In 1775, King Louis XVI granted Carpeau and Stival the right to open the first French gin distillery in the old citadel of Dunkirk. Two centuries later, Alexandre Gabriel created the current recipe for the Citadelle Gin. Wheat from the Picardy region, wild juniper and another 18 hand-picked exotic herbs provide the basis for this dry gin. The wheat is mixed with pure spring water from Angeac/Cognac and fermented with special yeast. The gin is distilled in the domain Logis D'Angeac, where Charentaiser pot stills are used, which are used for distilling cognac from November to the end of March. The gin is distilled three times and mixed with the fine macerate from the aromatic botanicals to be distilled together a fourth time. The botanicals mentioned are juniper, coriander, cassia, savory, angelica, cinnamon, iris, fennel, lemon and orange peel, cardamom, grains of paradise, cubeb pepper, liquorice, nutmeg, cumin, almonds, star anise and violets.Tasting notes:Color: Clear. Nose: Aromatic, fresh, juniper, citrus. Taste: Elegant, full, smooth, complex, soft, spices, almonds, lemons, hints of herbs. Finish: Long lasting, fresh.