Citadelle
Citadelle is a French craft gin producer, founded in 1996 by Alexandre Gabriel, that distills five core gin expressions using a patented progressive infusion technique with 19 botanicals at Château de Bonbonnet, selling globally through wholesale plus a direct-to-consumer distillery-experience channel serving premium spirit consumers, bartenders, and tourists.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersArs, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Citadelle does
Citadelle is a French craft gin producer founded in 1996 by Alexandre Gabriel and operated under the privately held Maison Ferrand group. The company distills gin at Château de Bonbonnet near Cognac, using a patented progressive infusion technique applied across 19 botanicals, distilled in nine hand-restored copper Charentais stills, with proprietary juniper sourced from 12 hectares of estate fields and 5,700 cultivated trees. Its product portfolio comprises five core expressions — Original, Jardin d'Été, Rouge, Zero (non-alcoholic), and No Mistake Old Tom — supplemented by limited editions (Les Excentriques, Distillery Exclusives) and the aged Réserve, which is matured in acacia, mulberry, cherry, chestnut, and French oak casks before finishing in a 2.45-meter egg-shaped cask.
The business model combines premium packaged gin sales through global wholesale (retail, hospitality, hotels, bars) with a direct-to-consumer channel built around the Château de Bonbonnet visitor center, including a distillery boutique, paid tours (€15), and mixology workshops and tastings (€49). Citadelle monetizes both bottled product and on-site experiences for gin and related Maison Ferrand spirits (Planteray Rum, Ferrand Cognac). Marketing is asset-light and experiential, centered on the "world's first craft gin" heritage narrative, social media content, the Citadelle Guardians bartender competition, and earned-media coverage in publications such as Le Figaro and Food & Wine.
Citadelle serves four primary consumer segments: premium gin enthusiasts, bartenders and mixologists, regional tourists visiting the Cognac area, and spirits collectors, with no single segment dominating and no named enterprise customer concentration disclosed. The company is independent and family-owned, with no external venture or private-equity investment evidenced in the source material, and operates with a headcount in the 11-50 range across offices in Paris (corporate headquarters) and Ars (production facility).
Citadelle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Citadelle
- Legal name
- Maison Ferrand
- Website
- https://citadellegin.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Citadelle is a French craft gin producer, founded in 1996 by Alexandre Gabriel, that distills five core gin expressions using a patented progressive infusion technique with 19 botanicals at Château de Bonbonnet, selling globally through wholesale plus a direct-to-consumer distillery-experience channel serving premium spirit consumers, bartenders, and tourists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Citadelle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Gin
- NAICS
- Distilleries (31214), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Craft Distilleries & Microdistilleries (THAFALAH), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)
Keywords
Where Citadelle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ars
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Citadelle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Gin Product Sales: Sale of premium craft gin products including Original, Jardin d'Été, Rouge, Zero, No Mistake Old Tom, and limited editions. Revenue from direct product sales at distillery boutique and through various retail channels.
- Distillery Experiences: Revenue from paid distillery tours, mixology workshops, and tasting experiences at Château de Bonbonnet. Tour prices at €15, workshop and tasting experiences at €49 per person.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Distillery Tour - €15 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mixology Workshop - €49 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cognac Ferrand Tasting - €49 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Planteray Rum Tasting - €49 per person |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Citadelle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Citadelle produces and sells premium craft gin expressions (Original, Jardin d'Été, Rouge, Zero, No Mistake Old Tom, and limited editions) distilled at Château de Bonbonnet in southwest France using a patented progressive infusion technique with 19 botanicals. The company also operates paid on-site distillery experiences including guided tours (€15), mixology workshops (€49), and curated tastings of related Maison Ferrand spirits (Planteray Rum and Ferrand Cognac).
Product overview
Citadelle Gin is a French craft gin brand created in 1996 by Alexandre Gabriel at Château de Bonbonnet, near Cognac. The portfolio consists of five core gin expressions (Original, Jardin d'Été, Rouge, Zero, and No Mistake Old Tom) supplemented by limited edition releases including Les Excentriques, Distillery Exclusives, and aged Réserve. The company also operates visitor experiences at its distillery including guided tours, mixology workshops, and tastings of related Maison Ferrand spirits (Planteray Rum and Ferrand Cognac). All gins use a proprietary progressive infusion technique with 19 botanicals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Citadelle Original: The flagship French craft gin, dry and structured with 19 botanicals including juniper, citrus, and exotic spices.
