L'Ecorce du Clos Liqueur de Citron Clos St Joseph

The Lemon Liqueur L'Écorce du Clos from Clos Saint Joseph is the most vibrant and cutting expression in this range of artisanal citrus liqueurs made in Meursault — a liqueur of immediate aromatic tension and directness, capturing with precision the brightness of fresh lemon and the intensity of its essential oils. More sharp and incisive than its orange and clementine siblings, it embodies in all its purity the most direct and stimulating character of Mediterranean citrus — a liqueur of character, crafted for palates that love freshness, vivacity and the truth of fruit.

Origin and production

The Lemon Liqueur is part of the Clos Saint Joseph citrus range — lemon, clementine, orange and pink grapefruit — each expression made according to the same rigorous protocol: untreated citrus peel after harvest, a fundamental quality requirement, as the absence of post-harvest treatment ensures that the essential oils contained in the zest remain intact, pure and of maximum aromatic intensity. Lemon zests macerate in alcohol for several weeks, with progressive incorporation of spices during maceration to enhance and enrich the aromas — an artisanal technique allowing precise and sensitive dosing of complexity, built progressively layer by layer. The alcohol base is a neutral grain distillate of high quality, clean and neutral, allowing the lemon to express itself fully without aromatic competition. Cane sugar is added with precision to bring the roundness and balance characteristic of a well-crafted liqueur, without ever weighing down or diminishing the natural vivacity and sharp acidity of the zest.

Tasting profile

The colour is a luminous pale yellow with green glints, clear and bright — the natural colour of infused lemon zests with no artificial dyes. The nose is of immediate intensity and brightness: fresh lemon zest imposes itself with frankness and brilliance, releasing its essential oils with vivacity and aromatic precision that directly recall lemon cut by hand on a kitchen board. Nuances of lemongrass, candied lemon and white flowers gradually enrich this bouquet, with delicate spicy notes from maceration bringing depth and warmth to the whole. On the palate, the attack is lively and clean, immediately stimulating — the natural vivacity of lemon expresses itself with all its tension and freshness, balanced by the sweetness of cane sugar which rounds and supports the body without ever weighing it down. The finish is long, fresh and slightly spicy, with this return of lemon zest and aromatic herbs inviting prolonged enjoyment.

The distillery

Blandine and Charles-Guillaume Simon took over Clos Saint Joseph in 2014, a very old wine merchant located in Meursault, south of Beaune in Burgundy. They set about restoring these buildings abandoned for half a century to revive spirits of great quality. With the addition in 2019 of their own still, they now run a true artisanal Burgundy distillery. All Clos Saint Joseph distillates are produced in Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, from renowned terroirs. The distillery carries out all work by hand and as a family, from bottling to labelling.

Tasting and pairings

This Lemon Liqueur is best enjoyed pure and well-chilled, at 8–10 °C, in a liqueur glass or over ice. Its vivacity and natural tension make it an excellent ingredient for homemade Limoncello revisited, characterful Gin Fizz, artisanal Whisky Sour or summery Tom Collins. In cooking and pastry, a few drops will enhance lemon meringue pie, citrus crème brûlée, lemon sorbet or exotic fruit salad. It will also pair beautifully with creamy cheeses like Brillat-Savarin or fresh goat cheese with herbs, whose creamy sweetness will respond harmoniously to the citrus vivacity of the liqueur.