History

Origin and family traditions

Landa’s Distillerie is a family-run distillery in Aveyron, established in Lestrade-Et-Thouels since 2018. At home they produce spirits such as anis-distilled Petit Jaune, Félicia gin, and, of course, various whiskies. The name Landa’s stems from the village and means ‘plain’ in Occitan; the apostrophe in Landa’s is a small nod to their Scottish roots.

Development and relaunch

The story goes back to 1957 with Justin Thiers, a traveling distiller, who began distilling marc de raisins in Broquiès. In 1970 Raoul Thiers joined to continue the tradition with another apparatus and more variants. In 2017 Mathieu Recoules relaunched the activity in Lestrade-Et-Thouels and founded Landa’s Distillerie together with five cousins, and set course toward distilling cereals to produce French whisky.

Contemporary Focus

The company describes itself as dedicated to producing whisky from local and international raw materials, with particular emphasis on craftsmanship, typical of shared family traditions, and a desire to produce a French whisky with roots in local terroirs.

Production / Manufacturing

Fermentation

The production tradition highlights intense fermentation, using both cultured yeast and indigenous yeast strains with high esters for an aromatic profile.

Distillation

Distillation is carried out as double distillation in a copper Alambic Pot Still under direct heat, which yields des alcools gras. Cooling and roundness are achieved by a serpentine condenser.

Maturation and aging

They are aged in a chai (humid cellar) and placed into small 120-liter new oak casks. Thereafter there is a double maturation in different ex-fade sources such as Cognac, Ruby Port and Calvados to create a distinctive signature.

Raw materials and suppliers

• The building blocks are mainly barley.
• Unmalted barley (cru) comes from Brousse-Le-Château and is grown by Jean-Luc Pagès.
• Malted barley comes from Malterie du Château (Belgium) and since 2022 Malterie de Vieux Silo in Tarn.
• Corn is produced without irrigation near the village of Saugane, close to the distillery (by Jean-Claude Berthuit).
• Rye (seigle) comes from Salles-Curan and is organic; malted by Laurent Coursière from Vieux Silo and used for Single Rye Peyrebrune (2021). One of the balances in the mash bills comes from this local grain.

Products in Focus

• Two single grain whisky series
• A Single Rye (75% malted rye) – Peyrebrune, first vintage in 2021
• First Single Malt – 100% malted barley, aged in the cellar
• Peyrebrune: the third whisky, produced with 75% locally malted rye aged in ex-Calvados casks

Peyrebrune (Single Rye Specialty)

Peyrebrune is made with 75% malted rye from Aveyron and ages in ex-Calvados casks, which provides a distinctive combination of spicy and fruity notes and a rounded finish.

Visits / Experiences

Guided Tours and Tastings

Landa’s Distillerie offers guided visits and tastings, where the entire production process is presented—from malting at partner facilities to the cellar and the casks in use. The visit ends with a tasting of the products and a 10% discount on bottle purchases in the shop. - Duration: about 45 minutes - Price: €5 per adult - Language: FR or EN - Reservation: Mandatory, online or by phone - Availability: As indicated in the information

Shop and On-site Experience

Visitors can purchase products directly in the shop and have everything delivered via couriers such as DPD (depending on the chosen delivery). In-store pickup is also available.

Philosophy

Landa’s Distillerie describes itself as a family-owned business that combines local farming with craftsmanship and a passion for French whisky. They emphasize using local ingredients (especially organic single-grain varieties such as rye from organic farming for Rye), slow maturation, and a classic copper-pot still distillation style with a modern approach through short aging and blends of different wood types. The aim is to create whisky with a clear regional identity and a signature that reflects the heritage of Aveyron and Occitan.