Distillerie des Alpes

What Distillerie des Alpes does

Distillerie des Alpes is a traditional French distillery founded in 1883 in Chambéry, Savoie, and operating today as a privately held SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) with registered share capital of €5,620,230. The company produces a portfolio of Alpine spirits and liqueurs organized into four core categories: herbal liqueurs (Génépi à l'Ancienne, Coiron Jaune, Coiron Vert); Vermouth de Chambéry in Rouge, Blanc, and Dry variants — the only vermouth carrying a French AOC designation, made from Jacquère grape and macerated with regional botanicals; aniseed aperitifs and spirits (Pastis des Alpes, Pastis 1889, Absinthe); and fruit creams and liqueurs (Crème de Marron, Liqueur de Mandarine), with La Raphaëlle positioned as an exceptional premium spirit tracing to an 1865 recipe with over 70 botanicals.

Production relies on traditional artisanal distillation through a restored historic 1901 copper alembic still (operational since 1998 after a 50-year hiatus) paired with a modern Stupfler still, long maceration cycles, and oak barrel aging for selected vermouths. Botanical complexity is a technical signature, with individual liqueurs blending 18 to 35+ Alpine plants, flowers, and spices — including herbs hand-harvested above 1,500 metres altitude — under the formulation control of a Master Distiller. Secret recipes date to founder Philibert Routin and remain preserved in a safe.

The business model is wholesale spirits manufacturing and one-time retail sale through a curated French distribution network of wine merchants (cavistes), delicatessens (épiceries fines), and on-premise restaurants, with a store-locator-enabled website, organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), and an extensive cocktail recipe database driving consumer pull-through. The company serves primarily individual French consumers seeking premium Alpine aperitifs, digestifs, cocktail ingredients, and gifts, and has historical export exposure to the United States from a 1960s expansion. The Philibert sub-brand launched in 2014 signals ongoing product modernization under the 2024 narrative of new entrepreneurial spirits-industry ownership.

Name

Distillerie des Alpes

Legal name

SAS DISTILLERIE DES ALPES

Website

https://distilleriedesalpes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Distillerie des Alpes is a traditional French distillery founded in 1883 in Chambéry, producing premium Alpine spirits, liqueurs, and AOC Vermouth de Chambéry for individual consumers through a curated network of French wine merchants, delicatessens, and restaurants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Spirits and Liqueurs

NAICS

Distilleries (31214)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)

Keywords

• Artisanal distillery
• Alpine herbal liqueurs
• Vermouth production
• Spirits manufacturing
• Traditional distillation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chambéry

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Spirits and Liqueurs Sales: Traditional distillery revenue from manufacturing and selling alcoholic beverages including Génépi liqueurs, vermouths, pastis, absinthe, and fruit creams/liqueurs through retail partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Distillerie des Alpes is a traditional French distillery that manufactures and sells a portfolio of Alpine alcoholic beverages, including herbal liqueurs (Génépi à l'Ancienne, Coiron Jaune, Coiron Vert), Vermouth de Chambéry (Rouge, Blanc, Dry) fortified with Alpine botanicals, fruit creams and liqueurs (Crème de Marron, Liqueur de Mandarine), aniseed aperitifs and spirits (Pastis des Alpes, Pastis 1889, Absinthe), and the exceptional spirit La Raphaëlle. Products are crafted in Chambéry using a 1901 historic copper alembic and a modern Stupfler still, with maceration of 18-35+ botanicals and oak barrel aging.

Product overview

Distillerie des Alpes is a traditional French distillery offering a portfolio of alpine alcoholic beverages. The product lineup centers on four main categories: herbal liqueurs (Génépi à l'Ancienne, Coiron Jaune, Coiron Vert) featuring traditional Alpine botanicals; Vermouth de Chambéry in three variants (Rouge, Blanc, and Dry) as fortified wines with alpine herbs; fruit creams and liqueurs including Crème de Marron and Liqueur de Mandarine; and aniseed aperitifs/spirits such as Pastis des Alpes, Pastis 1889, and Absinthe. The portfolio is capped by La Raphaëlle as an exceptional/premium spirit offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Philibert: A sub-brand launched in 2014 paying tribute to founder Philibert Routin, featuring a range of liqueurs and spirits.

