Maurin Quina Le Puy Aperitif 750ml

Maurin Quina was created in 1884 by Auguste Maurin, who opened a distillery in Esplay, near Le Puy-en-Velay in the Auvergne region of central France, founding the Maurin-Brenas enterprise to produce aromatized wines rooted in the area's long tradition of viticulture and herbal distillation. The aperitif became internationally recognized in 1906 through an advertising poster by Italian artist Leonetto Cappiello, whose image of a mischievous green devil uncorking a bottle became one of the defining symbols of Belle Époque poster art and remains on the label today.

This aperitif starts with a base of white wine, fortified and flavored through the maceration of wild cherries, cinchona bark for quinine, and bitter almonds, along with the addition of cherry brandy and both lemon and cherry juice. The wine base and long fruit maceration set it apart from spirit-based bitters, giving the finished aperitif a lighter, wine-forward character. It is bottled at 16% alcohol by volume, with a delicate pale red hue that reflects its cherry and wine components.

Maurin Quina offers a fruity, delicate bouquet of tart wild cherry, light lemon, and subtle almond, layered over the earthy bitterness of quinine. The palate is soft and fruit-driven at first, giving way to a floral, tart finish with lingering bitter, earthy notes.