Citadelle: The original French gin

Born in 1996 in France, Citadelle was created by Alexandre Gabriel as a pioneering craft gin, setting new standards for flavour exploration.

Many people lack the determination to explore uncharted ideas. Fortunately, visionaries like Alexandre Gabriel, the mastermind behind Maison Ferrand, combine boundless imagination with perseverance to turn dreams into reality.

After reviving the Ferrand Cognac house, Gabriel began to consider the creative possibilities for the antique copper stills that traditionally only distil Cognac a few months a year. After five years of persuasion, Gabriel successfully gained the French customs authorities’ approval to use the stills to create the first premium craft gin, Citadelle.

Citadelle not only paved the way to the global gin renaissance, but it remains a pioneer of a true ‘gin de château.’

The historic Château de Bonbonnet, in the village of Ars near Cognac on the west coast of France, is the home of Citadelle Gin. Surrounded by fields of organic juniper trees and a beautiful orangerie with various citrus fruits, the distillery experiments with vibrant, unique flavours that make its gins sing.

Founded as an independent, family‐owned gin, Citadelle employs a patented infusion method to capture the essence of 19 exotic and all‐natural botanicals. This innovative technique, developed by Gabriel, involves infusing each berry, citrus, and spice at different alcohol levels. The process creates Citadelle’s flagship Original Gin, which serves as the foundation for increasingly creative interpretations that become more adventurous each year and are rooted in sustainability and tradition.

Experimental laboratory

But Château de Bonbonnet is more than just a distillery: it is an experimental laboratory, allowing Gabriel and his team to explore traditional techniques and innovative new applications. Some of the adventurous expressions from Citadelle include Jardin d’Été, which was inspired by the local fruits in the château’s summer garden. In contrast, Citadelle Rouge combines red berries and rhubarb for an extra kick, while the Old Tom aged gin revives a popular style from the 19th century. The distillery also offers an eccentric array of limited editions, indulging its wildest flavour fantasies with unique infusions such as Sichuan peppers, smoked juniper berries, and even cornichon pickles.

The distillery and Spice Room are housed in a restored 18th‐century stone building, now transformed into a cathedral of gin. Visitors are invited to explore the complete gin‐ making process, starting from the estate’s juniper fields and orangerie, and ending in the tasting room, bar, and boutique, which features exclusive gin expressions and other spirits from Maison Ferrand.

Visitors are also invited to explore the distillery’s impressive collection of 10 stills, some of which date back to the 1800s, while others are from the 20th century. To highlight and preserve the history of copperworking in the Charente region, the distillery established its own workshop in 2024, with a talented coppersmith, to maintain its collection of stills and uphold the region’s traditional craftsmanship.

Citadelle Gin continues to be a benchmark for craft gins worldwide, boasting a dedicated customer base in over 75 countries. Since its launch in 1996, the gin has been recognised with more than 180 industry accolades. Most recently, Citadelle Original was awarded a Master medal at the 2025 Gin Masters.

As a key ingredient in ‘the perfect’ gin and tonic, Citadelle Gin continues to captivate gin enthusiasts with its premium quality, distinctive character, and the ideal balance between finesse and intensity.

www.citadellegin.com/en/visitus