Meeting with French cooper Willy Navarre from Tonnellerie Navarre

By Marie-France 9.08.2021

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The cooper Willy Navarre, at the head of his family business, revived the company with the manufacture of custom barrels.

Surprised by the demand for small barrels, Willy Navarre, a cooper from the Charente region, has decided to develop this activity, relaunching the family business. He has been a cooper since 2006 and learned his trade within the family business. After two years of apprenticeship, Willy traveled throughout France and its regions, and today leads the company with the support of his father Didier Navarre. Four generations have now maintained the legacy of the family history.

He relies on seven other coopers to make his barrels. All of them are professional coopers and make the barrels in their workshops by hand. Their barrels range from French winemakers, as for cognac, to producers in Scotland, Vietnam and even all over Latin America.

Returning to the subject of mini barrels, Willy Navarre explains to Rumporter that this market is developing. Although at the beginning it was a way to have fun and do something different, always responding to customer demand. It is above all a business that attracts homebrewers, who are looking to experiment with aging spirits at home. But distilleries also practice the use of mini barrels and offer them for sale. “We will soon be offering barrels with different wood essences,” says Willy.

At Willy Navarre’s cooperage, they propose a range of barrels with capacities ranging from 50cl to 40 liters. For the mini barrels, average prices are €65 plus shipping. For now they are building their online store but it is possible to contact the cooperage by email (willynavarre@tonnellerienavarre.fr) or via Facebook on the Tonnellerie Navarre page.

Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.