The world’s first pickle gin

This limited edition lets Maison Ferrand spotlight an ingredient rarely seen in gin, the humble pickle. True to the spirit of our Excentrique line, we chose to layer pickle notes onto the aromatic base of our pioneering gin Citadelle Original. To do so, we blend two separate distillates: one made by soaking pickles in a water-alcohol mix for six days, and a second created after rinsing those same pickles with water to capture the leftover flavors, then adding that rinse to the vinegar brine. To stand up to the 19 botanicals in our Château gin, we needed a pickle of equal caliber. 

That’s why we partnered with Maison Marc. Renowned among food lovers and Michelin-starred chefs alike, this family-run farm grows its cucumbers without insecticides, herbicides, or preservatives. Every cucumber is hand-picked in Burgundy, letting the French terroir shine through. 

The result is a one-of-a-kind gin with a bold character. On the palate, Citadelle Vive le Cornichon! starts with classic juniper, then dives into bright, tangy pickle notes that add a gentle salinity. It ends with a long finish accented by subtle hints of mustard and pearl onion, flavors drawn from the distilled brine. 

An award-winning gin crafted for dining

This year, Citadelle Vive le Cornichon! snagged a gold medal at The Spirits Business Gin Masters, yet another international nod to Citadelle’s know-how and its patented progressive-infusion method, perfected since 1996. Created by our founder and master distiller Alexandre Gabriel, the patented process tailors maceration time and alcohol strength for each of the 19 botanicals, starting - of course - with juniper. The result: every ingredient shows off its complete flavor spectrum. 

Citadelle Vive le Cornichon! is stellar in a Gin & Tonic, pairing well with raclette or traditional cheese fondue. The gin’s freshness and acidity, combined with the herbal, spicy, and lightly pickled notes of our Cornichon Martini (recipe below), perfectly balance the richness of cheese in these dishes. Cheers! And Vive le Cornichon! 

Cornichon Martini

Ingredients 

  • Citadelle Gin Vive le Cornichon!: 2 oz
  • Dry Vermouth : 0.5 oz
  • Pickle – To garnish

Method 

  1. Add the Citadelle Vive le Cornichon! and dry vermouth into a mixing glass with ice and stir until very cold
  2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
  3. Garnish with a pickle

Serve and enjoy!