England’s Hedgerows Bloom in a Glass: The Artistry of Capreolus Distillery’s Eaux de Vie

There is an undeniable romance to England’s landscapes, a poetic charm that can be found in the stark beauty of a leafless tree, the ephemeral art of raindrops on a windowpane, and the rich, earthy scent of decaying leaves. This appreciation for the nuanced and often overlooked elements of nature forms the very soul of Barney Wilczak’s craft at Capreolus Distillery. Wilczak, a distiller and owner whose creations have garnered a cult following, possesses an almost preternatural attunement to the island’s natural rhythms. On a characteristically bleak February afternoon, his hands are busy with quince, pears, and apples, the raw materials for his celebrated Capreolus eaux de vie. This spirit category, a fruit brandy, is traditionally a staple in countries like Germany, France, Switzerland, and Austria, often unaged, double-distilled, and designed to capture the singular essence of a fruit. While its quality and popularity have historically fluctuated, Wilczak’s self-taught journey into distillation a decade ago has awakened England to an exciting new proposition: the elevation of everyday produce, plucked from hedgerows and backyards, into liquid artistry.

Wilczak’s approach to his craft is as profound as it is disarming. When asked about the current state of his fruit harvest, he muses, "All the fruits are so waxy and greasy, because we had so much sunshine. You can feel the weather in your hands." This tactile connection to the raw ingredients translates into a "wall of density" in the spirit, a testament to the nuanced impact of vintage variation on the low wines and the final distillate. "Working in this way drives your understanding," he explains. "I used to want to work with every single piece of fruit I could get my hands on, but we never see the same fruit in each year." This acknowledgment of the inherent variability of nature is not a limitation but a guiding principle, pushing him to deeper levels of sensory exploration and an ever-evolving understanding of his ingredients.

The journey that led Wilczak to this point is as rich and complex as the spirits he produces. A former conservational photojournalist, he grew up immersed in the ancient woodlands, medieval orchards, and neolithic grasslands of the Cotswolds. After a career that took him across 118 countries, capturing the unique character of diverse environments, he returned home, his focus shifting to what might seem, at first glance, an unexotic pursuit: English fruit. Ten years later, his range of eaux de vie – encompassing perry pear, damson, plum, blackberry, and Siegerrebe grape – has become the coveted prize for the most dedicated flavor connoisseurs in the spirits industry.

The initial impression of Wilczak’s operation belies the meticulousness of his process. A visit to his distillery in Cirencester five years ago revealed not a sprawling industrial complex, but a humble, shed-like "flavor emporium" in his back garden, with his dog, Pip, a constant companion. What unfolded was an afternoon of sensory revelation, a deep dive into the philosophy behind his craft. Hours were spent dissecting the manual sorting of locally sourced fruits, the precise crushing techniques, the wild fermentation that amplifies their inherent character, and his painstaking double-distillation process in a 180-liter copper still capable of processing over three tons of fruit. The real magic, however, lies in that fleeting window of opportunity to capture the complete essence of each fruit – its skin, juice, pips, stem, and even leaves – a feat achieved in his elegantly bottled, hand-labeled creations. Capreolus stands as a testament to the "human spirit" in its truest sense, a palpable connection to the artisan behind the bottle.

Wilczak admits to moments of questioning his sanity amidst the intensity of his work. "You do question your motivation for doing incredibly mad things," he confesses. Yet, it is this relentless pursuit of understanding, this desire to comprehend "every millimeter of his raw ingredients," that fuels his passion. He reflects on his past, stating, "When I used to look at plants, I expected I would come to this finite point of knowledge… But with eaux de vie, there is a level beyond it tasting like fruit, moving into those elements that you don’t always see." This is where his true revelation lies: the interconnectedness of fruits and plants, a tapestry of lineage and heritage. "We think fruit and plants are different entities but they are connected," he emphasizes. "You’re just elevating lineage and heritage. When we distill apples, for example, you also smell the blossom, the orchard."

This profound connection to the land and its bounty is vividly illustrated in his account of crafting elderberry eau de vie. The process, involving a full day’s harvest by nine individuals, followed by a five-week fermentation, yielded aromas that spoke of the entire ecosystem. "Travelling from the canopy through decay, humus, and the forest – it felt like we captured the environment," he recounts. This recollection transports the observer back to that garden in Gloucestershire, a potent reminder of the irony of discovering such transformative flavors so close to home, after journeys to the far corners of the world seeking revered spirits. The familiar raspberry, in Wilczak’s hands, becomes an extraordinary portal to sensory understanding.

