Creation - Heretic Herbs Liqueur

Origin

By the mid XIXth century, in a village of the Pyrenees of the Ariège (Occitanie, France) and moving through its most inaccessible depths, the young and passionate Jean Teichenné created in the family distillery of Massat a liqueur meant to honour those who died because of the dissidence of their beliefs.

Those who dared to oppose the cruelty and fanatism of the established powers, as it had happened within the roman empire twelve centuries earlier. The ones that were called HERETICs, the martyrs of his beloved land and its legacy of rebellion. Shelter of the arts and seed of civilization,
“Ooh moun Ariège”.

Deep into the Languedoc, the last refuge of the Cathars in the XIIIth century. Collecting and selecting the best herbs and plants from the meadows, the valleys and the mountains all over the Ariège, he created the (magic) formula of HERETIC, widely used locally back then and believed to have special properties.

Surrounded by giant mountains, abandoned castles and beneath deep valleys where the occitanian language still survives today, Jean Teichenné determined to reflect the greatness of these wild lands and its ancient traditions. Its essence, its ultimate distillation.

The Pyrenees mountains of the Ariège are a land of magic and rebellion; of ancestral rites. Source of light, since the cathar heresy through our days. HERETIC was created there by Jean Teichenné in the mid XIXth century, selecting the best herbs and botanicals from the deepest valleys to the highest heights. Recovered by the Teichenné family in the XXIth century, it has been recognized best herbs liqueur in the world by the ISWC in 2021.

Godlike Spirit

Search

HERETIC is elaborated with 36 selected botanicals, of which only 10 of them are known. The remaining 26 are totally secret.

Tilia Cordara

Olea europea

Coriandrum sativum

Rosmarinus officinalis

Mentha piperita

Citrus medical

Matricaria recutita

Juniperus communis

Lavandula angustifolia

Gentiana lutea

Botanicals

Travelling with his father to the most remote areas of this Occitanian land, the one where the cathars roamed; through the oldest villages he collected information in order to
assemble the best herbs and botanicals, to produce a unique liqueur, which would be a reflection of the wild beauty of the Ariège.

Iter cum patre ad ultimas regiones istius Occitaniae terrae, una ubi catharii vagabantur; per villas vetustissimas informationes collegit ad optimas herbas et botanicas congregandas, ad producendum liquorem singularem, qui esset repercussio silvestris pulchritudinis Ariège.

Tilia Cordara
Native to much of Europe

Olea europea
Native to the Mediterranean lands

Coriandrum sativum
Southern Europe and Northern Africa

Rosmarinus officinalis
Native to the Mediterranean region

Mentha piperita
Europe and the Middle East

Citrus medical
Mediterranean coast

Matricaria recutita
Native to much of Europe

Juniperus communis
Mountainous areas of Europe

Lavandula angustifolia
Native to the Mediterranean

Gentiana lutea
South-west of France

Botanicals

Brewing process

The selected botanicals are added to the distillation still in the previously established proportions and in different distillation groups based on the botanicals selected. These botanicals are macerated for 24-48 hours with an hydroalcoholic mixture of approximately 50% vol.

2. After this maceration time,
the hydroalcoholic mixture, which
has acted as a solvent, has extracted all the essential properties from the botanicals (colour, aroma and chemical compounds, if applicable).

3. The maceration obtained (hydroalcoholic mixture at 50% vol.) is then distilled in a copper still. During the distillation process the product obtained is separated into three different distillate fractions (heads, bodies and tails).

4. In the process of making HERETIC liqueur we only use the distillate fraction which we call the body of the distillate or good product. T his distillate fraction is the part that contains the best quality of the distillate and the one we use to produce HERETIC herbal liqueur.

5. The different herbal distillates obtained have an alcoholic strength between 70 – 75 %Vol.

Present

Passed secretly generation to generation inside the family and within its spirit-crafting heritage, the formula has made it to our days, being now recovered by the actual company owner Marc Teichenné, grand grand son of Jean, the youngster with a dream that has lasted, that lives on.

Symbolism of an art work

“ART CAN’T REALLY BE EXPLAINED.” It can be observed, loved and felt… This is what inspired Marc Teichenné, passionate about nature, fond of the simplest things as well as literary and historical erudite, to interpret the origin of Jean Teichenné’s legacy through this symbolism, understanding that within an artistic work there are as many lectures as there are spectators.

Awards

Marc Teichenné has recovered the old formula which was kept secret inside the family, being passed down for generations.

It has been awarded with gold medals and recognized best herbs liqueur in the world by the IWSC 2021, Franfurt International Trophy 2022 and Concours International de Lyon.

Tasting note

HERETIC contains 36 different botanicals and herbs. Out of these botanicals, we can highlight gentian, rosemary, thyme and juniper.

APPEARANCE: Dark mahogany colour. Bright and crystalline.

AROMA: The nose is very complex and well structured. HERETIC subtly integrates aromas of botanicals and herbs. All of these combine perfectly with light nuances of gentian.

TASTE AND TEXTURE: Fine and delicate. Silky in the mouth. It goes perfectly with sweet and bitter nuances. Serve very cold (1°C-5°C). Suitable for blending.