Filliers: six generations of craftsmanship
Led by sixth-generation master distiller Benoit Filliers, family-owned Filliers Distillery combines passion, heritage and craftsmanship to produce spirits from grain to glass.
With roots dating back to 1880, Filliers showcases its commitment to quality, innovation, and traditional values in each bottle produced at the distillery. More importantly, Fillers products are said to represent the family’s mission of creating shared, enjoyable moments.
Filliers Distillery started as a side project linked to the family’s farming activities and has since grown into one of the last artisanal distilleries in Belgium. A pivotal moment in Filliers’ history was when Karel Lodewijk Filliers, the distillery’s first master distiller, installed a steam engine. This innovation accelerated the distillation process and established the foundation for the modern distillery.
Each generation of the Filliers family has contributed to the distillery’s evolution, blending new ideas with the core principles that have guided them from the beginning. Filliers aims to inspire others to rediscover the essence of craftsmanship. The distillery is more than just a place of production; it is a space where history meets innovation, and every drop tells a story.
The distillery has been making malt whisky since 2008 using high-quality Belgian grains from Belgomalt. Milled and mashed at the Filliers estate, the distillery is a self-contained operation where fermentation, distillation, and maturation occur on site, allowing it to maintain strict quality control and ensure authenticity. Today, Filliers’ portfolio includes a 10-year-old expression, Bourbon cask-matured non-age statement whisky, and two recently launched single malts: Pedro Ximénez (PX) Cask Strength and a 15-year-old.
Led by sixth-generation master distiller Benoit Filliers, the distillery believes that “innovation is not a departure from tradition; it is a continuation of it”. Benoit is quoted as saying: “At Filliers, we believe that to honour our heritage, we must also embrace the future. Each new technique or idea we adopt is grounded in the principles that have defined us for generations.”
The distillery believes this drives the distillery’s passion for creating ‘exceptional spirits’ while exploring new possibilities in whisky production. Continuously refining their production processes, Filliers experiments with different methods and seeks new inspirations that align with the family’s values.
A vision for the future
Filliers is committed to upholding its traditions while expanding its whisky portfolio. Each new offering aims to reflect the same dedication to quality that has defined the distillery for over a century.
Sustainability is an integral part of the family-owned distillery’s philosophy. The distillery’s vision encompasses not only the production of world-class spirits but also initiatives that promote social and environmental responsibility. From harnessing the heat generated during the distillation process to reduce energy consumption, to repurposing spent grain for swine feed, Filliers demonstrates its commitment to minimising waste and supporting the community. Recognising the importance of positively impacting the environment, Filliers actively engages with the local community, emphasising sustainability and social responsibility in its craft.
The distillery invites consumers to join them on the journey from grain to glass, creating moments together. Every sip of Filliers whisky is said to reflect the family’s legacy of craftsmanship, filled with possibilities for the future.
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