La Vieille Prune, Louis Roque

• Plum brandy distilled by Distillerie Louis Roque in Souillac, Quercy, in the southwest of France • Distilled from three varieties of plums: Ente (red plum), Mirabelle (yellow plum most famous in the Lorraine) and Reine-Claude (green plum grown all over France) • Double distilled on a bain-marie style copper pot still • Aged 4–5 years in 400-liter oak casks; gradually reduced to bottling proof with water • Boisterous fruit and esters burst off the nose with vibrant oxidation and notes of rich, nutty marzipan from the plum pits. The palate is deep and oaky, full of raisins, Chinese 5 Spice, licorice root, and—you guessed it—prunes. Curious and delicious! • No sugar added • 42% ABV La Vieille Prune is a staple in French bars and restaurants and makes a compelling cocktail component, subbing or complementing whiskey quite intuitively.