Distillery commissioning, liquid development and still training, Mount Lebanon
Rayfoun Distillery sits north of Beirut. It’s a family vision, built carefully and without rushing. Its long-term ambition is to produce elite spirits that reflect a genuine passion for craft production and that showcase their unique provenance.
THE BRIEF
The founders needed support across the full arc of the build — from equipment decisions and supplier selection through to on-site commissioning, team training, and first trial distillations. My role was to reduce the unknowns at every stage, so that the decisions that would shape the next decade landed well.
Equipment and supplier sense-check: Before any orders went in, we reviewed the equipment plan together and stress-tested the supplier choices against the vision, the budget, and the operational realities of running the site.
Liquid planning and ingredient sourcing: Alongside the build, I helped shape the early liquid plan and recipe start points — making sure raw materials and ingredients were sourced properly from the outset and fit for the spirits they wanted to make.
On-site commissioning and still training: I spent a week on-site assembling and commissioning a Müller hybrid pot still, training the team on operation, process discipline, and what “good” looks like when you’re actually in production.
First trial distillations and recipe frameworks: We ran first trials across apple brandy, arak, and a Lebanese Dry Gin. I left the team with an understanding of how botanical frameworks can be structured, and baseline recipe parameters they can keep refining into their flagship expression.
THE RESULT
“Olivier helped us turn a family dream into a working distillery. From equipment choices to early liquid development, his hands-on approach and practical distilling knowledge helped us move from ideas to real, repeatable production.
This project was never just about making spirits, but about building something lasting — and his guidance gave us the confidence, structure, and respect for the craft needed to do it properly.” Makram Frem, Co-founder.
Expertise matters. So does understanding what’s at stake in a multigenerational family vision.
“The way Olivier described every single process, his deep expertise, and the passion he brings — not only for the gin itself, but also for the precise language used to highlight each step — made everything feel meaningful. He made the whole experience feel comfortable and human — even with the kids running around the distillery. I believe we couldn’t have started this journey in a better way.” Veronica Lia, Co-founder, Rayfoun Distillery
“Local ingredients, international partners, and founders who made the whole thing not just work but genuinely enjoyable. This is exactly the kind of project that reminds me what distilling represents for small producers — and why I love this sector.”