Spirits / Eau de Vie

Eau de vie, literally “water of life”, is alcohol as it comes out of the still, clear and full of primary fruit aromas and flavors. What will eventually become cognac, armagnac, and calvados is eau de vie when it exits the alambic.  Spirits such as those must legally be aged in barrel and have color to obtain their appellations. But when one normally speaks of eau de vie, one speaks of clear fruit brandies that are literally the distilled essence of the fruit from which they are made.

Eaux de vie (the plural version) can be made from a wide variety of fruits, and are made by methods commonly seen with other spirits: the fruits are harvested, crushed, fermented, and distilled with an effort to preserve the character of their base fruits. They are especially popular in areas that don’t grow grapes, or where brandy is not often produced.

The most common eaux de vie come from orchard fruits such as pears, plums, cherries, and raspberries. One of our eau de vie producers, Distillierie Metté, makes what are considered to be France’s finest eaux de vie, deriving the true essence of the fruits in a clear, distilled form.

Another producer that we import, Distillerie Louis Roque, has been located in Souillac, not far from the Cahors appellation, since the late 19th century. Now spanning three centuries, the members of the Roque family have carried on the tradition of producing their highly prized plum brandy throughout multiple generations.