Awen Nature, France

In the small town Chevaigné in Brittany, France, Julien Fanny has founded the Awen Nature distillery, realizing a longstanding dream of his.

He produces the first, high quality organic spirits in Brittany. This includes, among others, 4 absinthes and one ‘almost-liqueur’ flavored using verbena , that we are now proud to offer you in our shop.

Below you'll learn more about the small distillery, Julien’s bond with nature and tradition, and his use of traditional production methods. And most importantly – Julien’s willingness to experiment and innovate – of the 4 absinthes released by Awen Nature, 3 of them use completely innovative plants to give them colour: Saffron, Verbena and something wild and secret Julien would not share with us!

The genesis of Awen Nature

Ever since he was a child, Julien watched his aunt preparing different plant-based products. That is how his passion for plants and their properties developed.

When Julien had to give up his profession as artist blacksmith, he knew that this would be the right time to turn his passion for plants into his profession. After an extensive research of old absinthe recipes, he founded the Awen Nature distillery in 2013.

This has been supported by crowdfunding which allowed Julien to purchase a bigger copper pot still in order to increase the production volume. He was also able to buy the plants and herbs that he needed for the distillation.

All of the Awen Nature spirits are produced according to traditional recipes and old production methods. These are the same methods that were used before the absinthe ban in 1915.

The labels were designed by the artist Gwladys Rose. Celtic traditions from Brittany have been taken as an inspiration for them. Some of the labels depict nymphs or fairies that represent the fusion between humanity and nature.

An environmental friendly production

The word “Nature” in the name of the distillery already gives a clue to the importance of an environmental friendly production at the distillery.

Sustainability and environmental protection play an important role. Julien uses recyclable materials and environmentally friendly packaging. He even delivers his spirits by himself by bicycle to customers in Rennes, the nearest large town.

A product range of unique organic spirits

The distiller loves to experiment with new plants in order to discover other aromas and to perfect the taste of his spirits.

This is also reflected in his product range: the blanche is a refreshing change from a typical Swiss bleue, using some more atypical plants in the recipe. The verte is colored with verbena, and the ‘jaune’ is colored with saffron, and the red absinthe is colored with a local wild plant that Julien is keeping well to himself! These are all absolute innovations, while remaining true to the spirit of real absinthe and using authentic traditional techniques.

All of his spirits are certified organic and all of the herbs come from 100% organic farming. The majority even comes from the immediate surroundings of the distillery. The plants are macerated in organic grain spirit for 2 days and then distilled. Julien doesn’t add any artificial colors or preservatives.