The Etter family was distilling kirsch made from one single variety of cherry before the word “vintage” had ever been used. Etter’s old vintage Kirsch “AOP Zug” comes only from years of particularly good harvests of the “Lauerz” mountain cherry, which grows in tall trees located in a sunny position on the Zugerberg mountain. Long storage in 50-litre glass demijohns is necessary for the intensely concentrated flavors to meld together to reveal the true character of each year. Fluctuating temperatures in old barns where Etter “hides” these demijohns enable the young, rather raw, single-variety distillate to mature into a kirsch typical of the year in question. Savor slowly, as the flavors unfold unlike any other fruit brandy.

keeps indefinitely
(50-65ºF)

keeps indefinitely
(room temp)

pour varies
(59-64ºF)

About Etter Soehne AG

The name Etter is synonymous worldwide with fine cherry brandy, or kirsch, as well as other clear fruit brandies, or eaux-de-vie. Paul Etter founded the distillery in the Swiss region of Zug in 1870. Etter remains a family-owned business, with the fourth generation, Eveline and Gabriel Galliker-Etter, taking the reins from longtime leader Hans Etter in 2012. Kirsch was the only expression produced by Etter until 1981, when the distillery started to expand its range. The brandies gently evolve for years in glass demijohns before bottling. This glass aging is essential to reveal the uncommon depth and richness of these spirits. The classic kirsch eau-de-vie is produced using small, black cherries sourced from the best locations around Lake Zug. Full details

About Zug AOP

The cultivation of cherries near the shores of the Zugersee lake dates back at least 600 years, with the first cherry distilleries appearing in the area in 1846. Farmers and producers banded together to form the “Kirschwasser-Gesellschaft in Zug” in 1870 to protect and promote true “Zuger” Kirsch brandy. Kirsch from the Zug AOP stands out for its intense concentration, ability to improve over years of aging in neutral vessels, and a prominent almond note, which comes from the high concentration of cherry pits in each production.