Hans Reisetbauer Elderberry Eau-de-Vie

Elderberry is one of the most demanding fruits Hans Reisetbauer works with, and the numbers explain why almost nobody else bothers: it takes 35 kilograms — over 77 pounds — of ripe elderberries to produce a single liter of this eau-de-vie, nearly three times what his famous Williams pear requires. The berries are harvested, cleaned, destemmed, and mashed, then fermented in stainless steel for 18 days at a precisely held 18°C, a long, cool ferment that preserves the fruit's delicate aromatics. Double distillation in a Christian Carl copper pot still keeps only the heart of the run — heads and tails are discarded — and the spirit rests a minimum of three years in stainless steel before bottling at 41.5% ABV with spring water from the Mühlviertel. What comes out bears little resemblance to elderberry syrup or the floral elderflower liqueurs most people know. Skurnik's tasters describe a curious medley of fruit and confection on the nose — sour cherry, orange, lemon, and cacao — that carries through the palate with pink peppercorn, cream, and white pepper over warming chocolate undertones. Other tasters find marzipan and nougat, soft sweetness against piquant spice, and a pleasant nutty bittersweetness. Robust, earthy, and genuinely surprising. Serve it lightly chilled after a meal, or as a startling base for a Champagne cocktail.

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