In a modest garden outbuilding in the Cotswolds, Barney Wilczak crafts Capreolus eaux de vie, fruit spirits that have garnered acclaim in top bars and Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide. With no formal English tradition in eaux de vie distillation, Wilczak is largely self-taught, drawing from Central European texts and personal experimentation. He designed his own still and emphasizes a method that respects not only the fruit but the entire plant and its environment, likening the experience to capturing terroir much like in winemaking.
Wilczak sources fruit locally and insists on organic cultivation, employing slow, natural fermentations without added sugar or alcohol. His production is painstakingly detailed; for example, it takes 1,000 kilograms of hand-checked blackberries to yield just 80 bottles of his blackberry eau de vie. His spirits reflect complex sensory layers, with aromas evoking the broader context of the orchard—including soil, weather, and the plant’s life cycle—challenging the conventional notion of fruit as a detached ingredient.
A parallel approach is found in Italy with Gianni Capovilla, known as "Capo," whose peach distillate also seeks to embody the essence of fruit. Capovilla describes his work as experiencing the “colour of taste,” highlighting a deep, almost visionary connection with the produce. Both distillers share a commitment to craftsmanship, local sourcing, and organic practices, producing spirits that transcend simple fruit flavors to convey a sense of place and time.
Historically, fruit eaux de vie were England’s national spirit, with apple brandy production dating back to at least the 17th century. However, legislation halted much of this tradition until Julian Temperley revived it in the 1980s at Burrow Hill in Somerset, becoming one of the UK’s first modern craft distillers. His family's business now holds Geographical Indication status as Somerset Cider Brandy, using heritage apple varieties such as Kingston Black and Dabinett cultivated within a 10-mile radius of their orchards.
The tradition of fruit brandies also thrives in Normandy, France, where Calvados is produced from around 230 approved apple varieties. Producers like Guillaume Drouin of Calvados Christian Drouin and Estelle Groult of Calvados Roger Groult emphasize terroir and organic farming methods, rejecting commercial yeasts and favouring extended fermentation times. The categorization of apples—into sweet, sharp, bitter-sweet, and bitter-sharp—plays a crucial role in the complexity and aging potential of Calvados, with orchards regarded as living blends adapting to local conditions over centuries.
Despite this rich heritage, orchard landscapes face significant challenges. Julian Temperley notes that the UK’s 16,000 hectares of cider orchards are mostly planted intensively rather than traditionally, threatening the diversity of heritage apples and ecosystem health. He highlights economic pressures on farmers, with apple prices stagnant for three decades, placing the future of traditional orchard cultivation at risk.
The resurgence of interest in fruit spirits reflects a broader cultural and environmental consciousness. Distillers like Wilczak, Capovilla, and Temperley are not only producing distinctive spirits but also acting as custodians of regional biodiversity and artisanal heritage. Their work demonstrates a desire to capture and preserve the intricate qualities of fruit in spirit form, offering products that are evocative not only of flavour but of place, history, and the natural world.