Alfred Giraud Harmonie French Malt Whisky

Stone fruit leads: apricot and peach, ripe rather than candied, with pear sitting just behind them. Vanilla follows and softens everything it touches, and the finish turns toward toasted nuts and a gentle spice that lingers without heat.

This is a French malt whisky made in the Charente, and the maturation tells you as much. Very old Cognac casks bring the orchard-fruit sweetness that runs through the whole pour, while new Limousin oak adds a firmer, drier grain and new American oak lends the vanilla warmth. Three influences, working together rather than competing.

Malt whisky from France has its own accent, closer in spirit to the brandy country it comes from than to Scotland or Ireland. Harmonie is an easy introduction to that: fruit-forward, softly spiced, and comfortable neat after dinner. It comes in a 750 mL bottle.