Distillerie La Salamandre

Family-run craft distillery in the heart of Perigord Noir, founded in 1971 by Raymond Gatinel, who was a pioneer of mobile distillation in the 1960s (transforming farmers' fruits into eau-de-vie with a copper still mounted on a cart). Now run by Jacques Gatinel (2nd generation) with the 3rd generation continuing the heritage. Originally renowned for fruit eaux-de-vie (chestnuts, pears, plums, cherries, apricots, walnuts), the distillery expanded into whisky production. The flagship Whisky La Salamandre is a single malt made from brown and blonde barley grown in the Perigord region, slightly peated at 10%, aged for 7 years in sweet wine casks followed by 6 months finishing in Vieille Prune (old plum brandy) casks. Uses two traditional copper stills. The Vieille Prune cask finish is a genuinely unique French terroir expression -- plum brandy is Perigord's signature spirit. Won awards at the Paris spirits competition.