Stay up-to-date with the latest information by signing up for the Cocktails & Drinks myFT Digest. You’ll receive it directly in your inbox. Explore any influential bar menu and you’re likely to find a mention of Capreolus – the eaux-de-vie producer from the Cotswolds that has become a favorite among cocktail enthusiasts. Bartenders are incorporating its unaged distillates of pear, quince, raspberry, and plum into their drinks, using them as exquisite flavor enhancers or perfumes. It’s like adding a burst of unique and creative flavors to cocktails.
The process of creating this refined liquid takes place in an incredibly cramped garden shed. Founder Barney Wilczak, who has a permanent crick in his neck due to the low ceiling, pays meticulous attention to every detail. All the fruit used is grown within a 50-mile radius and is hand-sorted, berry by berry. When I visited the distillery in late August, Wilczak welcomed me wearing a T-shirt stained with cherries. He has a passion for working with unusual and rare varieties such as Helen’s Early perry pears and yellow egg plums. He is also currently experimenting with creating the first eau-de-vie from English nectarines, showcasing his commitment to exploring new flavors beyond the traditional.
Capreolus, priced at £68 for 375ml, can be found on bar lists from Brooklyn and Melbourne to Copenhagen. For example, Mayfair’s Nipperkin features The 1,000 Trees Apple Eau-de-Vie, made from a single orchard with 1,000 apple varieties, as the star ingredient in a smoky highball mixed with whisky, sweet woodruff, and honey. The newly opened Peninsula Hotel in London uses the marzipan-like Perry Pear, combined with cognac and Earl Grey tea, to create a unique highball. And let’s not forget the Sazerac cocktail, which highlights the quince as its main flavor, transitioning from refreshing citrussy lemongrass and orange zest to more aromatic notes of rose, membrillo, and white almond. Bartenders who have experienced these distillates say that only 1ml or 2ml is enough to transform a drink, describing them as their “cheat code” ingredient, much like the code used to unlock the next level in video games.
The success of Capreolus in the cocktail world can be attributed to its Raspberry eau-de-vie, which has become a top-selling product. “It’s made with 10 times more fruit than most other berry eaux-de-vie,” explains Wilczak. Tasting it is like experiencing flavors in 3D – you can detect the berry, the leaf, and even a hint of bitter seeds. Bartender Remy Savage was so impressed by this spirit that he commissioned his own Capreolus eau-de-vie for his bar, Bar Nouveau, in Paris. His version is made from perfumed Egremont Russell apples and will make its debut this winter. “I admire Barney’s uncompromising approach,” says Savage. “He remains loyal to the fruit. As a French person, I consider myself knowledgeable about eaux-de-vie, but when we blind-tasted Capreolus against some French examples, we were blown away.”
If you’re interested in a private commission, Wilczak is open to the idea as long as the fruit excites him. The minimum quantity required for a custom order is one ton. After our conversation, he heads back to his shed to check on the progress of the cherry eau-de-vie. It’s clear that Wilczak’s dedication to producing exceptional eaux-de-vie is unwavering.
@alicelascelles
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