Slow distillation - Patience is the keyword
The art of distillation is a matter of patience. Distillation must be slow and complete, using low-pressure steam at low temperatures to obtain "the totum", the richness and full complexity of the plant, without damaging the most fragile components or "burning" the lighter ones. We distill according to the rule of 1 liter of hydrosol for 1 kilo of fresh plant. Every distillation is fraught with uncertainty and surprises. It's all about remaining humble in front of the plant: the same humility as that of a mountaineer in front of a summit.
A circular supply network
We only distill fresh plants from organic farming. Organic guarantees an absence of pesticides in our essential oils and hydrolats. Essenciagua has set up a supply chain with farmers and certified organic pickers close to the distillery.
Everything is thought out with a circular economy in mind, to make the most of local resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Essenciagua controls the entire production chain to guarantee exceptional quality. Plant residues from distillation are composted and used by the distillery's partner farmers.
Our process: Innovation & tradition
At Essenciagua, you're entering a land of passion: we have an obsession with perfect distillation.
We distill with Lozère spring water, in unique stills, fed by a food-grade stainless steel steam boiler, exempting us from any chemical treatment. This is the only way we can offer you exceptional quality. We receive our plants fresh, many of them harvested within a 150 km radius of the distillery by farmers and pickers in the Occitanie region.
We use certified organic farming methods. We load the plants manually into the pre-heated stills: the tassage operation, carried out "by the feet", allows the steam to pass slowly through the entire plant load. Only the loading of a reasonable quantity of plants, and therefore the choice of an artisan-sized alembic, ensures good mechanical contact between the plant and the steam.
For the sake of authenticity and quality, our alembic stills have a swan-neck closure, also known as a retort, and are used for wines and spirits. This specific shape is Essenciagua's signature. It's what makes our oils and hydrolats unique.
Birth of a great vintage
The essential oils and hydrolats obtained simultaneously are separated after decantation. They are left to rest for many weeks in cold storage, in barrels or containers that have previously been subjected to high-pressure steam for perfect hygiene. The storage temperature is kept constant to ensure slow maturation, just like a fine wine. Only then are the oils and hydrosols filtered and packaged in small bottles or flasks.
Still warm on leaving, the plant residues from distillation go to be composted at one of our fellow farmers'. The compost is used in our organic farming processes. The whole cycle comes full circle.
Essenciagua purity
Our essential oils and hydrolats are 100% pure and natural, straight from extraction. At Essenciagua, we've always said NO to pasteurization, NO to plant extracts "cut" with water or alcohol, and NO to preservatives. At Essenciagua, quality means organic, demanding craftsmanship and a preference for local products. We control the entire production chain, which guarantees us optimal and unique quality.
Slowly uncork an Essenciagua bottle and close your eyes; you're your feet in the earth, in the middle of a large lavender field! Let the violet notes spread their aromatic richness and touch your childlike heart!
Essenciagua Flasks
Did you know that the Egyptians attached great importance to preserving their essential oils? They kept them in gold containers or purple glass vials. Essenciagua drew its inspiration from this tradition, and chose these containers... made of violet glass! High-tech, thick, tinted glass.
This choice is also based on scientific principles: to better understand them, we need to remember that light is broken down into visible (from blue to red) and invisible (infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), etc.) rays. Visible light is involved not only in the development of life, but also in the degradation of living organisms. Violet glass provides an absolute barrier to visible radiation, while UV and IR radiation are not blocked by this type of glass. On the contrary, these frequencies, captured by living organisms, are very important in cellular communication processes and the propagation of light energy within biological systems.
Comparative tests on brown and violet glass bottles containing rosewater have conclusively demonstrated the benefits of using violet glass to preserve aromatic molecules. The glasses we have chosen have this dual ability, not only to optimally protect our essential oils and hydrolats against visible light, but also their bioenergy by letting UV and IR pass through.