Distillerie Denoix
Since the 19th century, plants have been distilled, fruit macerated and green nuts pressed at the Distillerie Denoix in Brive La Gaillarde, using the same gestures and the same recipes from an old grimoire. The Distillerie Denoix , located right in the heart of the town centre, is a genuine institution recognised as a Living Heritage Company, handed down from generation to generation since 1839. Discover the flagship products of the Denoix House, such as Denoix liqueur and violet mustard.
Distillerie Denoix: bold and responsible!
- Maintaining an ancestral know-how handed down from generation to generation for almost 2 centuries (the last French liqueur maker to work as they did in the last century).
- Guaranteed to contain no added colourings or flavourings, the famous Suprême Denoix liqueur and the traditional Quinquinoix walnut wine will delight your senses.
- The Distillery: a key player in the local economy, with its employees and its supply of green walnuts (around ten tonnes a year).
- The museum is open to the public, giving visitors an insight into the history of this family-run business and the liqueur-making process.
Self-guided and guided tours of the Denoix Distillery: a fascinating visit!
Take a tour of this distillery, which has been awarded the Living Heritage label. From family portraits to Jean Lurçat tapestries and the history of Denoiselle stained glass windows, you'll leave with a wealth of information and culinary tips! You're guaranteed to get up close and personal with the Denoix family, and discover some of the distillery's secrets!
Open all year round:
- The distillery is open all year round, Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 7pm. Visits are free of charge.
- Guided tours in July and August: Come along at 2.30pm from Tuesday to Friday for a free guided tour, ending with a tasting of your choice.
- Guided tours available by prior arrangement the rest of the year for groups of at least 10 people. Duration: 45 minutes. Tuesday to Saturday.
Maison Denoix: a family history
Pierre Lacoste founded the distillery in 1839. He was soon joined by Louis Denoix, who brought his own ideas and in particular the development of a key local product: walnuts. The result was "Surême de Noix", a liqueur with multiple digestive properties. Other recipes have been developed over the 5 generations that have kept the tradition alive, including a recipe that has been brought up to date: violet mustard from the Brive region. Paul and Marie joined the family business in 2019 to mark the 180th anniversary of the company, which has been awarded the "Living Heritage Company" label. They are committed to respecting the purest traditions of all the recipes developed by their ancestors, and invite you to indulge and enjoy them in moderation.
Here, we macerate and distil
As soon as you walk through the doors, all your taste buds are on fire. Already the smells of fruit, plants and wood. In front of the big counter, Ali Baba's cave! There's something for everyone. Nearly 40 references of products made in the Distillerie Denoix!
Maceration
Maceration involves infusing plants or fruit for a certain length of time in alcohol or wine, which extracts the aromatic and colouring molecules from the selected plants or fruit. This subtle alchemy determines the quality of the spirit, the richness of its taste and the beauty of its colour. Among the house's favourites are walnut liqueur (the house's master recipe), orange Armagnac and Obazine liqueur, a maceration of plants (verbena, peppermint and angelica), in keeping with traditional monastic recipes, a nod to Aubazine Abbey, 15 minutes from Brive.
Distillation
A process that consists of recovering the distillate, the essential aroma of macerated plants or fruit, to make liqueurs. The large brick vats, the bain-marie still and its long swan neck are still there. The vat is heated as before, over a charcoal hearth. Next to it, the sugar syrup is cooked over a wood fire. The gestures have not changed.
The secret of making walnut wine
If you drop by the distillery around St John's Day, don't be surprised by the distinctive aroma wafting from behind the barrels... Jean-Marie is no doubt crushing a few tonnes of green walnuts to make the elixir of our grandmothers: walnut wine. From this juice, which will age in oak barrels for 5 years, we add red wine, sugar, spices... For the rest, just come and discover it at the distillery.
Did you know that walnuts have digestive and purifying properties?
Violet mustard from the Brive region
A culinary speciality brought up to date by Elie Denoix, the famous grape must mustard is exported to many countries! It was a pope from Correze, Clément VI, who gave it back its letters of nobility, in the 14th century, by commissioning a mustard-maker from Avignon. Subtle and mild, it is a perfect accompaniment to traditional dishes from the Correze, such as black pudding and mique, or to deglaze meat juices, such as duck breast, veal or pork tenderloin.
5 good reasons to visit Distillerie Denoix
- Discover a timeless world!
- A site to visit right in the centre of Brive.
- Get slightly tipsy, but in a refined way.
- Meet passionate people who share their ancestral know-how.
- Find some purple mustard!
Tip Hymn to the nut
At the Distillerie Denoix, you'll learn all about the great history of the Gaillard aperitif! Here, between the copper cauldrons and the old still, things have been heating, smoking and distilling since 1839. This Living Heritage Company, whose owners' family name seemed predestined for making walnut alcohol, has made local liqueurs and aperitifs its speciality. The result: you'll be intoxicated by the timeless atmosphere in the cellars. And once the visit is over, you can enjoy the house creations in moderation.
Distillerie Denoix,
9 boulevard du Général Lyautey,
19100 Brive
05 55 74 34 27
www.denoix.com
All year round
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