The distillery was founded in Lannion, on the Pink Granite Coast, at the end of the 19th century, by the Warenghem family. Léon Warenghem, the founder, originally from northern France, and his heirs achieved the distillery’s first successes with herbal liqueurs. The Elixir d’Armorique, a blend of 35 plants, was the distillery’s flagship product, winning multiple awards at the international exhibitions of the era and achieving international renown, particularly across the Atlantic. The Elixir is still produced at the distillery today.

Henri Warenghem continued developing liqueurs and expanded the distillery’s product range with peppermint, blackcurrant and kirsch liqueurs. The Distillery made a name for itself through the network of wholesalers and wine merchants in western France.

In 1967, Paul-Henri, who would be the last Warenghem, partnered with Yves Leizour. They diversified the range of historic liqueurs and supported the growth of mass retail in Brittany. In 1974, Paul-Henri Warenghem and Yves Leizour transferred the distillery from the centre of Lannion to the edge of the city, directly on the Rest Avel spring, which means “the dwelling of the wind” in Breton.

In the early 1980s, Gilles Leizour, a trained pharmacist, succeeded his father. Eager to revive the distillery, he decided to orient the business towards regional products and notably created the Melmor Chouchenn.

Always seeking improvement and stability for the distillery, Gilles Leizour decided, with the support of Bernard Le Pallec, commercial director, to take a bold gamble: launching the first 100% Breton — and French — whisky.

After numerous trials, the WB Breton whisky, a blend of 25% Malt Whisky and 75% Grain Whisky, was successfully launched in 1987.

Always committed to celebrating the rich Breton terroir, Gilles Leizour, passionate about this apple variety typical to Brittany, decided to develop his own Fine de Bretagne using an old copper column still, nearly a century old. The first distillates soon emerged, giving birth to the Fine de Bretagne Gilles Leizour, followed in 1994 by the KER Pommeau de Bretagne AOC.

In 1993, honing his craft, Gilles Leizour had a distillery built entirely dedicated to whisky, equipped with a pair of copper pot stills inspired by Scottish distilleries.

Armorik, the first single malt from Brittany and France, was officially launched in 1998. This single malt quickly became the engine driving the distillery.

Inspired by the distillery’s expertise, Gilles Leizour expanded the distillery’s brewing facility to produce beer. Shortly after, the Bier Breizh beers were launched, since renamed Diwall.

Armorik Double Maturation was named Best European Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards in 2013, then received a double gold medal in 2014 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Other Armorik expressions, Armorik Classic and Armorik Sherry, were also awarded, further reinforcing the prestige of this single malt. This international recognition enabled Armorik single malt to be exported worldwide (Sweden, United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Western Europe).

Aware of the need to protect the Breton terroir and craftsmanship, Gilles Leizour worked with the Association des 17 Hermines to gain recognition of Fine de Bretagne by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO). The creation of the Fine de Bretagne AOC was a fitting recognition of Breton expertise in the craft of working with apples. The distillery also played an active role in establishing the “Whisky Breton” Geographical Indication, ensuring that all “Breton whisky” is brewed, fermented, distilled and aged in Brittany.

Gilles Leizour retired in 2016 and David Roussier, his son-in-law, who had joined the distillery in 2009, succeeded him at the helm of the company, continuing the work that had been accomplished.

Major works were carried out to build 2 new warehouses, tripling the whisky ageing stock, along with a new visitor reception area including a screening room, an exhibition space and a tasting room. The Distillery was awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label. Granted by the French State, this label distinguishes French companies with exceptional artisan and industrial expertise.

Distillerie Warenghem was awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) label — the first whisky distillery in France to receive this distinction.

David Roussier acquired the former Lannion abattoir to carry out a project in the heart of the city. His ambition: to bring the distillery’s ecosystem to life, perpetuate local craftsmanship, and create a living space open to visitors. The first projects included the opening of a cooperage and a brewery.

The first project following the acquisition of the former Lannion abattoir came to life. Long-standing partners, the Lefloch family has collaborated with Distillerie Warenghem for decades. As Jean-Baptiste Lefloch was approaching retirement, it was only natural that his son Benjamin, also a cooper, set up his tools in this new historically charged location. Lefloch Cooperage now crafts bespoke artisan barrels there with the care and precision that have made this family business renowned. It is the only cooperage in Brittany.

Distillerie Warenghem invested heavily, with the support of FEADER funding, to modernise and improve the entire production process of our Breton spirits. These works were carried out with the aim of further increasing our water and energy savings.

Alongside the Lefloch Cooperage, in the former Lannion abattoir, Distillerie Warenghem dedicated a space to brewing its beers: Brasserie Warenghem. By preserving this architectural heritage, the distillery perpetuates local craftsmanship.