Product description
The Giffards come from the Loire Valley and in the 19th century were involved in the textile trade. The first to break with the family tradition was Émile Giffard, a graduate of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Poitiers.
Shortly after his studies, he returned to his hometown and opened a pharmacy in the center of Angers. Émile was equally devoted to developing recipes for panaceas and alcoholic beverages. His first drink was Chottin, a bitter aperitif based on quinine. However, the breakthrough in his career came in 1885 with the creation of Menthe-Pastille, and consequently, his career as a chemist changed to that of a distiller. The company founded by Émile remains in the hands of the family to this day and is managed by his great-great-grandsons, Bruno and Edith Giffard. They produce several dozen liqueurs and as many bar syrups using mainly local fruits and botanicals, which they subject to the traditional maceration process. In the case of fruit with stones, the maceration can last up to three months.
Giffard Crème de Violette is made by macerating violet flowers and extracting its leaves. This aromatic liqueur offers notes of violets, lavender, dried rose petals and potpourri, with a pinch of licorice. Giffard recommends serving it in a cocktail, mixed with equal parts chardonnay, tequila and lime juice.