Louis Roque

Louis Roque is an artisanal French eau-de-vie producer founded in 1905 in Souillac, Lot, producing the flagship La Vieille Prune — double distilled in a copper pot still from three plum varieties (Ente, Mirabelle, and Reine-Claude) and aged a minimum of 4 years in 400-liter oak casks, producing a rich, nutty, oxidative plum brandy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is La Vieille Prune and how is it made?

La Vieille Prune (“the old plum”) is a plum eau-de-vie from the Lot region of southwest France — the same gastronomic heartland as foie gras and duck confit. Three plum varieties (Ente, Mirabelle, and Reine-Claude) are fermented together, then double distilled in traditional copper pot stills. The young spirit is aged a minimum of 4 years in 400-liter oak casks, producing deep amber color and a concentrated profile of dried plum, prune, marzipan, and toasted oak. It occupies a category between Cognac and Armagnac in style — richer and more fruit-forward than most Armagnac, with oxidative complexity from the extended wood aging.

What is the difference between eau-de-vie and Cognac?

Cognac is a specific appellation — a brandy produced from specific grape varieties in the Cognac region of Charente. Eau-de-vie is the broader category of any fruit spirit distilled to high proof and aged or unaged. La Vieille Prune is plum eau-de-vie — made from fruit rather than grapes — and cannot carry the Cognac designation regardless of production method. In France, fruit eaux-de-vie like plum, pear (Poire Williams), cherry (Kirschwasser), and raspberry are distinct products with their own regional traditions.