Digestifs are drinks that are enjoyed at the end of the meal (in theory to aid the digestion), on their own or with coffee.

Please enquire for more information on our range and availability. 

Cognac and Armagnac

Often people wonder about the difference between Cognac and Armagnac. The obvious difference is the region they come from. Cognac is a vast region between the Loire Valley and Bordeaux, which was a very active port in the 17th century. The Armagnac region is about 300km south of Bordeaux. Cognac very quickly benefited from its geographical position, as exporting was easy. Armagnac remained more of a local product owing to the difficulty of reaching the main port. It is only with improved transport that people outside the region have been able to enjoy Armagnac.

In terms of process and choice of grapes, 98% of Cognacs are made with ugni blanc, whereas Armagnac is usually a blend of 4 main varietals, although it is not rare to have single varietal for Armagnac. If Armagnac is usually distilled once, Cognac requires to be distilled twice, but both are aged in oak barrels. One other difference is the fact that in the Armagnac region, brandies tend to age faster than in Cognac.

We have a selection of both brandies in different sizes and brands.

Calvados

Calvados is a traditional brandy from Normandy, made with pears and apples fermented into an 8% cider, which in turn is passed through a still for further fermentation. We stock different types of Calvados depending on the usage, from cooking Calvados, perfect to flavour dishes, to more selective and exclusive brandies.

Liqueurs

Giffard has been a liqueur-maker since 1885. Emile Giffard, then a pharmacist, developed a mint liqueur for his customers’ digestive problems. The success of the Menthe Pastille was huge, so he transformed his pharmacy into a distillery. Five generations later the family is still in the flavour business, keeping quality at the forefront of their activity.

The Giffard products are sold around the world in more than 70 countries, through a network of local distributors supplying bars, cafés, restaurants, specialised liquor stores and deli stores.

The Giffard range is wide, from syrups to liqueurs and spirits or fruits in brandy. Their Liqueurs range was created with the idea of offering the consumer the most authentic flavour at any time of the year. The flavours range from classic to more surprising ones. The fruit liqueurs are made with genuine flavours; they can be served by themselves on ice, mixed with wine, white or red, or with Champagne to make a Kir royal, used in various cocktails, or drizzled over desserts.