Citadelle Gin de Charentes Réserve
Citadelle · Maison Ferrand
Citadelle Réserve starts as a well-made 19-botanical gin and then does something unusual — it rests in small Cognac barrels at Château de Bonbonnet. The result is a gin that bridges worlds, carrying the aromatic complexity of a classic London Dry into territory more familiar to aged-spirit drinkers. Best enjoyed neat or in a stirred cocktail where the oak can sing.
Nose
Juniper is present but softened, wrapped in layers of vanilla and toasted oak from the barrel aging. Orange peel and coriander seed come through cleanly, while a subtle floral quality — dried violet — adds complexity. A whisper of nutmeg rounds it out.
Palate
Creamy and rounded, with the barrel influence adding a dimension rarely found in gin. Juniper, cassia bark, and angelica root form the botanical spine, but the oak aging lends a gentle spice and vanilla sweetness that blurs the line between gin and aged spirit. The texture is noticeably richer than most gins.
Finish
Medium to long, with lingering vanilla, dried orange peel, and a woody warmth that recalls Cognac country. The juniper reasserts itself at the very end.
- Style
- Barrel-Aged Gin
- Botanicals
- Juniper, coriander, orange peel, lemon peel, angelica, cassia bark, nutmeg, star anise, cubeb, grains of paradise, violet, savory, fennel, licorice, and 5 additional undisclosed botanicals (19 total)
- Base Spirit
- Neutral wheat spirit
- Distillation
- Distilled in small copper Charentais pot stills with 19 botanicals infused over 72 hours
Cocktail Suggestion
Charentes Martini — 2.5 oz Citadelle Réserve · 0.5 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
Duck rillettes with cornichons and crusty bread
Distilled in small copper Charentais pot stills at Château de Bonbonnet in Ars, France, Citadelle Réserve rests in former Cognac barrels — a technique rooted in 18th-century French gin-making traditions revived by master distiller Alexandre Gabriel.
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