Spirit Inspiration

Some of the state’s loveliest liquors are coming out of Distillerie Acadian in Iberia Parish

By Holly Leleux-Thubron

There’s one distillery in Louisiana that rises above the rest—offering something fitting for everyone’s glass—and it’s Distillerie Acadian in Iberia Parish. The family behind the operation launched the enterprise in 2017 and they’ve been going fult-tilt since. Philip Mestayer is at the helm of the still as the company’s head distiller. Family patriarch, Steve Mestayer, a lawyer by trade, brings his legal knowledge and know-how to the day-to-day operations. Big brother, Jeep Mestayer, delivers decades of business acumen and killer instinct to the table. All three are critical ingredients to make the Distillerie the successful endeavor it’s become, and the trio shows no signs of slowing down.

It all started a few years back when the family’s interest in making whiskey grew, as did their confidence in a business model that developed over time. They began learning as much as they could about the liquor-making process, the licensing and permitting requirements, testing potential recipes and acquiring equipment, and navigating the world of spirits in a very complicated legal landscape...and they prevailed.

First out of a homemade still (welded by Philip Mestayer’s own hands) was Cajun’s Cut. With this experiment, the Mestayers wanted to create a true aged bourbon. They also wanted to prove that Cajuns could make a bourbon just as good as any of the bottles coming out of Kentucky—where 98% of the world’s bourbons are made.

Small batches of Cajun’s Cut have been distilled every few months since with each aged for two years or more in charred, white oak barrels. Bottles hit store shelves in quick bursts as aging comes to an end, and in some stores they disappear just as quickly. Its flavor profile is unique and reminiscent of honeysuckle, caramel, and barley, and it delivers tasting notes of florals, vanilla, red pepper corn, and leather. Bourbon connoisseurs throughout the region love it.

While the Mestayers were waiting for Cajun’s Cut, they thought up another spirit recipe and christened it T-Moon. It remains a fan favorite and one of the Distillerie’s most mixable products. The family describes it as somewhere between a rum and a whiskey, enjoyed over rocks or with a refreshing mixer like lemonade or iced tea.

Voila vodka was released in early 2020 and is charming vodka lovers throughout South Louisiana. Each batch is triple filtered over six days, creating something that stands alone perfectly and mixes just as well. Great vodka doesn’t produce tasting notes because it should be odorless and practically tasteless; Voila is great vodka.

The Mestayers' newest release, SoLou gin, is just finding its way to stores throughout the region. Gin is a harder sell with consumers than bourbon or vodka, but the family wasn’t deterred. In fact, they’re convinced they’ve found something so special with the SoLou recipe that it’s likely to create a whole new congregation of gin lovers with it. It’s concocted with eight botanicals, including Louisiana honeysuckle, and offers a floral forward with a back end of citrus and spice.

You can find Distillerie Acadian’s products on store shelves and bar menus throughout South Louisiana. You can also search the Distillerie’s website for a location nearest you. And if you’d like to see their products on shelves where they aren’t yet, let the company’s distributor—Select Wines—know.