MilHòc: A New Single Grain Whisky From France

In whiskey, corn is best known as the staple of bourbon, the quintessential American spirit. But almost everywhere else in the whisky world, corn plays a minor role, with two exceptions being Canada and Mexico. The chief grain in all other whisky countries is barley, and that’s certainly true of France. Yet French whisky maker Denis Lesgourgues has chosen corn as the main ingredient for his new single grain whisky, for his own cultural and historical reasons.

Legourgues’s family is from Gascony in southwest France, a region known for culinary delights such as foie gras and confit de canard, as well as armagnac—the rustic, flavorful brandy that’s a lesser-known cousin to cognac. Little known is that the southwest is also France’s major producer of corn. Both corn and armagnac are part of the Lesgourgues family heritage: Denis’s grandfather Maurice was a successful seed grower and merchant who acquired Château de Laubade in 1974, one of the region’s top armagnac estates.

With MilHòc whisky, whose name means “corn” in Gascon dialect, the third generation has channeled the family’s twin legacies of corn and distilling into whisky making. The venture was launched in early 2020, in the depths of the Covid pandemic, and distilling began in 2021. The corn for Milhòc is grown on 45 acres of Château de Laubade’s vineyard land. “We decided to convert some of our vineyards into corn parcels,” says Lesgourgues. “When you walk the estate, you can see the two cultures side by side.”

MilHòc also uses Château de Laubade for its distillation and maturation. It’s distilled in de Laubade’s column still and aged in its cellars. Using the same method as traditional Armagnac-making, the whisky is distilled just once, to 60%-61% ABV, low compared to most whiskies. “That way we retain a lot of flavors and aromas from the wash,” says Lesgourgues. “It’s a technique used in armagnac, which makes it more flavorful than cognac.”

Right now, MilHòc has two expressions: Milhòc Le Premier-Né (First Born), and the slightly higher-proof MilHòc Première Flamme (First Flame). Both whiskies are aged 4 to 5 years in the de Laubade cellars, in new oak, bourbon, and armagnac casks, and have a mashbill of 54% estate-grown corn and 46% malted barley sourced in France. Both expressions are available in Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., as well as at 50 Total Wine & More stores in multiple states.

MilHòc French Single Grain Whisky Reviews

89 points - MilHòc Le Premier-Né Single Grain, 45%, $50

The nose is bright and zippy, with aromas of lemon peel, lemon pound cake, a dollop of honey, and a faint soapy note. The palate is light but not thin, with lovely baking spices, café au lait, black pepper, and semi-sweet chocolate. Coffee intensifies on the finish, as does the peppery spice.—Julia Higgins

92 points - MilHòc Première Flamme Single Grain, 50%, $80

On the nose, there’s baked apples, white grape juice, and cherry cola, with a whisper of dark rye bread. The fruits are more muted on the palate, where raisins, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and funnel cake take the lead. The finish is long, with fruit tart and chocolate-covered espresso beans.—Shane English