Our exceptional partners: l’Explorateur du Goût and the spirits market

We went to meet François Sommer, founder of l’Explorateur du Goût, an importer and distributor of natural and artisanal spirits for on trade and off trade clients in France. He told us about the latest trends in the spirits market, and the new consumption patterns observed over time.

Spirits consumption based on appreciation

For the past ten years, spirits consumption has been tending towards quality, rather than quantity. This trend can be observed in the global food market, and is confirmed in the spirits market.

A desire for authenticity, (re)discovery and originality, to which the market is responding with the arrival of numerous so-called "craft" brands (= artisanal, local) that have appeared in recent years.

There is also a clear desire to rediscover traditional French aperitifs and spirits, such as génépi or pastis. A real return to the roots, with brands that tell a real story.
 

L’Explorateur du Goût: what is it, who is it?

François Sommer founded L'Explorateur du Goût nearly 6 years ago. His wish was to propose an approach to spirits, based on exploration and taste. 

Exploration, by unearthing original, forgotten and authentic products.
Taste, by selecting artisanal, quality spirits, carefully chosen.
 
With the help of his team, François carefully tastes each spirit to offer only the best.

L'Explorateur du Goût is also committed to sustainable development. Each product in their catalog must be transparent in every way, and offer only natural spirits, without coloring agents or artifices.  

Today, L'Explorateur du Goût offers more than 200 products to wine merchants and bar and restaurant professionals, including Meunier's génépi.
 

Meunier and l’Explorateur du Goût: a story that's here to stay

What immediately attracted François Sommer to Distillerie Meunier was its history and its richness. A mission that has been passed down from generation to generation: that of offering high-quality genepi and herbal distillates, through a family heritage and artisanal know-how.

During the tasting, the Taste Explorer team fell in love immediately. A total rediscovery of the genepi liqueur, with a unique and intense taste.

A common challenge brought them together: to take génépi out of its traditional image as a digestif, and turn it into a spirit that can be adapted to different uses, such as an aperitif or in cocktails.

Today, Meunier génépis are the only génépis offered in l’Explorateur du Goût offering.

Discover the details of our three recipes of génépis by clicking here.