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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Acetone
Filter
Price Range
Bottling Status
Producer
Country
Type
Flavour
Age
Vintage
Cask Type
Strength
Size
Limited Edition
Flavour Profile
Colouring
Grape Variety
Sustainability
Specht Slivovitz
$25.83
($36.90 per litre)
Specht Williams Birne
$27.23
($38.91 per litre)
Maraska Slivovica
$30.47
($43.53 per litre)
Rochelt Wachauer Marille (Apricot) 2014
$302.01
($431.44 per litre)
Somerset Pear Eau de Vie
$20.98
($59.94 per litre)
Miclo Poire William Coeur de Chauffe
$108.94
($155.63 per litre)
Miclo Framboise (Raspberry) Eau de Vie
$49.89
($71.27 per litre)
Berghof Kirsch
$38.78
($77.55 per litre)
Stara Sokolova 7 Year Old Slivovitz
$48.48
($69.26 per litre)
Freihof 1885 Pear Williams Schnaps
$30.15
($60.29 per litre)
Slivovica Badel
$21.30
($42.60 per litre)
Miclo Kirsch (Cherry) Eau de Vie
$49.89
($71.27 per litre)
Miclo Poire William Grande Reserve
$47.40
($94.81 per litre)
Miclo Poire William (Pear) Eau de Vie
$49.56
($70.80 per litre)
Rochelt Wild Plum from Piedmont 2014
$167.18
($477.67 per litre)
Rochelt Blackcurrant 2013
$231.90
($662.57 per litre)
Rochelt Mirabelle 2009
$235.14
($335.91 per litre)
Rochelt Williamsbirne 2015
$264.26
($377.51 per litre)
Rochelt Der Inntaler 2010
$231.90
($331.29 per litre)
Freihof 1885 Apricot Schnaps
$30.15
($60.29 per litre)
Freihof 1885 Blood Orange Geist Schnaps
$30.15
($60.29 per litre)
Capreolus Greengage Eau de Vie 2018
$107.81
($287.49 per litre)
Stara Sokolova 7 Slivovitz
$42.34
($60.48 per litre)
La Blanche de Christian Drouin Eau de Vie de Cidre
$39.64
($56.63 per litre)