Clairin Communal
A blend of four Clairins, each drawn from the distinct communes of Cavaillon, Barradères, Pignon and St Michel de l'Attalaye. Produced without herbicides or pesticides and fermented with natural yeasts, it is distilled in small alembic stills — a process as unhurried and elemental as the terroir it reflects.
Nose
Green peppers, aloe vera, tropical fruit
Palate
Kiwi, pear skin, banana
Finish
Green chili, menthol
The nose on this reminds me why I love clairin and pulls together the four clairins in this blend deftly. It is beautifully fresh with a combination of white floral notes, some vegetal character – crunchy green peppers, aloe vera, and some tropical fruits too, like green banana. It has an underlying diesel note to it too, which is clairin all over. The palate is big, immediately pulling the more vegetal characteristics to the forefront, which have become more herbaceous, while moving into some sweetness of the fruit, this time fluffy kiwi skin, waxy pear skin, and that crunchy green banana too. This evolves into something quite spicy as well, with jalapeno greenness and some hot pepper right on the finish. The finish is long and continues to carry those spicy and vegetal notes right to the end, along with a menthol-esque numbing quality, too.
