PM Spirits

I put my drinks reporter hat back on to write this fun piece for Bloomberg Businessweek, appearing in print this summer, about how American bourbon collectors are reshaping the market for French brandy. It's a classic story about tradition versus innovation, played out across high-end liquor shelves on either side of the Atlantic. Brown spirit aficionados in the U.S., accustomed to the artisanal appeal of single-vintage, single-cask releases, are making inroads among producers in Cognac, Armagnac, and Calvados that for generations have prized the art of blending. In the words of the endlessly quotable importer Nicolas Palazzi: “I’m French, so I can say this: The French feel they are the guardians of a tradition, which makes them not innovate whatsoever.” That's starting to change now—but of course it is only decades of careful craftsmanship that make such novelties possible today.

Distillateur Ambulant (traveling distiller): what's that? why is it relevant to the French culture of artisanal booze?

over the past 13 years, PM Spirits has specialized itself in importing to the US what we think are some of the finest representations of artisanal distillates made by truly good people. it's cool to find validation of our work with such beautiful drawings and descriptions/mentions of the eau-de-vies made by Rochelt & Capreolus. thank you SAVEUR, Wanda Mann & Katja Scharnagl

The PM Spirits team had the privilege to chat with spirits expert Alexandre Vingtier who schooled us on Calvados. Amongst many other things, his explanation of how "traveling distillers"/"ambulant distillers" hold a special place in the Normandie region was quite eye opening: Unlike Cognac - and to some degree Armagnac - which are primarily commercial products, Calvados holds a more dual identity: it is both a commercial product and a personal, family-crafted spirit, making it not just a product but a part of daily life and tradition in Normandy where Calvados is made. In the region, ambulant distillers are still a thing: currently, there are 36 active such traveling distillers, to compare with 3 in Armagnac (and none in Cognac, at least to my own knowledge). That's mostly because while Normandy hosts around 400 registered commercial producers within the Calvados appellation, there are approximately three times as many farms producing cider spirits for personal use. These smaller operations may not be officially recognized within the appellation, but they contribute significantly to the local culture. The spirits produced on these farms are non-commercial endeavors. Although technically not "Calvados", these distillates are cherished locally and known as "cider spirits" or affectionately termed "calva", highlighting the stuff's everyday presence, often enjoyed at the end of a meal or with coffee and embodying a sense of local heritage and community.

new PM Spirits collab with no other than Alexandre Vingtier, French demi-god of booze. not that everything should be single cask BUT there is something to be said about single barrel CALVADOS at full-proof. Vingtier PM Collab 12yr Domaine Olivier - 47.9% alc - 50% apples, 50% pears Vingtier PM Collab 26yr Coquerel - 57.1% alc - 95% apples, 5% pears Vingtier PM Collab 45yr Cave Normande - 48.8% - 50% apples, 50% pears i'd be surprised if you'd tasted stuff that good in a while.

It's easy for one who has a stake in a product to say it's good. so let me share what writer/critic Fred Minnick thinks about Ascot Awards 2024 Double Platinum Dad's Hat / PM Collab...

A PM "Collab" is us - PM Spirits - asking suppliers we respect and who we think are putting out super high quality stuff if they would let us pick one or several casks that we really like. here is the latest release: oldest single barrel of rye whiskey ever bottled by Dad's Hat (7 years). 80% rye mash-bill, the rest being malted barley & rye malt (eg, no corn) sweet mash fermentation bottled at cask strength (67% abv) New York Only

yes it's a strong stance to go about things not caring what others might say/think and yet, it's so dope when say, Wine Spectator, recommends the stuff you do.

Turns out Wine Spectator thinks our Navazos Palazzi Vermouth Rojo tastes pretty good. About a year or so ago, PM Spirits and boutique Sherry Negotiant Equipo Navazos came up with this sherry-based red vermouth. We thought it tasted pretty good. Sure glad we trusted our palates/intuitions.

I believe that simplicity in brand communication in the US spirits landscape is super important: clarity and ease of understanding will help sales (provided the product is really good). A brand must communicate its value proposition in the simplest terms possible. This means packaging and marketing that speak directly and compellingly, without requiring the consumer to feel she needs to have a PhD in whatever category of distillate one is trying peddle. This is why PM Spirits has been focusing on making labels and communications intuitive. We want consumers to recognize the value of our offerings immediately: straightforward communication that cuts through the bs.