Wilczak’s enigmatic persona and the distinctive character of his spirits imbue the familiar with an unfamiliar depth. His raspberry eau de vie, for instance, possesses a raspberry intensity that surpasses the fruit itself, yet it is intricately layered with notes of mint, rose, nuts, and spice. The stones within his cherry eau de vie contribute an almond-like texture, while the gooseberry offers herbaceous and woody nuances, and quince presents a vibrant herbal and citrus profile. He even discovered a cured bacon note in his perry pears, attributed to specific sun exposure. A recent collaboration with Dorset’s Langham Wine yielded a spirit from Pinot Noir grapes that conjured notes of mango, bean sprouts, and unripe papaya, showcasing the unexpected dimensions that can be unlocked through his dedicated process.

This remarkable spectrum of aromas and flavors has not gone unnoticed by the discerning palates of sommeliers and chefs in the world’s most esteemed establishments. From the hallowed kitchens of three-Michelin-starred restaurants like Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume to Anne Sophie-Pic’s Maison Pic, Wilczak’s eaux de vie are not merely gracing drink lists but are actively incorporated into culinary creations. "It’s really strange for me to see these incredibly talented people looking at these things through different lenses," Wilczak admits, humbled by this application of his spirits. "But you see other people’s excitement because they are pure, concentrated essences."

The allure of Capreolus extends to the global bar scene, captivating some of the most innovative bartenders. Ryan Chetiyawardana, the visionary behind the Lyan portfolio of bars in London, Washington D.C., and New York City, stands as an early and influential champion of Wilczak’s work. Chetiyawardana was introduced to Wilczak’s creations in 2020 through Dawn Davies MW, head buyer at The Whisky Exchange, a renowned tastemaker in the industry.

"Dawn knows we’re curious about brilliant liquids and brilliant people, so she made the introduction and Barney and I started chatting," explains Chetiyawardana. Having previously held a somewhat dismissive view of eau de vie as a category, his first tasting experience with Wilczak’s spirits was nothing short of a revelation. "I had some context, but I didn’t really fathom what was going on… I tried them and thought, ‘Holy shit, what is this?’"

For Chetiyawardana, a connoisseur of flavor himself, the complexity unearthed in these seemingly straightforward spirits opened an entirely new universe of exploration. "They are rocket flavors: the raspberry is crazy intense raspberry, but also rose, the greenness of the leaf, sharpness. There is so much there, and as you start to dilute them, the textural quality is insane: everything from wax to fullness, an almost silvery note – they transform as they open up."

This transformative quality has led to the integration of Capreolus eaux de vie across all of Chetiyawardana’s Lyan venues, where they are used to craft mind-bending cocktails. A personal favorite application is the Silver Apple Martini at Silver Lyan in D.C. This sophisticated rendition of the 90s classic features Wilczak’s 1,000 Trees Apple eau de vie, elevated with Belvedere vodka, crisp apple juice, and bisongrass. "One-thousand Trees Apple is what you want an Appletini to be," Chetiyawardana asserts, highlighting how Wilczak’s spirit captures the essence of biting into a perfectly ripe apple, the tactile sensation of its skin, and its delicate florality – elements often lost in less refined versions of the cocktail.

For those seeking to experience Wilczak’s artistry at home, the possibilities are as diverse as the spirits themselves. A teaspoon of raspberry eau de vie can add a vibrant flourish to a glass of champagne, a dash of quince can elevate a classic G&T, and a touch of perry pear can introduce an unexpected depth to a martini. Drinking these eaux de vie neat, however, offers the most profound lesson in their evolving nature, demonstrating how they morph and change with time, perspective, and an open mind. They possess the remarkable ability to evoke deep-seated memories and serve as a potent reminder that fruit, in its essence, carries the indelible character of its ever-changing surroundings. "You really taste his philosophy in the spirits," confirms Chetiyawardana. "It isn’t just about taking fruits at their peak, it’s looking at them as a plant in their entirety. That’s what I found so beguiling: a real honesty about fruit and a sense of place. It was an attention to detail I hadn’t come across in a long time. Meticulous, fanatical, uncompromising." This uncompromising dedication to capturing the soul of the fruit, the essence of the place, and the spirit of the land is what truly sets Capreolus Distillery apart, transforming the familiar into the extraordinary, one exquisite bottle at a time.