Products and services

• Génépi à l'Ancienne Traditional alpine herbal liqueur made according to historical recipes using Génépi plants hand-harvested in the Alps, distilled via the historic 1901 copper still. Targeted at consumers of premium heritage French liqueurs.
• Coiron Jaune Yellow alpine herbal liqueur blending 35 plants, flowers, and spices (angelica, verbena, saffron, cardamom, elderflower) with honey, then aged in oak casks. Aimed at spirits enthusiasts seeking complex botanical liqueurs.
• Coiron Vert Green alpine herbal liqueur featuring the Coiron herb with botanical complexity from Alpine flora. Targeted at consumers of premium French herbal liqueurs.
• Vermouth de Chambéry Rouge Red Chambéry vermouth crafted from Jacquère grape variety and Alpine botanicals, macerated for several weeks with select variants aged in oak barrels for six months. Carries the AOC-controlled designation. For aperitif and cocktail use.
• Vermouth de Chambéry Blanc White Chambéry vermouth — a fortified wine flavored with Alpine herbs and spices, AOC-controlled. Suited for neat consumption or as a cocktail base.
• Vermouth de Chambéry Dry Dry Chambéry vermouth with a crisp, less sweet profile — AOC-controlled and favored for classic dry cocktails.
• Crème de Marron (Crème de Châtaigne) Chestnut cream liqueur made from Alpine chestnuts, suitable for neat tasting, dessert pairing, or cocktail use.
• Liqueur de Mandarine Mandarin orange liqueur with citrus notes, intended for cocktail use, dessert pairing, or neat tasting.
• Pastis des Alpes Traditional aniseed aperitif produced in the Alpine region, intended for casual aperitif service.
• Pastis 1889 Premium aniseed aperitif referencing the company's founding era (around 1889), positioned at the upper end of its aniseed range.
• Absinthe Traditional absinthe spirit made with alpine wormwood, positioned as a connoisseur aniseed spirit.
• La Raphaëlle Premium exceptional spirit (up to 45°) representing the distillery's finest craftsmanship, with an original recipe from 1865 (Brother Raphaël/Hyppolite Bonal) using over 70 botanicals. Targeted at collectors and premium spirits enthusiasts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vermouth de Chambéry holds the only French AOC designation for vermouth

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Maison Dolin: The other producer of Vermouth de Chambéry under the same AOC; shares the protected Chambéry vermouth appellation, regional Chambéry production base, and similar premium on-trade positioning—making it the closest direct competitor in the company's flagship category.
• Distillerie de la Grande Chartreuse: Historic French herbal liqueur distillery producing Chartreuse Green and Yellow from 130+ botanicals; directly comparable to Distillerie des Alpes as a tradition-driven, Alpine-rooted liqueur producer with complex botanical formulations and a tightly held distillation craft.
• Maison Noilly Prat: One of the world's oldest vermouth houses, founded in 1813 in the south of France; directly comparable as a heritage French vermouth producer serving global on-trade and premium retail channels with a similar craft-positioned brand story.
• Distillerie de Savoie: Another Alpine-rooted French distillery producing génépi, liqueurs, and eaux-de-vie in Savoie; comparable as a regional Savoyard craft distillery targeting similar on-trade and specialty retail channels in the same geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• Rémy Cointreau: Premium French spirits group encompassing liqueurs, cognac, and aperitif brands; relevant as a French premium spirits incumbent against which Distillerie des Alpes' artisanal positioning is differentiated, particularly in aperitif and herbal liqueur segments.
• Stock Spirits Group: Central and Eastern European spirits producer with Italian heritage brands (Stock, Limoncè) including herbal liqueurs and aperitifs; relevant as a broader regional spirits manufacturer competing in adjacent liqueur categories across European markets.
• Carpano Antica Formula: Historic Italian vermouth brand (1786) now owned by Fratelli Branca, producing a premium point-of-difference vermouth comparable to Distillerie des Alpes' Vermouth de Chambéry in the craft/cocktail vermouth tier internationally.
• Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits: Heritage French liqueur producer founded in 1755, offering a broad portfolio of fruit creams, herbal liqueurs, and aniseed spirits; comparable as a multi-category French liqueur house with overlapping SKU types (fruit creams, herbal liqueurs) but much larger scale and broader distribution.
• Pernod: Iconic French pastis brand (aniseed aperitif) under Pernod Ricard; comparable to Distillerie des Alpes' Pastis des Alpes and Pastis 1889 in the aniseed aperitif category, but operating at vastly larger scale across mainstream retail and global markets.

Emerging players

• Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto: Modern Italian artisanal liqueur brand built around bergamot and Mediterranean botanicals; comparable to Distillerie des Alpes as an emerging premium liqueur built on regional terroir and complex botanical recipes, with a more developed global on-trade presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=YeEDy0Wd9ZI
• Facebookfacebook.com/distilleriedesalpes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/distillerie-des-alpes
• Instagraminstagram.com/distillerie_des_alpes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Distillerie des Alpes