- Citadelle Jardin d'Été
- Citadelle Rouge
- Citadelle Zero
- Citadelle No Mistake Old Tom
- Les Excentriques
- Distillery Exclusives
Products and services
- Citadelle Original Gin The flagship dry French craft gin, produced since 1996 with 19 botanicals using the patented progressive infusion technique. Recognized with over 100 medals including a Master Medal at Gin Masters 2025. Targeted at premium spirit consumers, bartenders, and mixologists for both classic cocktails (gin & tonic, martini, negroni) and neat consumption.
- Citadelle Jardin d'Été Summer gin inspired by the Château de Bonbonnet garden, featuring notes of Charentais melon, lemon, yuzu, and orange. Awarded Spirit of the Year, Gin of the Year, and Double Gold Medal at Bartender Spirits Awards 2024, and Best Gin in France at World Gin Awards 2024.
- Citadelle Rouge Red fruit gin infused with cranberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, and rhubarb, built on the 19 original botanicals. Named Best Gin at the 2023 Spirits of the Year competition.
- Citadelle Zero
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 medals earned since creation
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Citadelle
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Citadelle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Citadelle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Citadelle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sipsmith: Sipsmith is a London-based craft gin pioneer using traditional copper pot distillation, mirroring Citadelle's craft gin heritage and emphasis on small-batch production with heritage storytelling and distillery tours.
- Monkey 47: Monkey 47 is a premium German craft gin with 47 botanicals and a Black Forest distillery experience, closely comparable to Citadelle's botanical complexity, premium pricing, distillery visitor center, and award-winning positioning.
- The Botanist: The Botanist is a premium Islay-based craft gin with 31 botanicals foraged locally, comparable to Citadelle's terroir-led botanical sourcing, premium craft positioning, and strong bartender and on-premise presence.
- Bombay Sapphire: Bombay Sapphire is a globally distributed premium gin (now Bacardi-owned) that competes with Citadelle in bartender and on-premise channels with vapor-infused botanicals; relevant as a scale benchmark for international craft gin expansion.
- Aviation Gin: Aviation Gin is a craft American gin built on botanical complexity and brand storytelling, comparable to Citadelle's premium craft positioning and emphasis on aromatic, mixologist-friendly gin profiles.
- Hendrick's Gin: Hendrick's is a premium craft-style gin with apothecary-style branding and unusual botanical infusions (cucumber, rose), directly comparable to Citadelle's premium craft gin positioning, 19-botanical recipe, and bartender-led marketing.
- Plymouth Gin: Plymouth Gin is a heritage English gin with protected geographic indication, comparable to Citadelle's emphasis on regional provenance (French Cognac region), heritage branding, and distillery experience as a brand pillar.
- G'Vine: G'Vine is a French craft gin (Maison Villevert) that uses vine flower as a signature botanical; directly comparable to Citadelle as a French craft gin with botanical-led storytelling and premium positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Tanqueray: Tanqueray is a global mass-premium gin incumbent owned by Diageo; relevant as a benchmark for global distribution scale, on-premise share, and category management that Citadelle competes against for shelf space and bartender mindshare.
Emerging players
- St-Germain: St-Germain is a French premium elderflower liqueur built on terroir storytelling, comparable to Citadelle in its French craft positioning, mixology-driven marketing, and global bartender-led distribution model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Citadelle social profiles
Digital presenceCitadelle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Citadelle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Citadelle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Citadelle M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Citadelle
What does Citadelle do?
Citadelle produces and sells premium craft gin expressions (Original, Jardin d'Été, Rouge, Zero, No Mistake Old Tom, and limited editions) distilled at Château de Bonbonnet in southwest France using a patented progressive infusion technique with 19 botanicals. The company also operates paid on-site distillery experiences including guided tours (€15), mixology workshops (€49), and curated tastings of related Maison Ferrand spirits (Planteray Rum and Ferrand Cognac).
Is Citadelle a public or private company?
Citadelle is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Citadelle founded?
Citadelle was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Citadelle based?
Citadelle is headquartered in Ars, France, in the Europe region.
How does Citadelle make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Gin Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are distillery Experiences.
Who are Citadelle's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sipsmith, Monkey 47, The Botanist, Bombay Sapphire, Aviation Gin, Hendrick's Gin, Plymouth Gin and G'Vine. Tanqueray is listed as a broad incumbent. St-Germain is listed as an emerging player.
Does Citadelle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Citadelle.
What industry is Citadelle in?
Citadelle's product category is Craft Gin. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAG, Distilleries (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 31214 and its SIC code is 2080.