Plymouth: Plymouth Gin is a style and brand of gin that has been distilled on the same premises on the Barbican in Plymouth, Devon, since 1793. The site of production, the Plymouth Gin Distillery, was built in 1431 and is reputed to have once been a monastery of the Dominican Order. For this reason, it has traditionally been known as the "Blackfriars Distillery", and this name appears embossed on the gin bottles. The taste profile of the style has been described as "earthy", less dry and featuring more citrus notes than the London Dry Gin-style, of which Plymouth Gin is considered an offshoot, or subtype. Plymouth Gin was the only spirit made in England, and one of only three gins in the world, that carried a geographical indication (GI) designation with the European Union, certifying its traditional origin. In 2015, the distillery's owners declined to pursue renewal of the GI, considering its protection was unneeded. This leaves only Gin de Mahón from Spain and Vilniaus Džinas (Vilnius gin) from Lithuania to carry GI status. Plymouth was the favorite gin of legendary film directors Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles, as well as the American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Eau de vie: An eau de vie (French for spirit, lit. 'water of life') is a clear, colourless fruit brandy that is produced by means of fermentation and double distillation. The fruit flavor is typically very light. In English-speaking countries, eau de vie refers to a distilled beverage made from fruit other than grapes. Similar terms may be local translations or may specify the fruit used to produce it. Although eau de vie is a French term, similar beverages are produced in other countries (e.g., German Schnaps, Greek ρακί, Turkish rakı, Balkan rakia, Romanian țuică, Czech and Slovak pálenka, Hungarian pálinka, and Sri Lankan coconut arrack). In French, however, eau de vie is a generic term for distilled spirits. The proper French term for fruit brandy is eau-de-vie de fruit, while eau-de-vie de vin means wine spirit (brandy), and several further categories of spirits (distilled from grape pomace, lees of wine, beer, cereals, etc.) are also legally defined as eau-de-vie in a similar fashion. Many eaux de vie made from fruits, wine, pomace, or rye have a protected designation of origin within the European Union.