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Heritage
What are the origins of LEJAY’s iconic Crème de Cassis?
LEJAY® invites you to travel back in time in Burgundy, to discover the history of our blackcurrant liqueur and the legacy of the house that will forever be known as the world’s first Crème de Cassis.
The Family History behind our Crème de Cassis
It all started in 1841 with Auguste-Denis Lagoute. The first liqueur-maker of Dijon, in the heart of Burgundy, was keen to invent an innovative recipe. This led him to develop the first ever Crème de Cassis, with a smooth texture and powerful aromas. Maried to Elisabeth Lagoute, daughter of the founder, his son-in-lawn Henri Lejay became a rising star in the business. Thanks to him, the reputation of their Crème de Cassis spread throughout France and beyond its borders. This was how an exceptional fruit, the blackcurrant, came to cement the foundations of a shared family history.
Ever since, LEJAY LAGOUTE has constantly sought innovation and quality. From one generation to the next, LEJAY® has continued to excel in its field, paying tribute to the greatness of this fruit and its incomparable aromas. It’s just one step from Dijon to the rest of the world.
The company is now renowned in a number of countries, embodying its values of authenticity, naturalness, lightness and a quintessentially French art of living.
Dijon, the birthplace of Crème de Cassis
The Syndicat de défense de la Crème de Cassis de Dijon (Federation for the defence of Dijon Crème de Cassis) states that “Dijon Crème de Cassis has been part of the cultural and industrial heritage of the capital of Burgundy since the 19th century; it must be produced within the territory of the city, thereby asserting the expertise of Dijon’s liqueur-makers.”
Our teams take the quality of our Crème de Cassis far beyond the requirements of the “Geographical Indication”, applying quality control standards which are amongst the most stringent in our profession to make LEJAY® a flagship product of this city renowned for its gastronomy and lifestyle.
Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant | The excellence of French savoir-faire
The label Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) is a mark of recognition of the French government established to distinguish French companies with excellent and unique craftsmanship. It rewards Lejay Lagoute’s unwavering attachment to the heritage of its founder Auguste-Denis Lagoute, Dijon’s first liquoriste and creator of the Crème de Cassis in 1841.
This award received in 2017 is the result of the hard work of the men and women working every day to perpetuate our unique know-how.