Wine-growers in the French region of Saintonge for over two centuries, the Merlet family installed its first still in around 1850 in order to begin distilling and producing cognac. Over generations, they have refined their craft and now produce unique eaux de vie that are characteristic of the Saintonge terroir. Everything, from the alchemy of the still’s copper to the oak of the barrels, comes together over time to allow their eaux de vie to blossom into harmonious cognacs. In the 1970s, the creation of the Cassis plantation represented the first step in the diversification of the local wine-making terroir. The birth of the Crème de Cassis of Saintonge Boisée led to the creation of a range of fruit crèmes that are today extremely well-known.