Christian Drouin - Le Gin - Pira - 42%
The Christian Drouin House is proudly established in the heart of the Pays d’Auge, in Normandy, a region renowned for its exceptional terroirs. Founded in 1960, Christian Drouin senior settled at Fiefs Saint-Anne, near Honfleur. On this emblematic farm, planted with traditional cider apple trees, he quickly developed a passion for the artisanal production of Calvados, an exceptional Norman spirit. Drawing on the expertise of Pierre Pivet, a famous distiller, he devoted the first two decades to distilling his cider and aging his eaux-de-vie in the ancestral farm buildings. In 1969, Christian Drouin junior joined the family venture. Commercialization began in 1979 when stocks reached optimal maturity. After ten years of international experience, Christian Drouin junior gave new momentum to the house by exporting his Calvados to prestigious establishments such as major hotels and starred restaurants. Facing growing success, production was transferred to a larger farm near Pont-l’Evêque at the end of the 1990s to support the estate's growth. In 2004, Guillaume Drouin, representing the third generation, joined the company with his skills as an agronomist engineer and oenologist. He dedicated his first years to boosting exports before taking full charge of production management and leading the house in 2013, thus ensuring the sustainability and constant innovation of Christian Drouin products.
The Gin Pira is the result of a meticulous artisanal distillation carried out in a small copper pot still, enhancing a delightful bouquet of fruits, spices, and flowers. Its exceptional composition highlights a rich dominance of juniper combined with the Norman perry pear of high quality, Domfront variety renowned for its sweetness and finesse, as well as a subtle touch of iris root. Each aromatic ingredient is macerated and then distilled separately, ensuring optimal extraction of its unique aromas. The different distillates are then carefully blended to offer a gin of great complexity and remarkable elegance before bottling, a perfect reflection of traditional Norman know-how.
