Langlois Pere et Fils Creme de Cassis Liqueur 500ml

Catherine and Michel Langlois produce their crème de cassis from their family estate in the Loire Valley, near Pouilly-sur-Loire, where clay and limestone soils and a cool climate suit the blackcurrant bushes they grow themselves. The style of liqueur they make has deep roots in Burgundy, where crème de cassis first became popular in the 1840s before spreading through French wine country and into classic drinks like the Kir. The Langlois family has since built a reputation for a more artisanal, estate grown approach to a category often dominated by industrial producers.

The liqueur is made entirely from Noir de Bourgogne blackcurrants, a variety prized for its concentrated aroma despite naturally low yields, farmed using organic practices. After harvest, the berries are frozen to rupture their cell walls before maceration in neutral alcohol, a technique meant to draw out maximum flavor and color without relying on additives or artificial extracts. The result is bottled as a non-vintage liqueur, allowing the Langlois family to maintain a consistent style from year to year despite natural variation in the fruit.

In the glass, this crème de cassis shows a deep, opaque ruby purple color with a noticeably viscous, slow moving texture. The nose offers freshly crushed blackcurrant and violet, along with a savory, slightly green note reminiscent of cassis leaf that adds complexity beyond simple fruitiness. On the palate it is full bodied and sweet, but a vibrant tartness keeps it from feeling heavy, making it equally suited to a classic Kir or Kir Royale, drizzled over vanilla ice cream, or paired with a soft cheese like Brie.