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A little plum from afar
Damassine AOP brandy is a speciality of the Canton of Jura. It is produced from the red damson, a small wild plum with a thousand scents brought back from Damascus and domesticated by the crusaders back in Ajoie. In August, the ripe fruit falls from the damassin tree and is collected every day in nets for four to five weeks. It takes more than 100 damsons to obtain one kilo of fruit, and nearly 900 to be able to distil a litre of Damassine AOP brandy on Saint Martin’s Day.
The origin of Damassine AOP has been lost through the ages, but legend has it that it was knights who brought it back in their saddlebags as booty from the crusades ; or that the priest of Charmoille, brought it from Palestine in 1145. What is certain is that the name damassine was given to this brandy in reference to the Syrian capital, Damascus. The limestone soils and climate of the Ajoie region allow this fruit to express — here better than elsewhere– the quintessence of its aromas.
In the Canton of Jura, several sites invite you to discover the product: A visit to a distillery with its old-fashioned stills, an eau-de-vie tasting or the Swiss Museum of Fruit and Distillation; Ô Vergers d’Ajoie. Also worth discovering: the educational trail “Sur le Chemins de Damas” located on the heights of the village of Mormont or the Damassine trail which links the Porrentruy train station to the Ô Vergers d’Ajoie site
Additional information
Plan your visits
Ô Vergers d’Ajoie, 27, Combe Bruequelin, Porrentruy, District de Porrentruy, Jura, 2900, Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra
What is Damassine AOP?
A little historyAt the base of the brandy: the red damsonsProduction of Damassine AOPLet’s eat!Important dates to remember
A little history
There are few historical documents attesting to the establishment and integration of Damassine AOP in the popular culture of the Jura, but legend has it that it was knights who brought back this treasure in their saddlebags on their return from the crusades in the 13th century. Or the priest of Charmoille, who left on a trip to Palestine in 1145.
What is certain is that the name damassine was given to this eau-de-vie in reference to the Syrian capital, Damascus. The limestone soil and climate of the Ajoie region allow this fruit to express its quintessential aromas better than elsewhere. Over time, this variety has become an exclusive speciality of the Jura region. It is considered the flagship of the region’s still products.
At the base of the brandy: the red damsons
The red damson is a stone fruit that looks like a small plum. Its size is similar to that of a mirabelle plum and it has different shades of red. It gives off a strong fragrance that delights all the senses. When fully ripe, the fruit turns blue and is fleshy and juicy.
Damsons grow on trees, which are produced following three methods: stump removal, grafting and stone planting. The fruits are not picked. They are harvested by hand from mid-July to the end of September, when they have reached maturity and fall off the trees naturally. Damson trees should not be shaken.
The damsons are then used to sell them on markets, to make pies and jams and, mainly, to make a brandy: Damassine AOP.
Production of Damassine AOP
Damassine AOP is a fine brandy made exclusively from red damsons produced and processed exclusively in the canton of Jura.
When they are ripe, the red damson falls from the tree and is harvested daily by hand. After sorting, the fruit is quickly put into barrels, as it can only be kept for a few days. Crushing and pitting are prohibited by the AOP specifications.
The barrels are stored at a temperature of between 15° and 25°C until distillation, which must take place as soon as possible after the end of alcoholic fermentation, but no later than 31 December of the year of harvest. Distilled or demineralised water is added so that the alcohol content does not exceed 40% by volume.
Damassine AOP is stored for at least 6 months. It cannot be marketed before Saint Martin’s Day (11 November) of the year following the harvest of the fruit used for its preparation.
Damassine brandy is completely transparent and has a very strong taste of small wild plum, with aromas of bitter almond, fresh cut grass and hay. Fruity or spicy touches are present in the mouth.
All stages of production of Damassine AOP take place within the borders of the Republic and Canton of Jura, from the production of the red damsons to storage, fermentation and distillation, right up to bottling. A blind tasting of the brandy of all the producers takes place in the year following the harvest, after which the producers are authorised to bear the AOP label.
Let’s eat!
In addition to the Damassine AOP, the red damsons make many other great products. They are used to make syrup, jam, pies, various chocolates – and can also be eaten dried.
Important dates to remember
13th century: The red damson, a small plum brought from Damascus according to legend, makes its appearance in the canton of Jura.
1860: First written mention of a red damson crop in the region.
19th century: The first trees are selected.
2002: The Damassine Interprofession is created through the merger of the Ajoie Fruit Producers’ Association and the Fruits du Jura Association. On 7 July, an application for joint registration of a Damassine AOP is submitted – requiring that the entire production chain for the eau-de-vie be located exclusively in the canton of Jura.
2005: The Federal Office for Agriculture accepts the AOP application in June, but this decision is contested by a producer outside the canton.
2010: After many twists and turns, the application for the controlled designation is accepted. It comes into force in 2011, and now we only speak of Damassine AOP.
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