Louis Roque La Vieille Prune

Until the late 19th century, the members of the Roque family passed a singular tradition of distilling from father to son. in 1905, third-generation distiller Louis Roque decided to start his own distillery in Souillac, the site of an ancient convent. Souillac is in the heart of the Quercy, two hours outside of France’s Armagnac region, in an area rich in gastronomic delights such as black truffles, walnuts, and plums.

Louis became the local specialist of plum brandy, distilling from plums supplied by local farmers. Now, several generations on, the Roque family continues this tradition by sourcing three varieties of plums from which the pits are mostly removed before natural fermentation takes place. Distillation occurs in a copper pot still that utilizes a bain-marie (double-boiler) heating method to gently cook the wine. In multiple chais, the Roque family dedicates time to maturing and meticulously blending this curious and distinctive spirit.