Les Caves de la Maison Broutin — Genièvre & Local Spirits
Genièvre — the Flemish grain spirit that is the direct ancestor of Dutch and English gin — has been distilled in the Hauts-de-France for centuries, and the Maison Broutin in Saint-Omer is one of the best places in the region to taste, buy and understand it. The vaulted stone cellar alone is worth the detour.
What makes Audomarois genièvre special
Unlike London dry gin, genièvre is made from a malted grain base — rye, wheat and malted barley — giving it a rounder, slightly whisky-like body before the juniper and botanicals are added. The Saint-Omer style tends to be softer and more aromatic than the Dutch jenever you might know.
Broutin stocks aged expressions — some rested in oak for three years or more — that develop a honeyed complexity completely unlike anything you can find outside this corner of northern France.
How to taste and what to pair
The staff will walk you through a short tasting, explaining the difference between jonge (young, lighter) and vieux (aged, richer) styles. The classic local serve is a small glass alongside a cup of strong coffee — a combination called a pousse-café that the maraîchers have been drinking since the 18th century.
Pick up a bottle of the house vieux genièvre as a gift; it travels well and will be completely unknown to almost everyone you give it to, which is half the pleasure.
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