A clear plum brandy served ice cold after a heavy meal, distilled from the small yellow mirabelle plums grown across Luxembourg and neighbouring Lorraine — historically at licensed farm stills that travelled from village to village.
Distilling without a licence is a criminal offence, and stone-fruit mashes need careful cutting because the fruit’s pectin breaks down into methanol as it ferments.
What goes into it
- ripe mirabelle plums
- nothing else
How it is made
Stoned ripe mirabelles are mashed and fermented on their own sugars for two to four weeks, then distilled twice in a copper pot still. The distiller cuts away the volatile head and the weak tail and keeps only the heart, which is rested in glass — never wood, so it stays clear — for months before bottling.
How long it takes: weeks to ferment, then months resting in glass
How it is eaten
Ice cold in a small tulip glass after a rich meal.
History
Distilled from the small yellow mirabelle plums grown across Luxembourg and neighbouring Lorraine, historically at licensed farm stills.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mirabelle eau-de-vie?
Mirabelle eau-de-vie is a wine & spirit from Luxembourg: clear plum brandy served ice cold after a heavy meal. Distilled from the small yellow mirabelle plums grown across Luxembourg and neighbouring Lorraine, historically at licensed farm stills.
How is Mirabelle eau-de-vie made?
Stoned ripe mirabelles are mashed and fermented on their own sugars for two to four weeks, then distilled twice in a copper pot still. The distiller cuts away the volatile head and the weak tail and keeps only the heart, which is rested in glass — never wood, so it stays clear — for months before bottling. It takes weeks to ferment, then months resting in glass.
Can I make Mirabelle eau-de-vie at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. Distilling without a licence is a criminal offence, and stone-fruit mashes need careful cutting because the fruit’s pectin breaks down into methanol as it ferments.
What goes into Mirabelle eau-de-vie?
Ripe mirabelle plums, nothing else.
How is Mirabelle eau-de-vie eaten?
Ice cold in a small tulip glass after a rich meal.
