CONCEPT
AN INDEPENDENT DISTILLERY, AN URBAN CHOICE, FIERCELY GINSPIRED
As artisans, we are proud to be an independent company which allow us complete freedom regarding the spirits we distill. This autonomy allows us to follow our vision and guarantees the creativity and authenticity of our products.
AN INDEPENDENT DISTILLERY, AN URBAN CHOICE, FIERCELY GINSPIRED
As artisans, we are proud to be an independent company which allow us complete freedom regarding the spirits we distill. This autonomy allows us to follow our vision and guarantees the creativity and authenticity of our products.
In the beating heart of Paris, our distillery represents the urban spirit by exploring two sides of it.
On one hand, our distillery flourishes in the cultural effervescence of Paris, a capital where numerous artists, star chefs and creative barmen live side by side. We gain our inspiration in this rich innovative and gastronomic scene that surrounds us, this offers us a fertile ground for our creativity. We collaborate with local talents, and share our vision and ideas to craft unique spirits, infused by the boiling energy of this vibrant city.
A la Distillerie de l’Arbre Sec, nous aimons les défis ! Le premier a été de se lancer dans ce projet fou au cœur de Paris. Si ce quartier possède un charme incontestable, c’est loin d’être le plus accessible lorsqu’il s’agit d’y installer une production artisanale de gin.
Ouvrir la nôtre en milieu urbain fut certes, une contrainte, mais aussi une chance. Paris, capitale vibrante et audacieuse est notre première source d’inspiration, car tout y est possible.
A la Distillerie de l’Arbre Sec, nous aimons les défis ! Le premier a été de se lancer dans ce projet fou au cœur de Paris. Si ce quartier possède un charme incontestable, c’est loin d’être le plus accessible lorsqu’il s’agit d’y installer une production artisanale de gin.
Ouvrir la nôtre en milieu urbain fut certes, une contrainte, mais aussi une chance. Paris, capitale vibrante et audacieuse est notre première source d’inspiration, car tout y est possible.
On the other hand, we want our distillery to be accessible to all, by offering the opportunity to spirit aficionados to discover the art of gin distillation. We open our doors to curious visitors, dying to dive into the fascinating world of sprinting making. Our proximity with the public allows us to exchange with people, share our passion and pass on our knowledge about craft distillation.
To us, having an inspired and urban distillery is Paris means being at a crossroad where influences, ideas and innovation meet.
A PLACE OF HISTORY
The Distillerie de l’arbre sec has opened its doors in the center of the French capital, in the historical Louvre quarter. In French, l’arbre sec means the dry tree. And the distillerie is located in the rue de l’arbre sec, a Parisian street rich in history.
This tiny street in the first arrondissement actually once was a place of torture, and the dry tree was a reference to the gallows that used to be there. During the plague epidemic that hit Paris in the 1950s, the rue de l’arbre sec was also the place where many corpses were kept.
Despite the morbidity of this history, we chose not to ignore it.
The hanged man we chose for our logo, smiling and peaceful, is the symbolic meaning of willing to « turn upside down » a negative thought and transform it into a positive one. Indeed, this card of the Tarot of Marseilles called The Hanged Man, has a very optimistic significance : it invites to persevere, take a step back and consider the situation under a different angle… literally!
As entrepreneurs, this interpretation definitely spoke to us!
Our venue itself is also charged with history. Overlooking the courtyard of the former town house that belonged to the famous Trudon family that was built in 1717, this place had once been a church and a school. More recently, it was one of the largest collections of old newspapers and magazines in Europe. In this building, which is classified as a historic monument, we also find nowadays a crucial address for wine lover : les Caves du Louvre.
Today, we have decided to settle our copper pot still in this unique building, and start our authentic craft gin distillery, open to the public, in the heart of Paris.
OUR STILL
There is no distillery without a still. And for our own still, we have selected the best quality possible in the famous German brand Holstein. Founded in 1958 in the Lake Constance area, this family business has become world renowned for the manufacture of craft stills.
We have chosen a hybrid still, that combines a pot still base with a column. This configuration gives us a lot of flexibility when it comes to production, and allows us to explore a large range of different distillation styles.
On a more technical level, this is a still of 150 liters capacity, made of copper, with a water bath and heating jacket. It also has a 5 plate column, a dephlegmator and a catalyst, which is a patented technology of Holstein. In other words, this machine allow us to produce rich and complex distillate, and its versatility gives us the opportunity to distill a very large panel of spirits.
For gin making in particular, we have chosen a botanical basket in the copper still, as well as a Carter head that contains 3 additional botanical baskets between the still and the condenser, which allow us to extract more delicately floral or fresher aromas.
THE TEAM
CHARLOTTE
BUISSON DACKOW
Born and raised in Burgundy, Charlotte grew up in the middle of the vines and the wine. We could say that she kind of fell into it when she was a child! After studying enology and viticulture in Beaune, Charlotte wants to experiment everything in the wine world : she will work in the vineyards, in the wineries, in sales, but after over ten years of experience, her expertise will be in wine tasting and sharing her passion for wine. After working in France, New-Zealand and California, she will explore the British islands for work, and this is where she will fall in love with craft gin. She will then decide to create her own distillery in France, and will learn about distillation at the Silent Pool distillery in England. Back in Paris, she starts working on her project but soon realizes that it is quite ambitious for just one person.
CHARLOTTE
BARTOLI
Born in the heart of Paris, Charlotte will study in Switzerland at the prestigious Glion hospitality school. She will spend the next years travelling and working for large hotel groups in Ireland, China and the United States. While she was working in San Francisco, she started developing a real passion for spirits, gin in particular. She decides then to learn how the art of distillation with a grower-distiller from Alsace, and then she will attend the courses on spirits at the International Spirit Center in Cognac. Finally, she will end up at the brand new Ergaster distillery in the North of France, where she will be in charge of production and worked alongside Hervé Grangeon to create the first batches of gin and whisky. Later on, Charlotte will work at La Maison du Whisky, the leader spirit marketplace in France, where she will select casks for prestigious small-batch whiskies. Her encounter with Charlotte will be a revelation : they quickly understand they have a mutual passion and project and they decide to join forces.
NICOLAS
PARADIS
Born in southern France, Nicolas is what we call a serial entrepreneur. With a dual degree from both Arts et Métiers (engineering school) and ESSEC (business school), Nicolas starts his carrer as a strategy consultant. A few years later in 2004, he decides to leave this career path behind, and develop a brand new small company instead, called Ô Chateau, and was then the pioneer in terms of wine tourism in Paris. In 2011, this company will then become an award-wining wine bar, and a key reference for wine lovers all over the world. In 2015, Nicolas opens his new project les Caves du Louvre, in the centre of Paris as well. Many other projects will follow, all related to fine wine and food. Always inspired by new ideas, Nicolas met the two Charlotte and their distillery project caught his attention. They decided to form a partnership the three of them, and made the Distillerie de l’arbre sec a reality.