They say the distiller makes the alcohol, but the barrel makes the spirit. At Maison Suzanne, we have made this conviction the heart of our philosophy.
Choosing the wood
We use primarily French oak from the forests of Limousin and Tronçais. The grain of the wood, its porosity, and its level of internal charring — light, medium or heavy — largely determine the aromas that will be imparted to the spirit over the years.
The invisible exchanges
Inside the barrel, the spirit breathes in rhythm with the seasons. In summer, the heat expands the wood and forces the liquid deep into the wood fibres. In winter, contraction draws complex compounds — vanillin, soft tannins, lactones — back into the barrel, progressively enriching the aromatic profile.
The angel's share
Each year, a fraction of the barrel's contents evaporates through the oak staves. This "angel's share" represents between 2% and 4% of the volume, depending on the atmospheric conditions in our cellars. This natural loss concentrates the flavours and refines the texture until the silky roundness that characterises our most aged expressions is achieved.