. However, the Aubrac terroir also reveals other surprises, such as Aubrac whisky, brewed and distilled in the town of Laguiole. Discover the history of the Twelve distillery!
As surprising as it may seem, the lands of Aubrac have great similarities with Scottish lands: altitude, climate, peat bogs and the presence of water from the boraldes crossing the plateau. It is in any case the observation made by two dreamy friends a few years ago, during a walk on the set and which gave rise to the desire to produce a whisky. The idea having matured in their minds, the bet was launched in 2014. Gathering their friends around the project, they are then 12 partners to contribute to the development of what will become an exceptional whisky, now recognized internationally. And fate doing things well, it is by chance of a meeting in Normandy that the group of friends will unearth the pearl who will come to bring them his know-how, their cellar master and distiller, Florent Caston.
The boralds
On the plateau, the boraldes flow to the Lot Valley. Their pure water is used for making whiskey.
“Quality” is the key word to describe this whisky. The house is indeed committed to controlling each stage of its development. From the choice of barley from southern Aveyron, to the still from Stupfler, a recognized Living Heritage Company, to the provenance of the wood in the barrels from which the whiskey will draw its flavours.
The making of whiskey
To develop a quality product, it is still necessary to choose quality ingredients and to perfectly master the progress of each stage, all of which are crucial. What makes the singularity of this whiskey emanates from the plateau and its pure waters running through the meadows. Malted barley from the south of the region is mixed with water and brewed at the presbytery in large vats to create beer, the basis of whisky. Fermented for a week, this beer is then distilled in the Stupfler still, the cutting edge of double distillation, which separates the alcohol from the water. The product that emerges is called “distillate”, alcohol which is then stored in various barrels, to decline the assemblies. These barrels are then kept in aging cellars for at least 3 years before obtaining the whiskey appellation.
If you stop in Laguiole, amateurs or simply curious, the distillery offers to discover the stages of whiskey production during a guided tour of the brewery and distillery, followed by a tasting of the different blends. The perfect opportunity to understand the development of this unique product, the origin of its ingredients, but also the beautiful story of the creation of Twelve. To book, contact the distillery by email or phone, or go directly to the shop on rue Bardière, where you may find a bottle to bring back with you or to offer to a connoisseur.
A company that is committed
And to top it off, the Twelve are concerned about the impact of their activity on the environment. Thus, barley waste is distributed to local farmers for their herds, the first jets of distillates, which are inedible, are used in the manufacture of disinfectant alcohol in order to avoid any waste as much as possible.
As you can see, Twelve is a dream of friends, which has come true thanks to the tenacity and motivation of these creators, the quality of mastered know-how, permanent development, a quest for originality and perhaps also a little helping hand from fate!
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