eau-de-vie
Clear fruit spirit
Eau-de-vie is a clear, colorless brandy distilled from fermented fruit.
The French term literally means "water of life"—a name shared across cultures for distilled spirits (compare whiskey from Gaelic *uisce beatha*, aquavit from Latin *aqua vitae*).
While grape-based brandies are most common, eau-de-vie can be made from pears, plums, cherries, or other fruits: a pear eau-de-vie from Alsace.
Spirit from fermented fruit
- pomaceFruit crushing residue
- distillateCondensed purified substance
- alembicDistillation apparatus
- pot stillBatch distillation apparatus
fermentation · mash · copper · proof · double distillation · lees · heads · tails
Tapered sweet fruit
apricot · quince · grape · mirabelle · kirsch · framboise · stone fruit · orchard
Pleasantly strong-smelling
- clearWithout obstruction or fog
- unagedNot yet matured
- crispFirm and breakable
- fieryIntensely hot or passionate
delicate · fragrant · intense · floral · clean · pure · essence · nose
Northeastern French region
- FranceWestern European republic
- SwitzerlandAlpine republic, perpetually neutral
- GermanyCentral European nation
- LorraineFrench frontier region
Burgundy · Austria · Balkans · farmhouse · artisan · small-batch · appellation · tradition
brandy
Spirit from fermented fruit
- pomaceFruit crushing residue
- distillateCondensed purified substance
- alembicDistillation apparatus
pot still · fermentation · mash · copper · proof · double distillation · lees · heads · tails · heart
pear
Tapered sweet fruit
raspberry · apricot · quince · grape · mirabelle · kirsch · framboise · stone fruit · orchard · pomme
aromatic
Pleasantly strong-smelling
fiery · delicate · fragrant · intense · floral · clean · pure · essence · nose · palate
Alsace
Northeastern French region
- FranceWestern European republic
- SwitzerlandAlpine republic, perpetually neutral
- GermanyCentral European nation
Lorraine · Burgundy · Austria · Balkans · farmhouse · artisan · small-batch · appellation · tradition · regional
- spiritsghost, vodka, rum, whiskey, brandy
- apple spiritsapplejack, apple brandy, cider brandy
eau-de-viecognac
Grape-based distilled spirit
bourbon · aged rum · whiskey · scotch · Scotch whisky
eau-de-viewater
Clear essential liquid
fruit juice · soft drink · grape juice · sparkling water · eau
eau-de-viepoison
Harmful ingested substance
venom · toxin · deadly nightshade · hemlock