Getting under the skin of yuzu: from Japan to Morocco, the quest for our perfect citrus

"At first, we looked to Japan, obviously. Yuzu is their national treasure. But when we tasted it was too acidic. It wasn't what we were looking for." - Fannie, R&C Manager Maison Ferrand

The first attempt wasn't convincing. Japanese yuzu was magnificent, but its sharp acidity didn't match the profile the team wanted to capture: a brighter fruit, rounder, capable of adding a luscious quality to our spirits.

"We wanted to capture those dessert-like qualities, like lemon tart, that sensation of natural sugar that you feel in ripe fruits." - Fannie

An unexpected detour: heading to Morocco

It is at this moment that we stumbled upon L’Agrumiste, a leading specialist in exceptional citrus fruits, especially in Morocco, collaborating with renowned pastry chefs such as Pierre Hermé, Alain Passard, and Benoît Charvet.

Their philosophy, based on working incredibly closely with their producers in search for the perfect fruit, echoed that of ours at Maison Ferrand.

"When we arrived, the yuzu season was almost over. But there were still a few fruits on the trees… We tasted them, and it was a revelation. Nothing like Japan: richer, more luscious, warmer." - Fannie

That day, the team knew they had found "The" yuzu.

This find marked a new chapter in the history of Maison Ferrand.

Balance as an obsession

Back at Bonbonnet, the Research & Creation team went to work:

"We tested, retested, macerated, distilled… until we found the right balance between alcohol content, maceration time, and aromatic intensity."

Part of the macerate is distilled: it provides the aroma and freshness. The other is added raw, to preserve the roundness and texture of the fruit.

From Gin to Curaçao

Yuzu then became an aromatic signature of several Citadelle Gin creations, such as the limited edition Maisonnette and the ever-popular Jardin d'Été.

"It's such an expressive fruit, that it deserves its separate distillation. We treat it like a soloist before integrating it into the entire orchestra." - Fannie

The result is a zesty, bright, and precise gin that enhances the natural freshness of the fruit without overdoing it.

Yuzu also took on a central role in Ferrand Dry Curaçao Yuzu Late Harvest, a blend that is both bright and luscious.

A fruit, a philosophy

"This project is very us: starting from an idea, making mistakes, starting over, traveling, tasting, and above all listening to the fruit. Moroccan yuzu is a beautiful lesson in humility." - Fannie

More than an ingredient, yuzu embodies this permanent curiosity that fuels Maison Ferrand: pushing the boundaries of creativity and flavour.