FIRST JOURNEYS - EUROPEAN EXPEDITION- PIN 13 OF 40
TERRES DE MISTRAL GIN - Provence, France
A ROAD TRIP WHERE EVERY STOP HAS A STORY
I’ve catapulted myself out of Spain and am back on the mainland again — although sadly there was no actual flying involved! Today I’ve landed in Forcalquier, Provence, to visit a distillery whose roots stretch back to 1898.
This stop is all about Terres de Mistral Gin and the landscape that inspired it.
Created from a love of Provence, its famous rosé wines and its unique way of life, this gin comes from one of Europe’s richest botanical landscapes — a region that has attracted herbalists, botanists and chemists for centuries.
A pink gin it may be, but just like the wind it is named after, it is anything but soft and sweet.
Forget images of gentle breezes carrying floral aromas across lavender fields. The Mistral is a powerful force of nature: a cold, dry wind that rushes down the Rhône Valley, sometimes reaching hurricane speeds. It can damage crops and strip trees of their branches, yet it is also essential to the region. By clearing skies of cloud, dust and pollution, it creates the intense sunshine and crystal-clear light that has made Provence famous and inspired generations of artists.
The Mistral is more than weather — it is part of the identity of Provence, shaping the landscape, architecture, agriculture and even the rhythm of daily life.
The historic town of Forcalquier sits on a hillside beneath the shelter of Montagne de Lure, a mountain renowned for its aromatic plants and biodiversity.
Here, Distilleries et Domaines de Provence has been creating spirits for more than a century, drawing inspiration from the herbs and traditions of the region.
Many of the botanicals associated with Provence thrive naturally in this landscape, and Terres de Mistral brings them together with classic gin ingredients alongside basil, fennel, mint, eucalyptus, thyme and grapefruit.
Each botanical is treated separately before blending, allowing the individual flavours to shine. The result is a fresh, herbaceous and complex gin — a long way from the sweet pink gins that have become so popular in recent years.
My serve today is a
Clover Club, which lets the colour and character of the gin shine, although a simple G&T works beautifully too. Garnish with thyme, basil or grapefruit depending on your preference — and naturally, a few matching Provençal macarons on the side!
A gin shaped by the wind — where Provence’s wild herbs, mountain landscapes and the legendary Mistral come together in a bottle.
Clover Club
- 50ml Terres de Mistral Gin
- 25ml lemon juice
- 15ml raspberry syrup
- Egg white or foamer
- Shake well with ice
A pink cocktail with the spirit of Provence — bright, aromatic and carrying a little of the Mistral’s character.
"Show me a bottle and I’ll tell you a story."