Capreolus Pear Eau de Vie Gin
Capreolus · Capreolus Distillery
Barney Wilczak's Capreolus Distillery is known for its obsessive approach to fruit spirits, and this gin applies that precision to a juniper-forward framework. The pear eau de vie base is the differentiator — it gives the gin a textural richness and aromatic complexity that grain-based spirits rarely achieve. An exceptional gin for contemplative sipping or a refined Martini.
Nose
Juniper arrives immediately but with a waxy, herbaceous quality rather than a sharp pine note. Fresh pear eau de vie provides a delicate fruitiness, alongside coriander seed and a whisper of violet. Angelica root grounds the aromatics with an earthy dryness.
Palate
Silky and refined, with juniper leading into a mid-palate bloom of orris root and meadowsweet. The pear eau de vie base gives the gin an unusual weight and a gentle sweetness that's never cloying. Lemon peel and a faint peppery bite add structure.
Finish
Clean and persistent, with lingering juniper, dried flowers, and a memory of ripe pear that slowly dissipates.
- Style
- Distilled Dry Gin
- Botanicals
- Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, meadowsweet, lemon peel, and others
- Base Spirit
- Pear Eau de Vie
- Distillation
- One-shot distillation in a custom copper pot still
Cocktail Suggestion
Cotswold Martini — 2.5 oz Capreolus Pear Eau de Vie Gin · 0.5 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth · Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a thin pear slice.
Food Pairing
A wedge of 18-month Comté alongside raw honeycomb echoes the gin's floral sweetness and provides a nutty, savory counterpoint to its delicate pear and juniper character.
Barney Wilczak runs Capreolus from a small barn in the Cotswolds, where he presses and ferments whole fruit before distilling it into eau de vie that serves as the foundation for his unconventional gins.
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