In 1810, François Cabanne left his native Vienne with his wife and first two children to settle in Charente. His eldest son, of the same name, married a charming Charente woman from Bourg-Charente in 1839. Since that day, the family home, where many of the family members were born, has been handed down from generation to generation. It was therefore an obvious choice to establish the company’s head office here.

When the Cabanne family arrived in Charente, they developed the winegrowing business, and Philémon, their only son, developed distillation. The distillery has been passed down from father to son for four generations. With 15 stills, it is one of the largest in the region.

The vineyard and distillery have continued to grow, with each generation adding its own contribution to the edifice. Today, Alexis Cabanne, Cellar Master and head of the family business, represents the fourth generation of distillers. He developed the spirits trading business on the traditional French market and for export by setting up Hawkins Distribution in 1999.

Under the impetus of the 7th generation, the year 2023 marks a major renewal for Hawkins Distribution. After more than 20 years in business, the family-run premium spirits distribution company becomes: Famille Cabanne – Cognac & Spiritueux.