Belgian entrepreneurs create the first European whisky

A group of Belgian entrepreneurs realized that while many countries have their own national whisky - Belgian, French, Swedish, Italian, German, Irish or Finnish - there existed no whisky jointly produced by several European countries. This prompted them to come up with the TALENTS OF SPIRITS collection, the first whisky that pays tribute to Europe.

To inaugurate this new European-styled whisky, the collection is being launched with an initial alliance between Belgium and the Netherlands. Founding members of the European Union, the two countries have crafted a blend of rye and barley distillates. Four whiskies feature in the range put together for this first collection. Each has been given a four-letter name, derived from ancient Greek like the name “Europe” itself:

Hubert Coussement: “This European whisky collection is more than just a blend that could be put together by the best independent bottlers. It's a genuine collaboration between renowned Master Distillers, a musical composition played by multiple hands."

To make sure that this score is music to the ears of whisky lovers, the TALENTS OF SPIRITS Collection set its sights on excellence from the outset, thanks in particular to input from top Belgian Master Distiller Etienne Bouillon, who decided to come on board.

Alliance of Dutch and Belgian Master Distillers

For this first edition, Dutch Master-Distiller Patrick Van Zuidam was thus joined by Belgian Master-Distiller Etienne Bouillon. Their respective specialities - rye for Patrick and malt for Etienne - proved the perfect match to fashion a whisky of unrivalled depth and complexity. Together, they have taken up the challenge of reinventing the whisky experience, offering whisky lovers a new and unprecedented European taste.

TALENTS OF SPIRITS is marketing some 8,000 bottles of this first production, available from wine merchants and, for travellers, from airport duty-free shops.

1 million euros raised

Property developer Hubert Coussement was immediately won over by the project, which was also the brainchild of a Belgian, and decided to finance it. He is the main shareholder in the fund-raising and will be joined by additional investors to eventually raise a total of €1 million euros. This amount will enable the first two Master Distillers to produce this initial collection and will also bankroll a new creation in 2025, although the identity of the successor countries is yet to be unveiled.

An international selection committee

Under the watchful eye of Etienne Bouillon, the keeper of the flame so-to-speak, the quality of the products and the final selection will be guaranteed during the quest to find the next European Master Distillers to join the TALENTS OF SPIRITS collection.

Patrick Van Zuidam, Dutch Master Distiller, says: “I'm proud to be able to take our family distillery on a new international adventure. My aim is for this project to embody my own mantra: quality speaks for itself!”

Etienne Bouillon adds: “This ambitious new project is an opportunity for me to share my passion not just in Belgium, but across Europe. This new departure is a breath of fresh air for me, and a challenge I'm looking forward to embracing. Symbiosis is very much the overriding characteristic of this European project.”

Find out more at www.europeanwhisky.eu