Morand Williamine (43%)

Morand Williamine is a Swiss pear eau-de-vie made at the Distillerie Morand in Martigny. It is produced only from Williams pears grown in the Valais and carries the AOP. The pears are picked ripe, sorted by hand, crushed and fermented, then distilled directly rather than used to flavour a neutral spirit. Distillation is slow, in copper Holstein stills with a three-plate rectification column, and only the heart of the run is kept. Around 12 kg of pears go into each litre at 43%. The nose is clearly pear, with ripe, juicy flesh and fresher notes of the fruit's skin.