Description
The Drouin family has been growing cider apples in Normandie for as long as anyone can remember, but it was Christian Drouin (Sr) who in the 1960s decided that he wanted to turn their apples not just into cider, but into Calvados.
Fast forward the better part of a century, and the House of Drouin has been doing just that for 3 generations.
The latest generation—spearheaded by Guillaume Drouin—decided to branch out even further in 2016 by introducing Le Gin, distilled entirely from apples.
Fast forward to 2024 and we find ourselves with this year’s World Gin Awards’ “Best Botanical Gin”, Gin Pira, by Christian Drouin!
This one is based on the famed pears used both in the production of cider and Calavdos in the Pays d’Auge region, and blends beautifully the bright, tart acidity of the pear with juniper, black pepper, lemon, vanilla, and iris root.
It’s delightfully refreshing, piquant, zesty, and juniper-laden in equal measure. It’s easily lost in a classic cocktail though, so we’d recommend either sipping on this one or crafting a drink around it.
