Brussels Airlines has launched Heritage, a signature Belgian aperitif created to strengthen its premium long-haul passenger experience.
The airline developed the beverage with Belgian mixologist Manuel Wouters and family-run Filliers Distillery. It is now available exclusively to Business Class passengers on long-haul flights.
Heritage combines Belgian apples, Pica pears, elderflower and a grain-based spirit. The locally inspired recipe brings Belgium’s agricultural traditions, distilling expertise and contemporary cocktail culture into the aircraft cabin.
Passengers can also discover the beverage in the Sunrise and THE LOFT business lounges. Manuel Wouters will serve it at his own hospitality venue.
The launch supports Brussels Airlines’ “Boutique Hotel” concept, which brings Belgian design, cuisine, products and personalised hospitality into the passenger journey.
Ten-Month Development Creates Belgian Flavour
Work on Heritage began in September 2025 and continued for almost ten months.
Wouters and Filliers created and assessed eight different recipes before selecting the final blend. The development team worked to balance the sweetness of apple and pear with elderflower’s floral character.
The grain spirit gives the aperitif its alcoholic foundation while maintaining a direct connection with Belgian production.
Creating a beverage for aircraft service requires careful planning. Cabin pressure and low humidity can influence how passengers experience flavours during a flight.
The partners also needed a consistent recipe that cabin crews could serve in several different ways.
Heritage aims to remain approachable for international travellers while retaining a distinctive Belgian identity. It allows passengers to encounter local produce before arriving in Belgium or after departing the country.
Passengers Can Enjoy Several Serving Styles
Business Class passengers can drink Heritage over ice, allowing its fruit and floral flavours to remain prominent.
Cabin crews can also serve it with tonic water or ginger beer. These combinations create a longer and lighter aperitif suited to different passenger preferences.
Another option combines Heritage with Champagne, creating a more celebratory drink for premium travellers.
The flexible presentation allows Brussels Airlines to offer several experiences from one signature product. It also distinguishes Heritage from standard beverages purchased through international suppliers.
The airline is exploring the possibility of developing a non-alcoholic version. However, it has not announced a recipe or launch date.
Filliers Adds Generations of Distilling Expertise
Filliers Distillery operates in Deinze in Belgium’s East Flanders region.
The family’s connection with agriculture and distilling stretches back to the nineteenth century. Professional distilling expanded during 1880 after the business installed equipment and secured a licence.
Six generations have since contributed to the company’s development.
Filliers completes major production stages in Belgium, including grain preparation, fermentation, distillation and maturation. Its experience with genever, gin and grain spirits provided an established technical foundation for Heritage.
The distillery already works with Brussels Airlines through Filliers Classic Gin 28. Business Class passengers can enjoy the gin, while Economy Class travellers can purchase it through the onboard sales menu.
That existing relationship helped the partners understand the operational standards required for airline service.
Manuel Wouters Connects Tradition With Modern Hospitality
Manuel Wouters brings professional mixology and contemporary Belgian hospitality to the collaboration.
He developed his reputation through cocktail creation, television appearances, publications and premium beverage projects. His hospitality ventures include Sips in Antwerp and Mill Hill in Kasterlee.
His involvement gives Heritage a connection with Belgium’s modern bar culture. Meanwhile, Filliers provides historical knowledge and traditional production expertise.
Together, the partners created an aperitif that presents Belgian identity as both established and evolving.
This combination could appeal to international passengers seeking locally inspired experiences during premium journeys.
Boutique Hotel Strategy Shapes Business Class
Brussels Airlines describes its long-haul premium experience as a Boutique Hotel in the air.
The approach focuses on personalised service, Belgian hospitality and carefully selected food and beverages. National design influences also appear across cabin interiors, tableware and service presentation.
Heritage fits directly within that strategy because Belgian partners developed it specifically for the airline.
Earlier Business Class improvements included individual meal presentation, collaborations with Belgian culinary specialists and upgraded tableware.
The aperitif adds another recognisable product that can separate Brussels Airlines from more standardised international cabin experiences.
Wider Investments Transform the Passenger Journey
Heritage forms one part of a broader passenger-experience investment programme.
Brussels Airlines began introducing updated Premium Economy tableware during 2026. THE LOFT lounge at Brussels Airport also closed on January 5 for an extensive renovation.
Brussels Airport expects the redesigned lounge to reopen during summer 2026 with a more refined environment for eligible passengers.
Digital upgrades will follow through Lufthansa Group’s Starlink programme. The gradual rollout will begin during the second half of 2026, with the wider group fleet targeted for completion by 2029.
The service will support streaming, cloud-based work and other high-bandwidth activities. Access will be complimentary for status customers and registered Travel ID users across every travel class.
Brussels Airlines also plans to introduce new long-haul cabins from 2027.
Heritage therefore arrives during a wider transformation involving lounges, connectivity, seating, presentation and Belgian hospitality.
By turning local ingredients into an inflight experience, Brussels Airlines is using national identity to create a more memorable premium journey.
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