MEET THE PRODUCER: DISTILLERIE MEUNIER

Our February 2019 Box featured the award-winning gin from the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region. Meunier's Gin is made by one of the oldest distilleries in France: Distillerie Meunier. The distillery was established in 1809 in the French Alps, just next to Grenoble. Still in operation, the distillery is best known for its production of Génépi, a spirit made from the wild Génépi plant that grows at very high altitudes in the French Alps. 

Although only three years old, Meunier's Gin has already won several awards worldwide:

• 2016 - Silver medal at the World's Spirits Awards in Austria
• 2017 - Bronze medal at the French wine and spirits tasting in Cologne, Germany.
• 2017 - Silver medal at the Best French Wines and Spirits in Hong Kong 

Meunier's Gin is distilled by its master distiller, who uses a small customized copper still . The distiller uses the "one-shot" distillation method, a method preferred by most craft distillers. The distillery produces about 2000 liters per year in small batches, yielding about 3000 bottles. The gin is made from a neutral beet-based base alcohol, distilled with a balanced blend of 12 botanicals, giving it a unique flavor. The botanicals used are: organic juniper berries, black elderberries, Goji berries, coriander, nutmeg, cardamom, fennel, orris, angelica, licorice, pomegranate, and orange peels.

If you are in the Grenoble area, a guided tour and a free tasting at the Meunier distillery should be on your to-do list!