La Maison Du Whisky

There are some fantastic whisky shops across the world and one that has been on my list to visit for sometime now is La Maison Du Whisky in central Paris. So with a day trip to the famous city, I had to take a slight detour to break up the fashion, sight-seeing and onslaught of tempting desserts. 

It turned out that it was well worth it! And even the rest of my entourage were impressed with the range of bottles on display from across Scotland and beyond. For all of us this was a collection full of never-seen-before whiskies and bottlings all available for purchase.

If Macallan or Dalmore were to open a retail outlet in Paris then they would also be set in the area La Maison finds itself located. Fantastically chic and full of boutiques the store stands out by offering something different and has been doing so since the 1950's. The French love whisky and thanks to the shop they can enjoy produce from all corners of the globe.

Honestly, what a display of bottles for all prices ranges. The first display that greets you is a cabinet full of whiskies from Japan. You've no doubt heard all about those amazingly rare bottlings from La Maison from a particularly infamous Japanese distillery that is no more? Well here is the best hunting ground to see if any are in stock, or even rarer still, patience might reward you with a double Karuizawa sighting.

While I do love the contents I also appreciate a well designed label. Scotland is still a little restrained and boring in this regard. The giant corporations might be focused on volume and deluxe ranges but lets break free and have a little fun on the outside? Also represented were some of the Artist releases from La Maison with their own classy and distinctive labels. A widespread selection of independent bottlings were also on show including the Whisky Agency and the Silver Seal releases from Italy. 

I could have spent a fortune in here, if not most of the remainder of our day trip. However time was of the essence and having taken in most of the range and chatted with some knowledgeable members of staff (always keen to assist), I made my selection and departed much the wiser and wallet intact. I'm sure next time I am in Paris, this will be on my list to visit once again and make more than just a single purchase.

And what was that purchase I hear you ask? Well, that's a surprise for later on but given the sheer numbers and choice on display, my choice is unorthodox. I will say that it is in one of the pictures on this article or in the Facebook photographs.