History

Helvia Distillerie is an independent, craft-spirit producer in Ardèche. Production is closely linked to local farming: ingredients and products come from the farm and the area around the distillery, and there is a focus on environmental considerations and keeping transports short. The distillery is a family-owned business and has a long-term approach to anchoring production in the region and preserving resources through organic farming and local collaboration. According to the website, there is an emphasis on transparency about raw materials and the preparation of the products.

Production

Distillation is based on old craft traditions: maceration or fermentation, distillation and aging. The aging takes place after each eau-de-vie and can occur in different casks (of wine, ex-Cognac or demijohns), depending on which profile is desired. The process is described as a combination of heat, copper and water – with an eye for local ingredients and the environment.

Products/Whisky Series

Helvia presents the whisky series Santiago 2018, Santiago 2019, Bellegarde and Erwin. The four whiskies are described as based on 100% malted barley and undergo different cask and aging regimes, where casks with historical wines or Cognac are used to achieve deeper notes and a rounded finish.

Visits/Experiences

The distillery is presented as an Ardèche setting with a focus on anchoring production and ingredients in the local area. There is an emphasis on showing know-how and the process around production and raw materials, so that customers get a sense of where the spirits come from.

Philosophy

Helvia describes itself as a company closely rooted in the region; ingredients and plants are collected within about 25 km. In addition there is organic farming and a focus on local value creation. According to the site there is transparency about raw materials and production processes, and they avoid citrus zest in gin and do not plan exotic ingredients. The goal is honest products that reflect the Ardèchois and the distillery's traditions.