FIRST JOURNEYS - EUROPEAN EXPEDITION- PIN 03 OF 40

CITADELLE GIN - Château de Bonbonnet, Ars, France


Maison Ferrand

A ROAD TRIP WHERE EVERY STOP HAS A STORY

Today’s journey takes me on a short drive south from Cognac to Ars, in the heart of the Charente countryside, where I’m visiting the home of Citadelle Gin at Château de Bonbonnet.


Although the gin revolution in the UK was helped enormously by pioneers such as Sipsmith, who successfully campaigned to change the rules around small-batch distilling in 2008, the founder of Citadelle was already challenging traditional regulations in France many years earlier.


Cognac production is governed by strict regulations, including a defined distillation season which traditionally leaves stills unused during the warmer months. When Alexandre Gabriel took over operations at Maison Ferrand, he saw an opportunity to use these beautiful copper Cognac stills to create something new. However, distilling gin in this way was not permitted under French regulations at the time.


Rather than give up, Alexandre spent several years challenging the rules and researching historical evidence that proved gin production had a place within French distilling traditions. In 1995, he succeeded, opening the door for the creation of Citadelle Gin.



The following year, without the need to invest in dedicated gin stills, Citadelle was launched using the historic open-flame Cognac stills at Château de Bonbonnet. The inspiration came from an 18th-century French genever distillery established within the Citadel of Dunkirk, from which both the name and the spirit of the brand were born.

Citadelle’s production is just as distinctive as its history. They use a patented progressive infusion technique, allowing different botanicals to be extracted at different stages, while the direct flame heating of the copper pot stills adds another layer of character. The result is a gin which beautifully combines French heritage with innovation and has gained international recognition over the years.


While researching Citadelle, I discovered another fascinating connection—not hidden in the liquid, but in the bottle itself. In today’s competitive gin market, the design of the bottle is almost as important as what is inside, and Citadelle’s elegant presentation has a story of its own.


In 1880, Claude Boucher, a master glassmaker from Cognac, patented a revolutionary mechanised glassblowing machine. By using compressed air to shape molten glass inside a mould, it transformed bottle production and removed much of the physical effort previously required from glassblowers. The technology continued to evolve and the glassmaking business eventually became part of Saint-Gobain before its packaging division, Verallia, became an independent company.


And the connection?


The bottles that hold Citadelle Gin are produced by Verallia—a perfect example of how the history of French craftsmanship continues to flow through every detail of the bottle.


A gin created from Cognac stills, inspired by French history and finished in a bottle shaped by French innovation—it seemed only right to bring all those elements together in one glass.



For today’s cocktail, I’ve created a serve that pays homage to both the Cognac heritage and the production methods behind Citadelle.


CITADelle Sidecar

  • 50ml Citadelle Gin
  • 25ml Triple Sec
  • 20ml Cognac
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 2 dashes orange bitters

Stir with ice until chilled and enjoy.





"Show me a bottle and I’ll tell you a story."