Distillation in a few words

Distillation since 1965 :
1 Alembic still of 11 Hl
1 Alembic still of 25 Hl
Heating with natural gas
Recycled rainwater cooling

The Charentais Alembic
is composed of a boiler - or "pot" - heated over an open fire and surmounted by a capital in the shape of an olive or onion. The capital, extended by a swan neck, turns into a coil immersed in a cooling basin called a condenser. It is in the coil that the alcohol vapours condense. There is also another element in the center of the alembic but it is optional. This is the "wine warmer" which allows the wine to be pre-heated for the following cycles and therefore saves energy.

The distillation is carried out in two cycles or "heating" of 12 hours:

 The first step is to bring the unfiltered wine to the boil so that the alcohol vapours pass through the tent, the swan neck and then the coil. A slightly cloudy liquid is then obtained: the "brouillis"

 The second step consists in distilling this brouillis: this is the "good heat". Only the "heating core" of this second passage in the still will give a clear and limpid eau-de-vie.

The choices of the distiller in the toasting temperature, the proportions of brouillis, wine, lees, will give the cognac its personality.

We apply the Rémy Martin method :
Complete distillation of the wines + lees
Low topping volume
1st distillation: pouring temperature @ 13°C
2nd distillation: pouring temperature @ 18°C

We thus obtain a rounder, fatter eau-de-vie, with a better aptitude for ageing.