Remy Cointreau shares were up as much as 6.3% at 0756 GMT and set for their best day since Jan. 19 2017, making them the top gainer on STOXX 600 <.STOXX>, while Pernod Ricard shares rose 3.6% to top Paris' blue chip index.

"Overall (it) represents a light touch," said Jefferies analyst Edward Mundy.

Britain's Diageo, the world largest spirits company, was among the top gainers of London's FTSE <.FTSE>, up 1.7%. British fashion brand Burberry rose 1%, while Italy's Moncler gained 2.1%.

The United States on Wednesday said it would impose 10% tariffs on European-made Airbus planes and 25% duties on French wine, Scotch and Irish whiskies, and cheese from across the continent.

The announcement came after the World Trade Organization (WTO) gave Washington a green light to impose tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of EU goods annually in the long-running case, a move that threatens to ignite a tit-for-tat trade war.

European plane maker Airbus jumped 4.1% after falling 2% during the previous session as fears over an intensifying trade war weighed.

The overall European benchmark STOXX 600 <.STOXX> was up 0.2$ as selling pressure eased after worries over global growth caused a two-day rout that wiped off all gains made in September.

(Reporting by Julien Ponthus, Joice Alves and Danilo Masoni; editing by Josephine Mason and Alexander Smith)