Salers Gentian Aperitif
Salers Gentian Aperitif is a French gentian liqueur from the town of Salers in Auvergne's Massif Central — 750mL at 16% ABV (per retail listings), made from the root of wild yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea) hand-harvested at high altitude — order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 16% (32 proof) per retail listings — single-source; bottle read to confirm
- Size: 750mL
- Botanical: roots of Gentiana lutea, hand-harvested in the volcanic Massif Central near the Puy Mary; roots take ~20 years to reach adult size
- Style: roots steeped in neutral alcohol for months, distilled with herbs, matured in Limousin oak casks; no artificial color — natural straw hue; drier and less sweet than corporate rivals
- Distillery: Salers, town of Salers, Cantal, Auvergne, France — established 1885, the oldest gentian liqueur producer of the Massif Central; US importer Haus Alpenz
France's Bitter Yellow Classic
Gentian is the bitter root of the Massif Central, and Salers has been distilling it since 1885 — longer than anyone else up there. Wild yellow gentian roots, some two decades old, are dug by hand near the Puy Mary, steeped for months, distilled with herbs, and rested in Limousin oak. What lands in the glass is unmistakably rustic: bittersweet, earthy, vegetal, with cut grass, citrus peel, mint, and anise — and a natural straw color, no dye. See more from Salers, or browse the store's liqueurs and amaro & bitters selections.
Tasting Notes
Distinctively bittersweet and rustic: earthy vegetal gentian, cut grass, citrus peel, mint, anise (importer tasting notes).
How to Enjoy
Classic serve: on the rocks with a squeeze of lemon. Also with lemonade, tonic, or soda — and as the earthy base of the Blond Negroni (equal parts Salers, London dry gin, Dolin Blanc).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Salers Gentian Aperitif?
A French gentian liqueur from the distillery in the town of Salers, Auvergne — the oldest gentian liqueur producer of the Massif Central, established 1885.
What does gentian liqueur taste like?
Bittersweet, earthy, and vegetal — cut grass, citrus peel, mint, and anise, with a rustic character and less sweetness than mass-market gentian aperitifs.
What is a Blond Negroni?
Equal parts Salers, London dry gin, and Dolin Blanc — an earthy, bittersweet riff on the classic.
What is the ABV of Salers?
Retail listings put it at 16% ABV (32 proof); the figure is single-sourced, so the bottle will confirm it.
France's great bitter yellow: order Salers Gentian Aperitif online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.