Tasting Notes for Merlet, Mure Sauvage Liqueur
Nose: Rich blackberry compote, custard, and crushed dried violet aromas.
Taste: Silky soft, rich and fruity.
Finish: Long, with honeyed berry, elderflower and soft spice.
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Merlet Wild Blackberry liqueur (Crème de Mûre Sauvage) combines two complementary varieties of blackberries, and a small quantity of red berries, for their richness and complexity. The Merlets source their fruits from partner producers in order to guarantee consistent quality. Thanks to their position as currant growers and winemakers, the Merlets are able to exchange with their partner producers and call on their own expertise to select fruits of optimal ripeness. The blackberries and the red berries are soaked in pure alcohol to extract all their flavours, then pressed and filtered. Sugar is added to this natural fruit infusion to obtain the Crème de mûre. Complete control of every stages of the process, from sourcing the fruits and selecting only the ripest to their transformation by Merlet, guarantees, together with the very high concentration of macerated fruits, the intensity and complexity of the final product.
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The Merlet adventure begins in the 18th century when the family produces wine. In 1850, Firmin Merlet set up his first still just outside the village of Saint Sauvant in the region of Saintonge to distill his own harvests. His successor Edouard became the first member of the family to provide fine eaux-de-vie to large cognac houses such as Hennessy. Guy Merlet followed in his footsteps and expanded the distillery.
Generations after generations, the Merlet family refined its expertise and produced unique eaux-de-vie, respectful of the Saintonge terroir. From the copper still to oak barrels, time is the alchemist that lets their eaux-de-vie blossom into harmonious cognacs.
When Gilles Merlet took over the distillery in 1973, the context was difficult for cognac and planting new vines on the family plots no longer an option. Faced with this heart-breaking reality, he began extensive testing of alternative crops. He came up with a great idea: planting blackcurrant. A real challenge in a region exclusively dedicated to vines and cognac.
The first shrubs were planted in 1979 and success soon followed: the quality of the berries was so exceptional that Gilles, using the family know-how, was able to develop his own crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur), the Crème de Cassis de Saintonge, in 1983. It’s not just the liqueur that was born then: this date also marks the first appearance of the Merlet brand. The Crème de Cassis de Saintonge was quickly followed by a complete range of fruit liqueurs, now widely acclaimed. Since 2015, there even is a Geographical Indication (GI) Crème de Cassis de Saintonge, with its own legal specifications. A genuine recognition of quality!
Between 2005 and 2008, Pierre and Luc, Gilles Merlet’s sons, decided to get involved in the activities of the distillery. The very experimented Gilles remained at the helm to pass on his know-how and thirst for innovation. Under the leadership of Gilles and his sons, the brand has kept on growing. In 2009, after numerous tests, they successfully pursued one of Gilles’ old projects: combining his distilling and liquor making expertise in one product.
The growth of Merlet liqueurs on the export markets took place right when the cocktail was experiencing a renaissance in several capitals, with London at its forefront. The quality of the Merlet fruit liqueurs seduced the best bartenders, and opened new perspectives for the products. This led the distillery to create in 2011 its cocktail competition for professionals, Sidecar by Merlet. It is now organised in almost twenty countries.
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Volume 70cl ABV 18%