Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Yuzu

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Colouring: Yes

Special Features:

Late-harvested Moroccan yuzu gives Ferrand Dry Curaçao Yuzu Late Harvest its distinctive character. The fruit from L'Agrumiste stays on the tree until fully ripe, developing concentrated aromas reminiscent of candied citrus. Maison Ferrand created this limited edition together with cocktail historian David Wondrich.

Production combines maceration and distillation, drawing on 19th-century liqueur recipes. Yuzu is steeped in brandy; distillation in copper pot stills provides Ferrand with another aromatic component. A fruit and spice infusion, including yuzu, lemon and vanilla, is also prepared over several months. To make the finished liqueur, yuzu distillate and a little yuzu infusion are blended with Bourbon vanilla, brandy and Ferrand Cognac.

Its combination of citrus freshness and sweet pastry notes makes this Dry Curaçao a versatile cocktail ingredient, for example in a yuzu margarita. It can also be enjoyed neat or over ice. The bottle contains 0.7 litres at 40% alcohol.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Zesty yuzu and mandarin notes emerge first. Vanilla and marzipan follow, accompanied by delicate hints of rose, geranium, pepper, mint and other herbs.
• Palate: The liqueur is rich and rounded on the palate, initially echoing the aromas on the nose. Candied yuzu, mandarin and lime add to the picture. Tropical fruit with waxy nuances is joined by almond, plum, toffee, nutmeg and tea.
• Finish: The very long finish combines citrus notes with herbs, vanilla and sweet spiced pastries.

Distillery/Bottler:

Maison Ferrand was established in 1989 under Alexandre Gabriel at Château de Bonbonnet in Ars. Originally focused on Cognac, the house applied its experience with grape spirits, distillation and blending to the development of Dry Curaçao. Together with David Wondrich, Gabriel researched historical cocktail recipes and the French citrus liqueurs they used; the first Ferrand Dry Curaçao was released in 2012.

When developing its yuzu spirits, the research and creation team specifically sought a rounder, riper fruit character and found it at L'Agrumiste in Morocco. At Bonbonnet, the team tested different maceration times and distillation methods. Part of the macerate is distilled, while another part goes into the blend without further distillation to preserve the fruit's richness and texture.

Facts: