![\"Jean-Louis](\"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Belle-de-Brillet-Jean-Louis-Brillet.jpg\")
If I\u2019m talking about Belle de Brillet today, it\u2019s for an excellent reason: it\u2019s been around for nearly 40 years! Jean-Baptiste Sialelli confirms: \u201cExactly, we\u2019re on the cusp of Belle de Brillet\u2019s 40th anniversary, and Jean-Louis Brillet, the tenth generation, created La Belle de Brillet in 1985.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s still quite young as a product, but Mr. Sialelli notes that the family history goes back much further: \u201cIt\u2019s both young, but the Brillet family has been established in Charente for ten generations. We had the first founding father\u2014I can say this\u2014with Guy Brillet in 1656. These were people who were winegrowers, and gradually, they became producers, and they wanted to develop their own brands of cognac and Pineau des Charentes. They opened their first business in 1850, and the family estate dates from around that time. It is located in the village of Graves-Saint-Amant, which is nestled on the banks of the Charente River in the heart of the Cognac region. So, Jean-Louis Brillet, in the 1980s, decided to expand his offering a bit to reach a different type of clientele, having this idea of creating Belle de Brillet by blending pear and cognac.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Belle-de-Brillet-Cognac.jpg\")
He then explains the origin of this marriage between pear and cognac: \u201cWhy pear? Because, quite simply, in the orchard at the back of the garden, there were fruit trees, apples, and pears. And his grandmother often made pear tarts. So the idea came to him to partner with this type of fruit. And so it reminded him of pears. So, pear and cognac really came from his grandmother, from recipes, a bit from his youth, wanting something very fruity paired with cognac to have a more approachable, easier taste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Romantic Origin of the Name<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Belle-de-Brillet-Bottle-and-Jean-Baptiste-Sialelli.jpg\")
The Belle de Brillet Bottle and Jean-Baptiste Sialelli\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCurious to know the origin of the name, I asked him where the name \u201cBelle de Brillet\u201d came from. Mr. Sialelli tells a touching story: \u201cThe name Belle de Brillet simply comes from his wife\u2019s first name, which is called Isabelle and whom he customarily calls \u2018ma belle\u2019 (my beautiful one). So it was very romantic\u2014as a tribute to his wife, he decided to call this new product Belle, like his wife, hence the name Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Unique Manufacturing Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Belle-de-Brillet-Poire-Williams.jpg\")
The Poire Williams Eau-de-vie\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhat a magnificent story! Diving into the product\u2019s manufacturing, I wanted to know what the process was. Is it somewhat like Poire Williams? Mr. Sialelli\u2019s answer is categorical: \u201cNot at all! We now prepare a product that is 100% made from natural ingredients. The idea is really to use noble raw materials for a noble product in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Belle-de-Brillet-Masagascar-Fresh-Vanilla.jpg\")
The fresh vanilla from Madagascar\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHe then details the composition: \u201cSo we have three key ingredients: the pear that we work into eau-de-vie, so we have a pear eau-de-vie. We then obtain a grape eau-de-vie that becomes the cognac mentioned earlier, which we combine with fresh vanilla from Madagascar. So, these three combined ingredients allow us to create Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we talk about pears, we often think of Poire Williams. Do people tend to confuse the two products? Mr. Sialelli provides important nuances: \u201cWell, the fruit we distill is indeed Williams pear, and it\u2019s true that in many countries, including France, there was this tradition of Poire Williams as a digestif, but these are eaux-de-vie that are relatively high in alcohol content, so people are detaching themselves, they\u2019re turning away a bit from this more traditional type of consumption that\u2019s quite strong in alcohol. And so, with Belle de Brillet, we rediscover the pleasure of pear in this moment of consumption that can be the digestif. Because we have an alcohol content that\u2019s quite low, which is only 30 degrees (30%), so it\u2019s quite light. The majority of spirits are rather 40 degrees (40%), and so here, we\u2019re on something that keeps the pear taste very fruity, very intense, but in a much more approachable way in terms of palate. And so, we rediscover this pear pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jean-Baptiste Sialelli\u2019s Journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Jean-Baptiste](\"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Belle-de-Brillet-Jean-Baptiste-Sialelli.jpg\")
Jean-Baptiste Sialelli\nPhoto: R\u00e9my Cointreau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCurious about his background, I asked him how he came to Maison Brillet. He replies: \u201cI\u2019ve always worked in wines and spirits\u2014that\u2019s my background. I found that the product and the project were wonderful. Somewhere, the idea of making the product known internationally, redeveloping it. So there you go, I had the opportunity to present all this also with Jean-Louis Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the brand is now owned by R\u00e9my Cointreau, is the family still involved? Mr. Sialelli explains the maintained connections: \u201cYes, not in terms of shareholding, but we share everything with them because it\u2019s important. They have the history, yes, but I think we don\u2019t build anything without really understanding the history well. So it was important for me from the start to exchange a lot with Jean-Louis, who still lives in the village of Graves-Saint-Amant, and it allows us to exchange with him so we can understand how he came up with the idea for the product, why it worked, to understand why it worked here in Qu\u00e9bec, to try to evolve things while staying in the tradition. I often say that while everything has changed\u2014the bottle shape a little bit compared to the launch, the labels have evolved a bit\u2014ultimately we\u2019re not so far from what was done before. For me, it\u2019s a bit of an update.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food Pairings and Tasting Moments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Belle-de-Brillet-Composition.jpg\")
The final product\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe product is interesting, and I wanted to know how Mr. Sialelli preferred to consume it. He shares his preferences: \u201cFor me, in fact, as an aperitif, I like to drink it in cocktail form. So, a Belle Bulle makes a great cocktail. The Spritz, for example, I really like as an aperitif because it\u2019s light and it\u2019s easy. Ultimately, by reducing it, by adding sparkling water or prosecco, we now have a cocktail that\u2019s 6 or 7 degrees (6\u20137%), it\u2019s not very, very strong; it\u2019s easy to drink and refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cAnd then I personally like to enjoy it after a meal on ice. As an accompaniment, I find it interesting in the form of pairing\u2014it can be with cheese, for example. Yeah, on cheeses like Comt\u00e9, fairly strong soft cheeses with a rind and a tomme\u2014it works well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And with blue cheese, a classic with pear? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, it works well! It pairs well with a blue cheese. On our Instagram account, we have some pastry recipes and desserts. We\u2019ve also created recipes with friends of the Maison and with a young pastry chef, Lauryne Herv\u00e9, who works well, who loves the product, which makes simple and very, very beautiful things. For example, she made a fraisier with Belle de Brillet, or we found chocolate recipes with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chocolate pear is a classic after all! Mr. Sialelli approves: \u201cYes, it\u2019s a natural pairing, in fact. I think our spirit is a product that we can indeed work with in restaurants. On savoury dishes and in a dessert moment. It\u2019s a product that\u2019s quite comforting, so it works well at the end of a meal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Versatility in Mixology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli continues by discussing cocktail possibilities: \u201cAnd then, you see, it\u2019s a product that, of course, can also be used in cocktails, like long drinks based on Belle de Brillet. For example, the Belle Bulle cocktail with Belle de Brillet and Prosecco<\/a>. Otherwise, we also work a lot with bartenders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nDuring his visit, there was a competition, wasn\u2019t there? Mr. Sialelli confirms enthusiastically: \u201cYes, exactly, we had a competition with top bartenders because, in terms of mixology, this pear ingredient is something that\u2019s a bit missing in the bar universe in terms of taste. It\u2019s paired with so many things, cocktails\u2014it allows you to twist cocktails with this pear that can be married with spices. I saw one person, the winner of the competition, who worked with the idea of cheese. A very good drink!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He adds: \u201cSo, as a substitute for anything that\u2019s sugar syrup, using sours in Collins, we substitute with Belle de Brillet to have this pear touch. At the same time, this sweetness that will bring subtlety to the drink.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Comeback in Markets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet\u2019s popularity seems to be reviving. How did the product return to people\u2019s habits after a few years of obscurity? Mr. Sialelli explains the strategy: \u201cWell, it\u2019s true that Qu\u00e9bec has always been a very strong market. Historically, it\u2019s the number one market, and we said to ourselves, if it works in Qu\u00e9bec, why wouldn\u2019t it work elsewhere? In fact, there\u2019s an ambition today to develop the brand internationally, in all cocktail markets, so North American markets, meaning the United States. There\u2019s Europe\u2014we have Great Britain, and then there are Western European markets like France or Germany, which are traditional markets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, Germany with pear is classic! Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, Germany with pear, Switzerland. So we\u2019ve opened these markets. I think the concept is brilliant. If it works here, there\u2019s no reason it won\u2019t work elsewhere. And we\u2019ve brought a new answer. There are fundamental elements that exist that make people perhaps drink less, but better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really an increasingly important movement! Mr. Sialelli continues: \u201cWe have a quality product. There\u2019s this notion of pear that\u2019s well treated, that has a taste that\u2019s very consensual, like vanilla. We\u2019re not in a niche. And then my third element is that we simply believe in the quality of the product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Belle de Brillet Product Range<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When we hear Belle de Brillet, we often think of only one product. Are there other products in the range? Mr. Sialelli replies: \u201cYes, we also have cognac and Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for Belle de Brillet, there isn\u2019t an amber Belle de Brillet or something like that? He specifies: \u201cNo, there\u2019s only one unique one. And the other products, we sell them at Maison Brillet for people who come to see us. People are doing more and more wine tourism, and we offer them more and more spirits\u2014it allows us to bring the Brillet experience to life and to have local products in addition to our cognac and our Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My mother is really a Pineau des Charentes enthusiast, and I find it quite fascinating to see that Qu\u00e9bec is also so passionate about Pineau des Charentes and Belle de Brillet at the same time. Mr. Sialelli explains this phenomenon: \u201cI think people here really love the sweet taste, the sweet, the pear side. What made the product successful is its quite distinctive bottle shape. And then, what also made the product successful is thanks to Jean-Louis Brillet\u2019s involvement, who for many years at the helm of the company, came to meet the various SAQ store managers\u2014he\u2019s a brilliant brand ambassador, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet: A Unique Position in the Spirits Universe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet is really interesting as a product. I think it\u2019s entering into a beautiful development, bringing a new flavour to cocktails that often remain in the same taste palette. Pear isn\u2019t something we see in cocktails right now, unfortunately. Except perhaps Grey Goose pear-flavoured vodka, there aren\u2019t many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli shares this analysis: \u201cAbsolutely, absolutely. But it\u2019s true that, from an opportunistic point of view, we find almost everyone in the bar world\u2014there\u2019s often a product associated with a taste, and it\u2019s true that with pear, ultimately, there aren\u2019t really any players, and it\u2019s a great opportunity for us and for everyone, because, once again, it\u2019s a taste that people enjoy and we can pair it with many very different things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s interesting is that cognac has a huge barrier to entry, since it\u2019s a very strong alcohol, whereas Belle de Brillet is more accessible with its lower alcohol percentage, and even more so in cocktails. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, with an alcohol content of 30, it allows for product accessibility that might be a bit greater than going too strong in alcohol, for sure, but it also allows us to broaden our customer base. For me, it\u2019s a product that\u2019s both masculine and feminine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sales Seasonality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As fall arrives, does the product experience seasonality in terms of sales? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, like many spirits, the last quarter of the year. But, in fact, I believe that traditionally, people in spirits restock their bars a bit for the year-end holidays. There are gift purchases and, with our beautiful bottle shape, it makes a great gift. So it\u2019s true that, like all spirits, we have a bit of a peak at year-end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tasting Belle de Brillet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I have now moved with Mr. Sialelli to taste the product in different stages. He begins by explaining the process: \u201cThe product is presented this way\u2014we have a very traditional distillation process, then we have the Williams pear, since it\u2019s the most aromatic. It\u2019s picked in August; we let it over-ripen, and once there\u2019s been over-ripening, we have a good sugar content. There\u2019s a natural fermentation that occurs. Beforehand, of course, we\u2019ve removed everything necessary (skin, seeds, etc.) to have a good pear compote. This will ferment on its own, which creates a sort of quite liquid pear juice, but already with alcohol. And then it\u2019s this alcohol that we distill in a continuous still. It\u2019s very tall still that\u2019s 30 metres high. A plate still\u2014it allows us to extract the quintessence of the pear aroma, and we obtain a pear eau-de-vie. A good portion of these come from the Anjou region, in western France, because it\u2019s an arboriculture land, with many orchards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He then shows the cognac: \u201cHere we have the cognac, finished in fine wood, because we want a very light cognac that will harmonize well with the pear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a cognac that isn\u2019t aged, in fact, I notice. Mr. Sialelli specifies: \u201cExactly, or very little, precisely so as not to have those overly woody notes that would break the harmony. We distill it without lees, which allows us to have this light taste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cThen, we use fresh vanilla, which we infuse with sugar and water to create a natural vanilla syrup.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd then, we blended these three products and you have Belle de Brillet. Then, to bring it down to 30 degrees, we do a reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, it smells good! And it\u2019s delicious. Mr. Sialelli describes the tasting notes: \u201cOn the nose, we\u2019ll really find the intensity of the pear, the freshness, and the intensity of the pear. And on the palate, we\u2019re more on the Cognac side with good balance, and we\u2019ll finish with a slightly vanilla finish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s magnificent because it\u2019s rich on the palate. Mr. Sialelli adds an important detail: \u201cAnd so, in fact, we only work with natural products\u2014there\u2019s no neutral alcohol (NGS\u2014Natural Grain Spirit), because all the alcohol comes from raw cognac, warm, magnificent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really a pleasant product on the palate, warm, and present. I imagine this in a sour, for example, because there\u2019s quite a bit of body. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cOf course, in a whisky sour, we can indeed replace the sugar with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What a great product idea! It was really pleasant to rediscover Belle de Brillet with Mr. Sialelli and to learn more about this unique product that combines family tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n ![\"Belle](\"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Belle-de-Brillet-Cover.jpg\")
\n Visitez Belle de Brillet website<\/h2>\n LEARN MORE<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n
Curious to know the origin of the name, I asked him where the name \u201cBelle de Brillet\u201d came from. Mr. Sialelli tells a touching story: \u201cThe name Belle de Brillet simply comes from his wife\u2019s first name, which is called Isabelle and whom he customarily calls \u2018ma belle\u2019 (my beautiful one). So it was very romantic\u2014as a tribute to his wife, he decided to call this new product Belle, like his wife, hence the name Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Unique Manufacturing Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe Poire Williams Eau-de-vie\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhat a magnificent story! Diving into the product\u2019s manufacturing, I wanted to know what the process was. Is it somewhat like Poire Williams? Mr. Sialelli\u2019s answer is categorical: \u201cNot at all! We now prepare a product that is 100% made from natural ingredients. The idea is really to use noble raw materials for a noble product in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
\nThe fresh vanilla from Madagascar\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHe then details the composition: \u201cSo we have three key ingredients: the pear that we work into eau-de-vie, so we have a pear eau-de-vie. We then obtain a grape eau-de-vie that becomes the cognac mentioned earlier, which we combine with fresh vanilla from Madagascar. So, these three combined ingredients allow us to create Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we talk about pears, we often think of Poire Williams. Do people tend to confuse the two products? Mr. Sialelli provides important nuances: \u201cWell, the fruit we distill is indeed Williams pear, and it\u2019s true that in many countries, including France, there was this tradition of Poire Williams as a digestif, but these are eaux-de-vie that are relatively high in alcohol content, so people are detaching themselves, they\u2019re turning away a bit from this more traditional type of consumption that\u2019s quite strong in alcohol. And so, with Belle de Brillet, we rediscover the pleasure of pear in this moment of consumption that can be the digestif. Because we have an alcohol content that\u2019s quite low, which is only 30 degrees (30%), so it\u2019s quite light. The majority of spirits are rather 40 degrees (40%), and so here, we\u2019re on something that keeps the pear taste very fruity, very intense, but in a much more approachable way in terms of palate. And so, we rediscover this pear pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jean-Baptiste Sialelli\u2019s Journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\nJean-Baptiste Sialelli\nPhoto: R\u00e9my Cointreau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCurious about his background, I asked him how he came to Maison Brillet. He replies: \u201cI\u2019ve always worked in wines and spirits\u2014that\u2019s my background. I found that the product and the project were wonderful. Somewhere, the idea of making the product known internationally, redeveloping it. So there you go, I had the opportunity to present all this also with Jean-Louis Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the brand is now owned by R\u00e9my Cointreau, is the family still involved? Mr. Sialelli explains the maintained connections: \u201cYes, not in terms of shareholding, but we share everything with them because it\u2019s important. They have the history, yes, but I think we don\u2019t build anything without really understanding the history well. So it was important for me from the start to exchange a lot with Jean-Louis, who still lives in the village of Graves-Saint-Amant, and it allows us to exchange with him so we can understand how he came up with the idea for the product, why it worked, to understand why it worked here in Qu\u00e9bec, to try to evolve things while staying in the tradition. I often say that while everything has changed\u2014the bottle shape a little bit compared to the launch, the labels have evolved a bit\u2014ultimately we\u2019re not so far from what was done before. For me, it\u2019s a bit of an update.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food Pairings and Tasting Moments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe final product\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe product is interesting, and I wanted to know how Mr. Sialelli preferred to consume it. He shares his preferences: \u201cFor me, in fact, as an aperitif, I like to drink it in cocktail form. So, a Belle Bulle makes a great cocktail. The Spritz, for example, I really like as an aperitif because it\u2019s light and it\u2019s easy. Ultimately, by reducing it, by adding sparkling water or prosecco, we now have a cocktail that\u2019s 6 or 7 degrees (6\u20137%), it\u2019s not very, very strong; it\u2019s easy to drink and refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cAnd then I personally like to enjoy it after a meal on ice. As an accompaniment, I find it interesting in the form of pairing\u2014it can be with cheese, for example. Yeah, on cheeses like Comt\u00e9, fairly strong soft cheeses with a rind and a tomme\u2014it works well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And with blue cheese, a classic with pear? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, it works well! It pairs well with a blue cheese. On our Instagram account, we have some pastry recipes and desserts. We\u2019ve also created recipes with friends of the Maison and with a young pastry chef, Lauryne Herv\u00e9, who works well, who loves the product, which makes simple and very, very beautiful things. For example, she made a fraisier with Belle de Brillet, or we found chocolate recipes with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chocolate pear is a classic after all! Mr. Sialelli approves: \u201cYes, it\u2019s a natural pairing, in fact. I think our spirit is a product that we can indeed work with in restaurants. On savoury dishes and in a dessert moment. It\u2019s a product that\u2019s quite comforting, so it works well at the end of a meal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Versatility in Mixology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli continues by discussing cocktail possibilities: \u201cAnd then, you see, it\u2019s a product that, of course, can also be used in cocktails, like long drinks based on Belle de Brillet. For example, the Belle Bulle cocktail with Belle de Brillet and Prosecco<\/a>. Otherwise, we also work a lot with bartenders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nDuring his visit, there was a competition, wasn\u2019t there? Mr. Sialelli confirms enthusiastically: \u201cYes, exactly, we had a competition with top bartenders because, in terms of mixology, this pear ingredient is something that\u2019s a bit missing in the bar universe in terms of taste. It\u2019s paired with so many things, cocktails\u2014it allows you to twist cocktails with this pear that can be married with spices. I saw one person, the winner of the competition, who worked with the idea of cheese. A very good drink!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He adds: \u201cSo, as a substitute for anything that\u2019s sugar syrup, using sours in Collins, we substitute with Belle de Brillet to have this pear touch. At the same time, this sweetness that will bring subtlety to the drink.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Comeback in Markets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet\u2019s popularity seems to be reviving. How did the product return to people\u2019s habits after a few years of obscurity? Mr. Sialelli explains the strategy: \u201cWell, it\u2019s true that Qu\u00e9bec has always been a very strong market. Historically, it\u2019s the number one market, and we said to ourselves, if it works in Qu\u00e9bec, why wouldn\u2019t it work elsewhere? In fact, there\u2019s an ambition today to develop the brand internationally, in all cocktail markets, so North American markets, meaning the United States. There\u2019s Europe\u2014we have Great Britain, and then there are Western European markets like France or Germany, which are traditional markets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, Germany with pear is classic! Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, Germany with pear, Switzerland. So we\u2019ve opened these markets. I think the concept is brilliant. If it works here, there\u2019s no reason it won\u2019t work elsewhere. And we\u2019ve brought a new answer. There are fundamental elements that exist that make people perhaps drink less, but better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really an increasingly important movement! Mr. Sialelli continues: \u201cWe have a quality product. There\u2019s this notion of pear that\u2019s well treated, that has a taste that\u2019s very consensual, like vanilla. We\u2019re not in a niche. And then my third element is that we simply believe in the quality of the product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Belle de Brillet Product Range<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When we hear Belle de Brillet, we often think of only one product. Are there other products in the range? Mr. Sialelli replies: \u201cYes, we also have cognac and Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for Belle de Brillet, there isn\u2019t an amber Belle de Brillet or something like that? He specifies: \u201cNo, there\u2019s only one unique one. And the other products, we sell them at Maison Brillet for people who come to see us. People are doing more and more wine tourism, and we offer them more and more spirits\u2014it allows us to bring the Brillet experience to life and to have local products in addition to our cognac and our Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My mother is really a Pineau des Charentes enthusiast, and I find it quite fascinating to see that Qu\u00e9bec is also so passionate about Pineau des Charentes and Belle de Brillet at the same time. Mr. Sialelli explains this phenomenon: \u201cI think people here really love the sweet taste, the sweet, the pear side. What made the product successful is its quite distinctive bottle shape. And then, what also made the product successful is thanks to Jean-Louis Brillet\u2019s involvement, who for many years at the helm of the company, came to meet the various SAQ store managers\u2014he\u2019s a brilliant brand ambassador, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet: A Unique Position in the Spirits Universe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet is really interesting as a product. I think it\u2019s entering into a beautiful development, bringing a new flavour to cocktails that often remain in the same taste palette. Pear isn\u2019t something we see in cocktails right now, unfortunately. Except perhaps Grey Goose pear-flavoured vodka, there aren\u2019t many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli shares this analysis: \u201cAbsolutely, absolutely. But it\u2019s true that, from an opportunistic point of view, we find almost everyone in the bar world\u2014there\u2019s often a product associated with a taste, and it\u2019s true that with pear, ultimately, there aren\u2019t really any players, and it\u2019s a great opportunity for us and for everyone, because, once again, it\u2019s a taste that people enjoy and we can pair it with many very different things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s interesting is that cognac has a huge barrier to entry, since it\u2019s a very strong alcohol, whereas Belle de Brillet is more accessible with its lower alcohol percentage, and even more so in cocktails. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, with an alcohol content of 30, it allows for product accessibility that might be a bit greater than going too strong in alcohol, for sure, but it also allows us to broaden our customer base. For me, it\u2019s a product that\u2019s both masculine and feminine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sales Seasonality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As fall arrives, does the product experience seasonality in terms of sales? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, like many spirits, the last quarter of the year. But, in fact, I believe that traditionally, people in spirits restock their bars a bit for the year-end holidays. There are gift purchases and, with our beautiful bottle shape, it makes a great gift. So it\u2019s true that, like all spirits, we have a bit of a peak at year-end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tasting Belle de Brillet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I have now moved with Mr. Sialelli to taste the product in different stages. He begins by explaining the process: \u201cThe product is presented this way\u2014we have a very traditional distillation process, then we have the Williams pear, since it\u2019s the most aromatic. It\u2019s picked in August; we let it over-ripen, and once there\u2019s been over-ripening, we have a good sugar content. There\u2019s a natural fermentation that occurs. Beforehand, of course, we\u2019ve removed everything necessary (skin, seeds, etc.) to have a good pear compote. This will ferment on its own, which creates a sort of quite liquid pear juice, but already with alcohol. And then it\u2019s this alcohol that we distill in a continuous still. It\u2019s very tall still that\u2019s 30 metres high. A plate still\u2014it allows us to extract the quintessence of the pear aroma, and we obtain a pear eau-de-vie. A good portion of these come from the Anjou region, in western France, because it\u2019s an arboriculture land, with many orchards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He then shows the cognac: \u201cHere we have the cognac, finished in fine wood, because we want a very light cognac that will harmonize well with the pear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a cognac that isn\u2019t aged, in fact, I notice. Mr. Sialelli specifies: \u201cExactly, or very little, precisely so as not to have those overly woody notes that would break the harmony. We distill it without lees, which allows us to have this light taste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cThen, we use fresh vanilla, which we infuse with sugar and water to create a natural vanilla syrup.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd then, we blended these three products and you have Belle de Brillet. Then, to bring it down to 30 degrees, we do a reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, it smells good! And it\u2019s delicious. Mr. Sialelli describes the tasting notes: \u201cOn the nose, we\u2019ll really find the intensity of the pear, the freshness, and the intensity of the pear. And on the palate, we\u2019re more on the Cognac side with good balance, and we\u2019ll finish with a slightly vanilla finish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s magnificent because it\u2019s rich on the palate. Mr. Sialelli adds an important detail: \u201cAnd so, in fact, we only work with natural products\u2014there\u2019s no neutral alcohol (NGS\u2014Natural Grain Spirit), because all the alcohol comes from raw cognac, warm, magnificent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really a pleasant product on the palate, warm, and present. I imagine this in a sour, for example, because there\u2019s quite a bit of body. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cOf course, in a whisky sour, we can indeed replace the sugar with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What a great product idea! It was really pleasant to rediscover Belle de Brillet with Mr. Sialelli and to learn more about this unique product that combines family tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n \n Visitez Belle de Brillet website<\/h2>\n LEARN MORE<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n
What a magnificent story! Diving into the product\u2019s manufacturing, I wanted to know what the process was. Is it somewhat like Poire Williams? Mr. Sialelli\u2019s answer is categorical: \u201cNot at all! We now prepare a product that is 100% made from natural ingredients. The idea is really to use noble raw materials for a noble product in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
He then details the composition: \u201cSo we have three key ingredients: the pear that we work into eau-de-vie, so we have a pear eau-de-vie. We then obtain a grape eau-de-vie that becomes the cognac mentioned earlier, which we combine with fresh vanilla from Madagascar. So, these three combined ingredients allow us to create Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we talk about pears, we often think of Poire Williams. Do people tend to confuse the two products? Mr. Sialelli provides important nuances: \u201cWell, the fruit we distill is indeed Williams pear, and it\u2019s true that in many countries, including France, there was this tradition of Poire Williams as a digestif, but these are eaux-de-vie that are relatively high in alcohol content, so people are detaching themselves, they\u2019re turning away a bit from this more traditional type of consumption that\u2019s quite strong in alcohol. And so, with Belle de Brillet, we rediscover the pleasure of pear in this moment of consumption that can be the digestif. Because we have an alcohol content that\u2019s quite low, which is only 30 degrees (30%), so it\u2019s quite light. The majority of spirits are rather 40 degrees (40%), and so here, we\u2019re on something that keeps the pear taste very fruity, very intense, but in a much more approachable way in terms of palate. And so, we rediscover this pear pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jean-Baptiste Sialelli\u2019s Journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\nJean-Baptiste Sialelli\nPhoto: R\u00e9my Cointreau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCurious about his background, I asked him how he came to Maison Brillet. He replies: \u201cI\u2019ve always worked in wines and spirits\u2014that\u2019s my background. I found that the product and the project were wonderful. Somewhere, the idea of making the product known internationally, redeveloping it. So there you go, I had the opportunity to present all this also with Jean-Louis Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the brand is now owned by R\u00e9my Cointreau, is the family still involved? Mr. Sialelli explains the maintained connections: \u201cYes, not in terms of shareholding, but we share everything with them because it\u2019s important. They have the history, yes, but I think we don\u2019t build anything without really understanding the history well. So it was important for me from the start to exchange a lot with Jean-Louis, who still lives in the village of Graves-Saint-Amant, and it allows us to exchange with him so we can understand how he came up with the idea for the product, why it worked, to understand why it worked here in Qu\u00e9bec, to try to evolve things while staying in the tradition. I often say that while everything has changed\u2014the bottle shape a little bit compared to the launch, the labels have evolved a bit\u2014ultimately we\u2019re not so far from what was done before. For me, it\u2019s a bit of an update.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food Pairings and Tasting Moments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe final product\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe product is interesting, and I wanted to know how Mr. Sialelli preferred to consume it. He shares his preferences: \u201cFor me, in fact, as an aperitif, I like to drink it in cocktail form. So, a Belle Bulle makes a great cocktail. The Spritz, for example, I really like as an aperitif because it\u2019s light and it\u2019s easy. Ultimately, by reducing it, by adding sparkling water or prosecco, we now have a cocktail that\u2019s 6 or 7 degrees (6\u20137%), it\u2019s not very, very strong; it\u2019s easy to drink and refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cAnd then I personally like to enjoy it after a meal on ice. As an accompaniment, I find it interesting in the form of pairing\u2014it can be with cheese, for example. Yeah, on cheeses like Comt\u00e9, fairly strong soft cheeses with a rind and a tomme\u2014it works well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And with blue cheese, a classic with pear? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, it works well! It pairs well with a blue cheese. On our Instagram account, we have some pastry recipes and desserts. We\u2019ve also created recipes with friends of the Maison and with a young pastry chef, Lauryne Herv\u00e9, who works well, who loves the product, which makes simple and very, very beautiful things. For example, she made a fraisier with Belle de Brillet, or we found chocolate recipes with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chocolate pear is a classic after all! Mr. Sialelli approves: \u201cYes, it\u2019s a natural pairing, in fact. I think our spirit is a product that we can indeed work with in restaurants. On savoury dishes and in a dessert moment. It\u2019s a product that\u2019s quite comforting, so it works well at the end of a meal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Versatility in Mixology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli continues by discussing cocktail possibilities: \u201cAnd then, you see, it\u2019s a product that, of course, can also be used in cocktails, like long drinks based on Belle de Brillet. For example, the Belle Bulle cocktail with Belle de Brillet and Prosecco<\/a>. Otherwise, we also work a lot with bartenders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nDuring his visit, there was a competition, wasn\u2019t there? Mr. Sialelli confirms enthusiastically: \u201cYes, exactly, we had a competition with top bartenders because, in terms of mixology, this pear ingredient is something that\u2019s a bit missing in the bar universe in terms of taste. It\u2019s paired with so many things, cocktails\u2014it allows you to twist cocktails with this pear that can be married with spices. I saw one person, the winner of the competition, who worked with the idea of cheese. A very good drink!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He adds: \u201cSo, as a substitute for anything that\u2019s sugar syrup, using sours in Collins, we substitute with Belle de Brillet to have this pear touch. At the same time, this sweetness that will bring subtlety to the drink.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Comeback in Markets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet\u2019s popularity seems to be reviving. How did the product return to people\u2019s habits after a few years of obscurity? Mr. Sialelli explains the strategy: \u201cWell, it\u2019s true that Qu\u00e9bec has always been a very strong market. Historically, it\u2019s the number one market, and we said to ourselves, if it works in Qu\u00e9bec, why wouldn\u2019t it work elsewhere? In fact, there\u2019s an ambition today to develop the brand internationally, in all cocktail markets, so North American markets, meaning the United States. There\u2019s Europe\u2014we have Great Britain, and then there are Western European markets like France or Germany, which are traditional markets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, Germany with pear is classic! Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, Germany with pear, Switzerland. So we\u2019ve opened these markets. I think the concept is brilliant. If it works here, there\u2019s no reason it won\u2019t work elsewhere. And we\u2019ve brought a new answer. There are fundamental elements that exist that make people perhaps drink less, but better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really an increasingly important movement! Mr. Sialelli continues: \u201cWe have a quality product. There\u2019s this notion of pear that\u2019s well treated, that has a taste that\u2019s very consensual, like vanilla. We\u2019re not in a niche. And then my third element is that we simply believe in the quality of the product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Belle de Brillet Product Range<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When we hear Belle de Brillet, we often think of only one product. Are there other products in the range? Mr. Sialelli replies: \u201cYes, we also have cognac and Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for Belle de Brillet, there isn\u2019t an amber Belle de Brillet or something like that? He specifies: \u201cNo, there\u2019s only one unique one. And the other products, we sell them at Maison Brillet for people who come to see us. People are doing more and more wine tourism, and we offer them more and more spirits\u2014it allows us to bring the Brillet experience to life and to have local products in addition to our cognac and our Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My mother is really a Pineau des Charentes enthusiast, and I find it quite fascinating to see that Qu\u00e9bec is also so passionate about Pineau des Charentes and Belle de Brillet at the same time. Mr. Sialelli explains this phenomenon: \u201cI think people here really love the sweet taste, the sweet, the pear side. What made the product successful is its quite distinctive bottle shape. And then, what also made the product successful is thanks to Jean-Louis Brillet\u2019s involvement, who for many years at the helm of the company, came to meet the various SAQ store managers\u2014he\u2019s a brilliant brand ambassador, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet: A Unique Position in the Spirits Universe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet is really interesting as a product. I think it\u2019s entering into a beautiful development, bringing a new flavour to cocktails that often remain in the same taste palette. Pear isn\u2019t something we see in cocktails right now, unfortunately. Except perhaps Grey Goose pear-flavoured vodka, there aren\u2019t many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli shares this analysis: \u201cAbsolutely, absolutely. But it\u2019s true that, from an opportunistic point of view, we find almost everyone in the bar world\u2014there\u2019s often a product associated with a taste, and it\u2019s true that with pear, ultimately, there aren\u2019t really any players, and it\u2019s a great opportunity for us and for everyone, because, once again, it\u2019s a taste that people enjoy and we can pair it with many very different things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s interesting is that cognac has a huge barrier to entry, since it\u2019s a very strong alcohol, whereas Belle de Brillet is more accessible with its lower alcohol percentage, and even more so in cocktails. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, with an alcohol content of 30, it allows for product accessibility that might be a bit greater than going too strong in alcohol, for sure, but it also allows us to broaden our customer base. For me, it\u2019s a product that\u2019s both masculine and feminine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sales Seasonality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As fall arrives, does the product experience seasonality in terms of sales? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, like many spirits, the last quarter of the year. But, in fact, I believe that traditionally, people in spirits restock their bars a bit for the year-end holidays. There are gift purchases and, with our beautiful bottle shape, it makes a great gift. So it\u2019s true that, like all spirits, we have a bit of a peak at year-end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tasting Belle de Brillet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I have now moved with Mr. Sialelli to taste the product in different stages. He begins by explaining the process: \u201cThe product is presented this way\u2014we have a very traditional distillation process, then we have the Williams pear, since it\u2019s the most aromatic. It\u2019s picked in August; we let it over-ripen, and once there\u2019s been over-ripening, we have a good sugar content. There\u2019s a natural fermentation that occurs. Beforehand, of course, we\u2019ve removed everything necessary (skin, seeds, etc.) to have a good pear compote. This will ferment on its own, which creates a sort of quite liquid pear juice, but already with alcohol. And then it\u2019s this alcohol that we distill in a continuous still. It\u2019s very tall still that\u2019s 30 metres high. A plate still\u2014it allows us to extract the quintessence of the pear aroma, and we obtain a pear eau-de-vie. A good portion of these come from the Anjou region, in western France, because it\u2019s an arboriculture land, with many orchards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He then shows the cognac: \u201cHere we have the cognac, finished in fine wood, because we want a very light cognac that will harmonize well with the pear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a cognac that isn\u2019t aged, in fact, I notice. Mr. Sialelli specifies: \u201cExactly, or very little, precisely so as not to have those overly woody notes that would break the harmony. We distill it without lees, which allows us to have this light taste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cThen, we use fresh vanilla, which we infuse with sugar and water to create a natural vanilla syrup.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd then, we blended these three products and you have Belle de Brillet. Then, to bring it down to 30 degrees, we do a reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, it smells good! And it\u2019s delicious. Mr. Sialelli describes the tasting notes: \u201cOn the nose, we\u2019ll really find the intensity of the pear, the freshness, and the intensity of the pear. And on the palate, we\u2019re more on the Cognac side with good balance, and we\u2019ll finish with a slightly vanilla finish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s magnificent because it\u2019s rich on the palate. Mr. Sialelli adds an important detail: \u201cAnd so, in fact, we only work with natural products\u2014there\u2019s no neutral alcohol (NGS\u2014Natural Grain Spirit), because all the alcohol comes from raw cognac, warm, magnificent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really a pleasant product on the palate, warm, and present. I imagine this in a sour, for example, because there\u2019s quite a bit of body. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cOf course, in a whisky sour, we can indeed replace the sugar with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What a great product idea! It was really pleasant to rediscover Belle de Brillet with Mr. Sialelli and to learn more about this unique product that combines family tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n \n Visitez Belle de Brillet website<\/h2>\n LEARN MORE<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n
Curious about his background, I asked him how he came to Maison Brillet. He replies: \u201cI\u2019ve always worked in wines and spirits\u2014that\u2019s my background. I found that the product and the project were wonderful. Somewhere, the idea of making the product known internationally, redeveloping it. So there you go, I had the opportunity to present all this also with Jean-Louis Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the brand is now owned by R\u00e9my Cointreau, is the family still involved? Mr. Sialelli explains the maintained connections: \u201cYes, not in terms of shareholding, but we share everything with them because it\u2019s important. They have the history, yes, but I think we don\u2019t build anything without really understanding the history well. So it was important for me from the start to exchange a lot with Jean-Louis, who still lives in the village of Graves-Saint-Amant, and it allows us to exchange with him so we can understand how he came up with the idea for the product, why it worked, to understand why it worked here in Qu\u00e9bec, to try to evolve things while staying in the tradition. I often say that while everything has changed\u2014the bottle shape a little bit compared to the launch, the labels have evolved a bit\u2014ultimately we\u2019re not so far from what was done before. For me, it\u2019s a bit of an update.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food Pairings and Tasting Moments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe final product\nPhoto: Normand Boulanger | Gentologie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe product is interesting, and I wanted to know how Mr. Sialelli preferred to consume it. He shares his preferences: \u201cFor me, in fact, as an aperitif, I like to drink it in cocktail form. So, a Belle Bulle makes a great cocktail. The Spritz, for example, I really like as an aperitif because it\u2019s light and it\u2019s easy. Ultimately, by reducing it, by adding sparkling water or prosecco, we now have a cocktail that\u2019s 6 or 7 degrees (6\u20137%), it\u2019s not very, very strong; it\u2019s easy to drink and refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cAnd then I personally like to enjoy it after a meal on ice. As an accompaniment, I find it interesting in the form of pairing\u2014it can be with cheese, for example. Yeah, on cheeses like Comt\u00e9, fairly strong soft cheeses with a rind and a tomme\u2014it works well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And with blue cheese, a classic with pear? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, it works well! It pairs well with a blue cheese. On our Instagram account, we have some pastry recipes and desserts. We\u2019ve also created recipes with friends of the Maison and with a young pastry chef, Lauryne Herv\u00e9, who works well, who loves the product, which makes simple and very, very beautiful things. For example, she made a fraisier with Belle de Brillet, or we found chocolate recipes with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chocolate pear is a classic after all! Mr. Sialelli approves: \u201cYes, it\u2019s a natural pairing, in fact. I think our spirit is a product that we can indeed work with in restaurants. On savoury dishes and in a dessert moment. It\u2019s a product that\u2019s quite comforting, so it works well at the end of a meal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Versatility in Mixology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli continues by discussing cocktail possibilities: \u201cAnd then, you see, it\u2019s a product that, of course, can also be used in cocktails, like long drinks based on Belle de Brillet. For example, the Belle Bulle cocktail with Belle de Brillet and Prosecco<\/a>. Otherwise, we also work a lot with bartenders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nDuring his visit, there was a competition, wasn\u2019t there? Mr. Sialelli confirms enthusiastically: \u201cYes, exactly, we had a competition with top bartenders because, in terms of mixology, this pear ingredient is something that\u2019s a bit missing in the bar universe in terms of taste. It\u2019s paired with so many things, cocktails\u2014it allows you to twist cocktails with this pear that can be married with spices. I saw one person, the winner of the competition, who worked with the idea of cheese. A very good drink!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He adds: \u201cSo, as a substitute for anything that\u2019s sugar syrup, using sours in Collins, we substitute with Belle de Brillet to have this pear touch. At the same time, this sweetness that will bring subtlety to the drink.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Comeback in Markets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet\u2019s popularity seems to be reviving. How did the product return to people\u2019s habits after a few years of obscurity? Mr. Sialelli explains the strategy: \u201cWell, it\u2019s true that Qu\u00e9bec has always been a very strong market. Historically, it\u2019s the number one market, and we said to ourselves, if it works in Qu\u00e9bec, why wouldn\u2019t it work elsewhere? In fact, there\u2019s an ambition today to develop the brand internationally, in all cocktail markets, so North American markets, meaning the United States. There\u2019s Europe\u2014we have Great Britain, and then there are Western European markets like France or Germany, which are traditional markets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, Germany with pear is classic! Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, Germany with pear, Switzerland. So we\u2019ve opened these markets. I think the concept is brilliant. If it works here, there\u2019s no reason it won\u2019t work elsewhere. And we\u2019ve brought a new answer. There are fundamental elements that exist that make people perhaps drink less, but better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really an increasingly important movement! Mr. Sialelli continues: \u201cWe have a quality product. There\u2019s this notion of pear that\u2019s well treated, that has a taste that\u2019s very consensual, like vanilla. We\u2019re not in a niche. And then my third element is that we simply believe in the quality of the product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Belle de Brillet Product Range<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When we hear Belle de Brillet, we often think of only one product. Are there other products in the range? Mr. Sialelli replies: \u201cYes, we also have cognac and Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for Belle de Brillet, there isn\u2019t an amber Belle de Brillet or something like that? He specifies: \u201cNo, there\u2019s only one unique one. And the other products, we sell them at Maison Brillet for people who come to see us. People are doing more and more wine tourism, and we offer them more and more spirits\u2014it allows us to bring the Brillet experience to life and to have local products in addition to our cognac and our Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My mother is really a Pineau des Charentes enthusiast, and I find it quite fascinating to see that Qu\u00e9bec is also so passionate about Pineau des Charentes and Belle de Brillet at the same time. Mr. Sialelli explains this phenomenon: \u201cI think people here really love the sweet taste, the sweet, the pear side. What made the product successful is its quite distinctive bottle shape. And then, what also made the product successful is thanks to Jean-Louis Brillet\u2019s involvement, who for many years at the helm of the company, came to meet the various SAQ store managers\u2014he\u2019s a brilliant brand ambassador, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet: A Unique Position in the Spirits Universe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet is really interesting as a product. I think it\u2019s entering into a beautiful development, bringing a new flavour to cocktails that often remain in the same taste palette. Pear isn\u2019t something we see in cocktails right now, unfortunately. Except perhaps Grey Goose pear-flavoured vodka, there aren\u2019t many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli shares this analysis: \u201cAbsolutely, absolutely. But it\u2019s true that, from an opportunistic point of view, we find almost everyone in the bar world\u2014there\u2019s often a product associated with a taste, and it\u2019s true that with pear, ultimately, there aren\u2019t really any players, and it\u2019s a great opportunity for us and for everyone, because, once again, it\u2019s a taste that people enjoy and we can pair it with many very different things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s interesting is that cognac has a huge barrier to entry, since it\u2019s a very strong alcohol, whereas Belle de Brillet is more accessible with its lower alcohol percentage, and even more so in cocktails. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, with an alcohol content of 30, it allows for product accessibility that might be a bit greater than going too strong in alcohol, for sure, but it also allows us to broaden our customer base. For me, it\u2019s a product that\u2019s both masculine and feminine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sales Seasonality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As fall arrives, does the product experience seasonality in terms of sales? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, like many spirits, the last quarter of the year. But, in fact, I believe that traditionally, people in spirits restock their bars a bit for the year-end holidays. There are gift purchases and, with our beautiful bottle shape, it makes a great gift. So it\u2019s true that, like all spirits, we have a bit of a peak at year-end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tasting Belle de Brillet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I have now moved with Mr. Sialelli to taste the product in different stages. He begins by explaining the process: \u201cThe product is presented this way\u2014we have a very traditional distillation process, then we have the Williams pear, since it\u2019s the most aromatic. It\u2019s picked in August; we let it over-ripen, and once there\u2019s been over-ripening, we have a good sugar content. There\u2019s a natural fermentation that occurs. Beforehand, of course, we\u2019ve removed everything necessary (skin, seeds, etc.) to have a good pear compote. This will ferment on its own, which creates a sort of quite liquid pear juice, but already with alcohol. And then it\u2019s this alcohol that we distill in a continuous still. It\u2019s very tall still that\u2019s 30 metres high. A plate still\u2014it allows us to extract the quintessence of the pear aroma, and we obtain a pear eau-de-vie. A good portion of these come from the Anjou region, in western France, because it\u2019s an arboriculture land, with many orchards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He then shows the cognac: \u201cHere we have the cognac, finished in fine wood, because we want a very light cognac that will harmonize well with the pear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a cognac that isn\u2019t aged, in fact, I notice. Mr. Sialelli specifies: \u201cExactly, or very little, precisely so as not to have those overly woody notes that would break the harmony. We distill it without lees, which allows us to have this light taste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cThen, we use fresh vanilla, which we infuse with sugar and water to create a natural vanilla syrup.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd then, we blended these three products and you have Belle de Brillet. Then, to bring it down to 30 degrees, we do a reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, it smells good! And it\u2019s delicious. Mr. Sialelli describes the tasting notes: \u201cOn the nose, we\u2019ll really find the intensity of the pear, the freshness, and the intensity of the pear. And on the palate, we\u2019re more on the Cognac side with good balance, and we\u2019ll finish with a slightly vanilla finish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s magnificent because it\u2019s rich on the palate. Mr. Sialelli adds an important detail: \u201cAnd so, in fact, we only work with natural products\u2014there\u2019s no neutral alcohol (NGS\u2014Natural Grain Spirit), because all the alcohol comes from raw cognac, warm, magnificent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really a pleasant product on the palate, warm, and present. I imagine this in a sour, for example, because there\u2019s quite a bit of body. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cOf course, in a whisky sour, we can indeed replace the sugar with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What a great product idea! It was really pleasant to rediscover Belle de Brillet with Mr. Sialelli and to learn more about this unique product that combines family tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n \n Visitez Belle de Brillet website<\/h2>\n LEARN MORE<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n
The product is interesting, and I wanted to know how Mr. Sialelli preferred to consume it. He shares his preferences: \u201cFor me, in fact, as an aperitif, I like to drink it in cocktail form. So, a Belle Bulle makes a great cocktail. The Spritz, for example, I really like as an aperitif because it\u2019s light and it\u2019s easy. Ultimately, by reducing it, by adding sparkling water or prosecco, we now have a cocktail that\u2019s 6 or 7 degrees (6\u20137%), it\u2019s not very, very strong; it\u2019s easy to drink and refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He continues: \u201cAnd then I personally like to enjoy it after a meal on ice. As an accompaniment, I find it interesting in the form of pairing\u2014it can be with cheese, for example. Yeah, on cheeses like Comt\u00e9, fairly strong soft cheeses with a rind and a tomme\u2014it works well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And with blue cheese, a classic with pear? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, it works well! It pairs well with a blue cheese. On our Instagram account, we have some pastry recipes and desserts. We\u2019ve also created recipes with friends of the Maison and with a young pastry chef, Lauryne Herv\u00e9, who works well, who loves the product, which makes simple and very, very beautiful things. For example, she made a fraisier with Belle de Brillet, or we found chocolate recipes with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chocolate pear is a classic after all! Mr. Sialelli approves: \u201cYes, it\u2019s a natural pairing, in fact. I think our spirit is a product that we can indeed work with in restaurants. On savoury dishes and in a dessert moment. It\u2019s a product that\u2019s quite comforting, so it works well at the end of a meal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Versatility in Mixology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Sialelli continues by discussing cocktail possibilities: \u201cAnd then, you see, it\u2019s a product that, of course, can also be used in cocktails, like long drinks based on Belle de Brillet. For example, the Belle Bulle cocktail with Belle de Brillet and Prosecco<\/a>. Otherwise, we also work a lot with bartenders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n During his visit, there was a competition, wasn\u2019t there? Mr. Sialelli confirms enthusiastically: \u201cYes, exactly, we had a competition with top bartenders because, in terms of mixology, this pear ingredient is something that\u2019s a bit missing in the bar universe in terms of taste. It\u2019s paired with so many things, cocktails\u2014it allows you to twist cocktails with this pear that can be married with spices. I saw one person, the winner of the competition, who worked with the idea of cheese. A very good drink!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He adds: \u201cSo, as a substitute for anything that\u2019s sugar syrup, using sours in Collins, we substitute with Belle de Brillet to have this pear touch. At the same time, this sweetness that will bring subtlety to the drink.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Belle de Brillet\u2019s popularity seems to be reviving. How did the product return to people\u2019s habits after a few years of obscurity? Mr. Sialelli explains the strategy: \u201cWell, it\u2019s true that Qu\u00e9bec has always been a very strong market. Historically, it\u2019s the number one market, and we said to ourselves, if it works in Qu\u00e9bec, why wouldn\u2019t it work elsewhere? In fact, there\u2019s an ambition today to develop the brand internationally, in all cocktail markets, so North American markets, meaning the United States. There\u2019s Europe\u2014we have Great Britain, and then there are Western European markets like France or Germany, which are traditional markets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, Germany with pear is classic! Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, Germany with pear, Switzerland. So we\u2019ve opened these markets. I think the concept is brilliant. If it works here, there\u2019s no reason it won\u2019t work elsewhere. And we\u2019ve brought a new answer. There are fundamental elements that exist that make people perhaps drink less, but better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s really an increasingly important movement! Mr. Sialelli continues: \u201cWe have a quality product. There\u2019s this notion of pear that\u2019s well treated, that has a taste that\u2019s very consensual, like vanilla. We\u2019re not in a niche. And then my third element is that we simply believe in the quality of the product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we hear Belle de Brillet, we often think of only one product. Are there other products in the range? Mr. Sialelli replies: \u201cYes, we also have cognac and Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But for Belle de Brillet, there isn\u2019t an amber Belle de Brillet or something like that? He specifies: \u201cNo, there\u2019s only one unique one. And the other products, we sell them at Maison Brillet for people who come to see us. People are doing more and more wine tourism, and we offer them more and more spirits\u2014it allows us to bring the Brillet experience to life and to have local products in addition to our cognac and our Pineau des Charentes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n My mother is really a Pineau des Charentes enthusiast, and I find it quite fascinating to see that Qu\u00e9bec is also so passionate about Pineau des Charentes and Belle de Brillet at the same time. Mr. Sialelli explains this phenomenon: \u201cI think people here really love the sweet taste, the sweet, the pear side. What made the product successful is its quite distinctive bottle shape. And then, what also made the product successful is thanks to Jean-Louis Brillet\u2019s involvement, who for many years at the helm of the company, came to meet the various SAQ store managers\u2014he\u2019s a brilliant brand ambassador, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Belle de Brillet is really interesting as a product. I think it\u2019s entering into a beautiful development, bringing a new flavour to cocktails that often remain in the same taste palette. Pear isn\u2019t something we see in cocktails right now, unfortunately. Except perhaps Grey Goose pear-flavoured vodka, there aren\u2019t many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Sialelli shares this analysis: \u201cAbsolutely, absolutely. But it\u2019s true that, from an opportunistic point of view, we find almost everyone in the bar world\u2014there\u2019s often a product associated with a taste, and it\u2019s true that with pear, ultimately, there aren\u2019t really any players, and it\u2019s a great opportunity for us and for everyone, because, once again, it\u2019s a taste that people enjoy and we can pair it with many very different things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s interesting is that cognac has a huge barrier to entry, since it\u2019s a very strong alcohol, whereas Belle de Brillet is more accessible with its lower alcohol percentage, and even more so in cocktails. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cYes, with an alcohol content of 30, it allows for product accessibility that might be a bit greater than going too strong in alcohol, for sure, but it also allows us to broaden our customer base. For me, it\u2019s a product that\u2019s both masculine and feminine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As fall arrives, does the product experience seasonality in terms of sales? Mr. Sialelli confirms: \u201cYes, like many spirits, the last quarter of the year. But, in fact, I believe that traditionally, people in spirits restock their bars a bit for the year-end holidays. There are gift purchases and, with our beautiful bottle shape, it makes a great gift. So it\u2019s true that, like all spirits, we have a bit of a peak at year-end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have now moved with Mr. Sialelli to taste the product in different stages. He begins by explaining the process: \u201cThe product is presented this way\u2014we have a very traditional distillation process, then we have the Williams pear, since it\u2019s the most aromatic. It\u2019s picked in August; we let it over-ripen, and once there\u2019s been over-ripening, we have a good sugar content. There\u2019s a natural fermentation that occurs. Beforehand, of course, we\u2019ve removed everything necessary (skin, seeds, etc.) to have a good pear compote. This will ferment on its own, which creates a sort of quite liquid pear juice, but already with alcohol. And then it\u2019s this alcohol that we distill in a continuous still. It\u2019s very tall still that\u2019s 30 metres high. A plate still\u2014it allows us to extract the quintessence of the pear aroma, and we obtain a pear eau-de-vie. A good portion of these come from the Anjou region, in western France, because it\u2019s an arboriculture land, with many orchards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He then shows the cognac: \u201cHere we have the cognac, finished in fine wood, because we want a very light cognac that will harmonize well with the pear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a cognac that isn\u2019t aged, in fact, I notice. Mr. Sialelli specifies: \u201cExactly, or very little, precisely so as not to have those overly woody notes that would break the harmony. We distill it without lees, which allows us to have this light taste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He continues: \u201cThen, we use fresh vanilla, which we infuse with sugar and water to create a natural vanilla syrup.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd then, we blended these three products and you have Belle de Brillet. Then, to bring it down to 30 degrees, we do a reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, it smells good! And it\u2019s delicious. Mr. Sialelli describes the tasting notes: \u201cOn the nose, we\u2019ll really find the intensity of the pear, the freshness, and the intensity of the pear. And on the palate, we\u2019re more on the Cognac side with good balance, and we\u2019ll finish with a slightly vanilla finish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s magnificent because it\u2019s rich on the palate. Mr. Sialelli adds an important detail: \u201cAnd so, in fact, we only work with natural products\u2014there\u2019s no neutral alcohol (NGS\u2014Natural Grain Spirit), because all the alcohol comes from raw cognac, warm, magnificent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s really a pleasant product on the palate, warm, and present. I imagine this in a sour, for example, because there\u2019s quite a bit of body. Mr. Sialelli agrees: \u201cOf course, in a whisky sour, we can indeed replace the sugar with Belle de Brillet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What a great product idea! It was really pleasant to rediscover Belle de Brillet with Mr. Sialelli and to learn more about this unique product that combines family tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Comeback in Markets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Belle de Brillet Product Range<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Belle de Brillet: A Unique Position in the Spirits Universe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sales Seasonality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tasting Belle de Brillet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n Visitez Belle de Brillet website<\/h2>\n LEARN MORE<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n