Christian Drouin VSOP Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are full and rich opening with baked apples supported by loads of brown spices with hints of candied ginger, cinnamon, honey comb, cocoa nibs, dried autumn leaves, and white pepper. The palate agrees with rich and drier notes rising to meet the fruit-driven core with flanking notes of mineral, salinity, and rich wine cask accents. Medium to full-bodied offering great density – being assertive while delicate with long, trailing fruit and spice notes. $84.99 – 4.5 Stars
Christian Drouin 25 Years Old Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully complex with fresh juice, caramel apples, and rich baked apples competing for dominace with waves of spice, oak, dried fruits, and a subtle cinnamon heat. The palate is a natural extention of the nose delivering rich, layered fruit and caramel core with assertive brown spices rising on the finish met by toasted oak and delicate mineral accents. Full-bodied with hedonistic fruit notes while keeping a perfect balance and delivering a finish that beautifully carries on for minutes. $259.99 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage 1975 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is very floral and amazingly youthful with loads of apple and supporting waves of marzipan, honey, candied orange peel, rancio, and rich butter toffee, and delicate brown baking spices. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering waves of fruit, caramel, honey, and spice with peppery wood, soft cinnamon heat, and a trailing toffee and apple melange that lingers seemingly forever. Medium to full-bodied with intense honey and fruit married in one flawless package that defies its age. $356.99 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage 1993 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with the scents of honey, wild flowers, figs, caramel, and layers of fruit with toffee, apricot, pecan, and brown butter. The palate fully agrees with the nose delivering rich layers of brown butter and baked apple with loads of honey, assertive brown baking spices, and soft oak accents. Medium-bodied with perfect balance and a building warmth from the freshly toasted clove, cinnamon, and allspice. $191.99 – 4 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage 1995 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is quite fruity and complex with scents of prunes and cashew butter, red cherry, vanilla custard, stewed red fruits, red currants, and cinnamon. The palate is so in-tune with the nose with loads of red fruits, spice, cinnamon, and bright Port cask notes giving it a strong vinous accent. Full-bodied and quite assertive with so many fresh fruit flavors arriving in waves with baking spices and Port while keeping a perfect balance. $163.99 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin Pommeau de Normandie
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aroma of freshly baked apples fills the nose with supporting notes of brown butter, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and subtle caramel accents. The palate echoes the nose offering a very vibrant but rich, fruit-driven core with generous butter toffee and soft brown baking spice notes. Medium-bodied and very sprite with the open bottle being in grave danger of being exhausted in one sitting. $34.99 – 4.5 Stars
Saint-Vivant VS Armagnac
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is very pleasing and complex with sweet, honeyed apples and pears, dried fruits (think fruitcake), allspice, mace, vanilla, and orange peel. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush but very vibrant fruit-driven core with supporting accents of oak, brown baking spices, black pepper, and dried fruit concentrate that lingers with nutmeg, clove, and brown butter. Medium to full-bodied with ideal balance and length offering the full and semi-rustic flavors that Armagnac lovers seek. $28.99 – 4 Stars
Gonzalez Byass Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are quite complex while subtle with scents of toffee, Marcona almonds, orange peel, Sherry, earth, vanilla, and sultanas. The palate echoes the nose delivering a generous, unctuous caramel and fruit core with layers of nutmeg, nut, citrus, brown butter, and hints of clove. It's a medium-bodied Brandy with complex layers of fruit, caramel, spice, and wood with perfect balance. $55.99 – 4.5 Stars
Gonzalez Byass Soberano Spanish Brandy
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with beautiful Christmas cake fruits with rich brown baking spices, caramel, wood, and candied walnuts. The palate is in full agreeement with the nose delivering lush but vibrant fruit core with waves of spice, oak, honey, and toffee with hints of vanilla and black pepper. Medium-bodied with great depth and complex spice notes while featuring rich and ripe fruit flavors. $24.99 – 4 Stars
Calvados Boulard VSOP Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. Wonderfully aromatic, filling the nose with the scents of baked and fresh apples with supporting notes of nutmeg, toasted walnuts, charred oak, brown butter, and a hint of clove. The palate confirms the nose with more vibrant, fresh apple notes emerging with a soft vanilla bean note flanking the rich fruit. Subtle and complex while offering a rich, and generous fruit-driven core with perfect balance as bright acidity is present from entry to finish. $$45 – 4 Stars
