Eau de vie · Explainer
What is poire williams?
Poire williams is distilled pear. According to Regulation (EU) 2019/787, the name Williams may only be used on pear eau-de-vie made exclusively from pears of the Williams variety. That variety originates from Aldermaston in England, from the years 1765 to 1770, and is called Bartlett in the United States. The distillate is bottled at at least 37.5 percent.
In brief
The key figures
| Legal name | Pear eau de vie; Williams only for the Williams variety |
|---|---|
| Category | 9 in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 |
| Minimum alcohol content | 37.5% vol |
| Pear variety | Williams Bon Chrétien, in the United States Bartlett |
| Origin of the variety | Aldermaston, England, 1765 to 1770 |
| Pears per litre | 20 to 60 pounds, about 9 to 27 kilos |
| Main distilling regions | Alsace and Switzerland |
| Sugar | At most 18 grams per litre |
Which pear is in poire williams?
Poire williams comes exclusively from the Williams Bon Chrétien pear variety, which is called Bartlett in the United States.
Washington State University lists Aldermaston in England as the place of origin for this variety, with 1765 to 1770 as the period of origin. It is a soft, strongly scented pear that is also widely grown as dessert fruit and for preserves. For distilling, the pears are harvested ripe, fermented and then distilled to less than 86 percent.
Why can't every pear brandy be called Williams?
According to Regulation (EU) 2019/787, the designation Williams may only be used for pear eau-de-vie obtained exclusively from pears of the Williams variety.
If another variety is in the bottle, the legal name remains pear eau-de-vie, possibly with the name of that variety added. So there are also pear distillates from varieties such as Doyenné du Comice. The rule is in category 9 of Annex I, the same category in which kirsch, slivovitz and mirabelle are also regulated.
How many pears go into a bottle?
For a litre of poire williams, 20 to 60 pounds of pears are needed, about 9 to 27 kilos, according to The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails.
Pears contain little sugar in relation to their weight, so a large quantity of fruit yields little alcohol. On top of that, nothing may be added to an eau-de-vie: no alcohol, no aroma and at most 18 grams of sugar per litre to round it off. Everything in the bottle therefore comes from those pears.
How does the whole pear get into the bottle?
The pear grows in the bottle: in spring an empty bottle is slipped over a fruit bud, after which the fruit grows inside to full size.
The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails describes that method and calls such a bottle a prisonnière. At the end of summer the bottle, pear and all, is cut from the branch, cleaned and filled with distillate. It remains handwork: every bottle hangs for a whole season in the orchard and not every pear makes it to the finish.
Is poire williams the same as pear liqueur?
No, poire williams is unsweetened pear distillate of at least 37.5 percent, whereas a pear liqueur has at least 100 grams of sugar per litre and at least 15 percent alcohol.
In Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787, poire williams is in category 9 and liqueur in category 33. A liqueur may be flavoured and coloured, and the alcohol need not come from pear. None of that is allowed for an eau-de-vie. On the label you recognise it by the legal designation and the alcohol content.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which Williams pear spirits are in stock in Bathmen?
In the shop in Bathmen there are 3 pear spirits from 2 different brands. Prices range from € 16.99 to € 74.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 40% to 43%.
- Nusbaumer Exception Poire Williams Rouge 43% · 70 cl · France
- Nusbaumer Poire Williams Sélection 43% · 70 cl · France
- Specht Williams Christ Birne 40% · 70 cl · France
Related questions
What is an eau-de-vie?What is the difference between an eau-de-vie and a fruit liqueur?What is kirsch?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- What does prisonnière mean on a bottle?
- The pear has grown in the bottle: the empty bottle was already hanging over the fruit bud in the orchard in spring.
- Is Bartlett the same pear as Williams?
- Yes. Williams Bon Chrétien is called Bartlett in the United States; it is the same variety.
- May poire williams be sweetened?
- Only to round off the flavour, with at most 18 grams of sweetener per litre.
- Where is poire williams made?
- Mainly in Alsace and in Switzerland, according to The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails.
- Why is poire williams clear?
- Pear distillate usually rests in steel or glass instead of on oak, and therefore takes on no color.
The reasoning
Sources
- Verordening (EU) 2019/787, geconsolideerde tekst, bijlage I, EUR-Lex, Publicatiebureau van de Europese Unie (accessed 2026-09-06)
- Poire Williams, in The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, Oxford University Press (accessed 2026-09-06)
- Bartlett (Williams), variëteitsbeschrijving WSU Tree Fruit, Washington State University (accessed 2026-09-06)
- Richtsnoeren voor de uitvoering van bepaalde etiketteringsbepalingen van Verordening (EU) 2019/787, European Commission (accessed 2026-09-06)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine and spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 7 September 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.