Eau-de-Vie
An eau-de-vie (‘water of life’) is a brandy made with any fruit, with the exception of grapes. To ensure their fruit character, most are bottled with no ageing. Eaux-de-vie are made with a staggering variety of raw ingredients – you think of a fruit, and you can bet that at some point, someone will have tried to make an eau-de-vie from it.
Eaux-de-vie are best served chilled at the end of a meal. For stone fruits such as apricots, peaches and plums, the method of production is akin to most other brandies: the fruit is crushed and fermented into wine before distillation in a pot still. For fruits without stones, the usual method of production is maceration, where the fruit is immersed in neutral alcohol before distillation.
It is worth pointing out that many generic products calling themselves apricot or cherry brandies are in fact liqueurs, the ingredients having been only macerated and not distilled.
Typical Character and Style of Eau-de-Vie
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Berghof Kirsch
£37.25
(£74.50 per litre)
Maraska Slivovica
£31.50
(£45 per litre)
Jelinek 5 Year Old Kosher Slivovitz
£49.25
(£70.36 per litre)
Nusbaumer Vielle Prune 1 Year Old
£51.50
(£73.57 per litre)
Miclo Poire William Grande Reserve
£60.95
(£87.07 per litre)
Miclo Poire William (Pear) Eau de Vie
£51.25
(£73.21 per litre)
Miclo Framboise (Raspberry) Eau de Vie
£51.50
(£73.57 per litre)
Capreolus Chestnut Barrel Aged Apple Eau de Vie 2018
£65.50
(£174.67 per litre)
Miclo Kirsch (Cherry) Eau de Vie
£51.50
(£73.57 per litre)
La Blanche de Christian Drouin Eau de Vie de Cidre
£36.75
(£52.50 per litre)
Somerset Pear Eau de Vie
£19.95
(£57 per litre)
Jeptha Creed Pawpaw Brandy
£49.95
(£133.20 per litre)
Somerset Apple Eau de Vie
£19.95
(£57 per litre)
Capreolus Gooseberry Eau de Vie 2023
£131
(£349.33 per litre)
Capreolus Blackcurrant Eau de Vie 2022
£131
(£349.33 per litre)
Stara Sokolova 7 Year Old Slivovitz
£52.25
(£74.64 per litre)
Freya Woodsmoke Birch Spirit
£47.50
(£67.86 per litre)
Reisetbauer Karotte (Carrot)
£66.75
(£190.71 per litre)
Freihof 1885 Raspberry Geist Schnaps
£29.50
(£59 per litre)
Freihof 1885 Apricot Schnaps
£29.50
(£59 per litre)
Rochelt Wild Rowanberry 2016
£399
(£1,140 per litre)
Capovilla Distallato di Albicocche 2022
£108
(£216 per litre)
Capreolus Damson Eau De Vie 2021
£111
(£296 per litre)
Rochelt Wild Plum from Piedmont 2015
£220
(£628.57 per litre)