Known since Ancient Egypt, it is also called ‘vegetable distillate’. The hydrolate is obtained by distilling a plant, a flower or a bark with water vapour. During this same distillation process, we also obtain the essential oil that we do not use in our fruit waters.  There is no trace of alcohol in this distillation. We speak of floral water when we distil a flower in this way (for example, rose water is a floral water or a hydrolate).

The steam drags the aromatic molecules into the still. This steam cools down and becomes liquid again, separating from the essential oil. The essential oil floats on top of the water which is the hydrolate.

Fruits and vegetables come from Belgium, Holland or Germany depending on availability. The hydrolats come from France because there is not enough production in Belgium.