After beer and gin, it’s whiskey that heats the still of this Englishman based in the Pyrénées-Orientales

Moonshine. The name smacks of marketing for a whisky, but it is more about history and a contraband scent. “This is the name given to whiskey during prohibition,” explains Ian Pendry, of Brasserie del Mouli, based in Saint-Pierre-del-Forcats (Pyrénées-Orientales). And it is also the name of the first whiskey produced entirely in Cerdanya by itself.

If Ian Pendry is of English origin, grew up in South Africa and traveled a lot in his life before settling in the Pyrénées-Orientales around twenty years ago, he mainly thinks locally for his products: “I started by making a beer with Cerdanya rye four or five years ago, because I was told that it was an old variety adapted to the terroir here. There, I said to myself, why not make a whisky? »

“Four French oak barrels and four American oak barrels”

In the meantime, he had approached the work of alcohols through gin, found a still, studied his subject until he got started. For whiskey, everything is local. Rye, but also a little local bearded wheat that Ian Pendry malts in Bélesta (Pyrénées-Orientales), in Fenouillèdes. The production is confidential and split in two. Moonshine is produced quickly in the style of clandestine distillers, with a local touch, in addition to the ingredients.

“Once distilled, the alcohol is poured into glass jars, like those used to oxidize natural sweet wines in the plains, then we add pieces of barrels so that the alcohol interacts with the oak,” explains its producer. “Then we leave the jars outside. The alternation of cold and hot over the days contributes to the acceleration of the aging of the Moonshine. »

To taste the whisky, however, you will have to wait a little, warns Ian Pendry: “We have decided to produce an American Rye, that is to say a whiskey composed of 51% rye malt supplemented by wheat and roasted barley. In any case, there is not enough wheat production in Cerdanya to hope to produce another type of whiskey. »

Production is also limited, by choice. “We have so far produced eight small barrels, for a total of 35 liters, which still have to wait at least two years for aging,” he delays. “With four French oak barrels and four American oak barrels. We’ll see what works best! » As with beer, everything will be sold locally. But, for whiskey, the waiting list of curious people or amateurs is already long.