For most Americans a glass of crystal clear eau-de-vie is a dicier order than a familiar Negroni or a tried-and-true Sauvignon Blanc. The curiously boozy brandy remains a relatively niche serve, even as drinkers have largely embraced the ritual of ending their meals with other digestifs like Chartreuse and amaro.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s often relegated to a section of the menu where guests just have to be introduced to it,\u201d says Jill Mott, director of wine at The Carlyle in New York City, which offers several eaux-de-vie at Dowling\u2019s restaurant and Caf\u00e9 Carlyle. Mott likes to treat guests who seem keen on cognac or Armagnac to a taste to pique their interest. The process to make eau-de-vie, which tastes like the purest expression of its core ingredient, is simple. Producers crush fruit or vegetables harvested at peak ripeness to ferment the sugars into alcohol. That mixture is distilled to concentrate the alcohol levels and aromas in the final product, which rests in glass or steel (not oak) to further allow the flavors to meld.<\/p>\n
While most beverage pros compare eau-de-vie to brandies like Armagnac and cognac, Nicolas Palazzi, chief growth officer at importer PM Spirits, sees American whiskey as an unexpected introduction. \u201cAmerican whiskey is typically a big punch in the face of coconut and cinnamon, and once drinkers have been there and done that, they look for more complexity and elegance,\u201d says Palazzi, whose company imports more than five eaux-de-vie from around the world. \u201cThat leads them to brandy, and then, their palate will be more open to get into eau-de-vie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re looking for your own introductory eau-de-vie, or feel ready to splurge on a
less traditional expression, these three bottles show off the breadth of flavor the spirit can offer.<\/p>\n
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<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\nPhotographed by Marcus McDonald, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Erica Lutz<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n With unexpectedly sweet tropical fruit notes like mango, papaya, and pineapple, you\u2019ll have to reread the label to confirm that, yes, this eau-de-vie is made with carrots, not apples, raspberries, or any other fruit that typically finds itself in a pastry case.<\/p>\nReisetbauer Carrot<\/h2>\n
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