October 16, 2023—New Orleans. Atelier Vie introduces Chalana, a Louisiana Chocolate Spirit. Chalana has the essential taste of chocolate and is created in Louisiana. Chalana is an incredible ingredient for signature cocktails and culinary creations.
What is Chalana?
Chalana is distilled with natural cacao nibs. During the pot distillation process, the still produces a spectrum of flavors, from sharp, to sweet, to bitter. We choose a cut from this flavor continuum to bring you our taste for rich chocolate flavor.
Chalana is completely clear. But when you pour it there are intense chocolate notes on the nose. Then the taste: Pure chocolate flavor, with nothing else. No sugar or additives.
The name Chalana is a made-up word derived from Chocolate and Louisiana. After coming up with the name, further research revealed that in Spanish and Portuguese, “chalana” can refer to a flat bottom boat, a type found with many variations in Louisiana.
“Do you like your recipe bitter or sweet?” Asks Jedd Haas, distiller at Atelier Vie. “With Chalana, you have a choice. Keep your cocktail on the bitter side, or add the sweetening of your choice to expand your creative possibilities. Balance your recipe according to taste; Chalana is versatile. It’s a great ingredient to have on hand,” continued Haas.
Strange Circumstances
How did Chalana come about? Strange circumstance can produce unexpected results. Chalana was inspired by happenstance. But once it appeared, Chalana instantly became part of a series.
Once upon a time, a large medieval festival held in the wild country near Baton Rouge had a serious problem. They had a signature cocktail made with chocolate flavored vodka. But their previous ingredient was no longer available. We created a new spirit distilled with real chocolate at our New Orleans distillery.
This replacement solved a problem and it also became an instant companion to a product we created years earlier.
The Ingredients Line
Buck 25 Vodka, made for creating flavors through rapid infusion, came about due to exigent circumstances back in 2012. Namely, extreme delay from regulatory authorities. While waiting an interminable time to get our Toulouse Red absinthe approved, we were able to get Buck 25 approved on a somewhat less glacial schedule. Buck 25 has always been an oddball product, made as an ingredient for creating your own flavors.
Now, a second spirit joins what we might call our Ingredients line. Spirits intended to be used as part of creating something new.
Chalana is packaged in a basic round liquor bottle, befitting its place in the speed rack. Pour through it, then pull out another bottle. Chalana comes in 12 packs of 750ml at 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof). The retail price at the distillery is $30, which includes all of our notoriously high sales taxes.
Chalana is in stock at our distributor, International Wine & Spirits of Louisiana.
Atelier Vie’s Spirits
In addition to joining Buck 25 as an Ingredient, Chalana joins the full Atelier Vie line of creative spirits distilled in New Orleans.
Atelier Vie’s distilled spirits include Calio Rum; Barrel Aged Calio Rum; Calio Rum Bottled in Bond Gin Barrel Edition; Euphrosine Gin #9; Euphrosine Gin #9 Barrel-Finished Reserve; Euphrosine Gin #9 Bottled in Bond; Barleycorn Magic; Riz, Louisiana Rice Whiskey; Riz, Louisiana Rice Whiskey Bottled in Bond; Louisiana Single Malt; Louisiana Single Malt Cask Strength; Orphan Street Brandy “El Jefe” Edition; Toulouse Red, Absinthe Rouge; and Toulouse Verte, Absinthe Green, made with local wormwood.
The Company
Inspired by our renowned culinary culture, Atelier Vie creates flavorful new spirits in one of the greatest drinking cities of the world. Our motto: “Liquor is art you can drink.” Atelier Vie was founded in 2011 by Jedd Haas.
Visiting Hours at the Distillery
The distillery is open for tastings and discussion of the distillation process by appointment only, with appointments generally being available at 10am, noon, and 2pm on weekends; and with limited availability during the week, depending on the distillery’s production schedule. There is no charge to visit the distillery and the company’s full line of spirits is available for retail purchase during these visits. Spirits can also be purchased from the Atelier Vie online store for pickup at the distillery. Visitors should see the company web site for directions, store link, and additional details; https://ateliervie.com/visit.
Contact:
Jedd Haas
504-534-8590 (distillery line, leave message)
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