Jean-Marc Daucourt was born in northern France. His father’s family had been in the distilling business there for years, but Jean-Marc wanted a more diverse education on the subject, so when he came of age, he went to Scotland and Germany to work his apprenticeship in Europe’s finest distilleries. Returning to France, now a master distiller, he acquired and old distilling house near the Cognac appellation and set himself to work.