Delfinus Aquavit
Abbans-Dessous, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
- ABV
- 46%
- Base spirit
- Unknown
- Color
- Clear
- Style
- Unaged Aquavit
Delfinus Aquavit is a French organic aquavit created by Maison Heima, then operating as Distillerie Heima, in Abbans-Dessous in the Doubs department of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It was introduced in December 2020 as part of a group of new releases alongside Draco Gin and Corona Borealis Vodka. The first release of Delfinus was limited to 260 bottles.
The aquavit is bottled at 46% ABV and is based on caraway together with a selection of local plants. The caraway was sourced from the alpine meadows of the Jura Mountains, while the distillery’s wider approach was based on manual, controlled gathering of wild plants from the region. Delfinus was certified organic under the French Agriculture Biologique system. Contemporary descriptions note caraway and fresh herbs, followed by light aniseed and menthol-like notes.
The standard bottle was 500 ml, while later Maison Heima trade catalogues also listed a 200 ml format.
Bottle gallery
About the producer
Maison Heima
Abbans-Dessous, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
Maison Heima was an artisanal distillery founded by Julien Mariotte in 2019 in Abbans-Dessous, in the Doubs department of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, at the foot of the Jura Mountains. The business was originally registered and operated as Distillerie Heima; its legal name was changed to Maison Heima in 2022.
Mariotte, formerly a technical director in the performing arts in Besançon, trained in the cultivation and use of aromatic and medicinal plants before establishing the distillery. He personally gathered wild plants in the Jura Mountains, with production based on small batches and organic ingredients. The range included gin, vodka, aquavit, herbal bitters and liqueurs, with individual spirits named after constellations. The name Heima comes from Icelandic and means “at home”, reflecting Mariotte’s interest in Iceland and its natural landscapes.
In September 2023, Mariotte announced the closure of the distillery after being unable to find a buyer. Production of Delfinus and the other Heima spirits consequently ended.