Very fine pear eau-de-vie. I can't taste the difference between this bottling and the more deluxe Massenez "Poire Prisonnière," which comes in a pear-shaped bottle with a whole preserved pear in it. In the accompanying booklet for the Poire Prisonnière, Massenez suggests topping off the imprisoned pear with more eau-de-vie whenever the level gets low enough to risk exposing and oxidizing the fruit. I'm happy to report that, to my palate, this $45 bottle is the exact right replacement liquor for the more pricey Poire Prisonnière.