Ingredients
Fresh Auvergne gentian roots macerated rather than distilled, giving a softer, honeyed gentian character rounded with a touch of sugar.
- ✦Fresh yellow gentian root
- ✦Neutral spirit
- ✦Volcanic spring water
- ✦Sugar
History of the Brand
Émile Refouvelet created Avèze in 1929 at Riom-ès-Montagnes, deep in gentian country.
The distillery still buys roots from local gentianaires, the specialists who dig them by hand each summer.
Avèze became the everyday café aperitif of the Massif Central, poured long with soda or a splash of cassis.
Its softer profile made it a favourite for bartenders who find Salers too austere and Suze too floral.
Tasting Characteristics
Wild honey, gentian root, wet stone, chamomile.
Rounder and sweeter than Salers, with a warm rooty bitterness and hay-like herbs.
Medium, gently drying.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01Over ice with sparkling water and lemon.
- 02With a bar spoon of crème de cassis for a Perroquet-style aperitif.
- 03In a White Negroni for a mellower, honeyed take.
- 04Long with dry cider — an Auvergne bartender's trick.
Where to Get It
Available in the US and widely stocked in France.
Specialty liquor stores
Shelved with gentian aperitifs; refrigerate once opened.
Online retailers
Both 750ml and 1L formats circulate.
French grocers
A regional staple in the Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme.
Where to buy Avèze
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Avèze FAQ
Is Avèze bitter?
+
Moderately — it is the honeyed middle ground between austere Salers and floral Suze.
What is Avèze made from?
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Fresh yellow gentian root macerated in spirit with Auvergne spring water and a little sugar, at 15% ABV.
How should Avèze be stored?
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Refrigerate after opening and drink within a few months for the freshest root character.