Calvados – apples perfected
Calvados is the world famous, and rightfully so, apple based brandy from the Normandy region of France. Some 40 varieties of apples and pears are permitted to used in creating Calvados. These varieties are categorized as: sweet, bittersweet, bitter, and acidic. The distiller blends these carefully to achieve the desired character. The juice is fermented, often with natural airborne yeast creating a hard cider. Some producers will bottle and sell a portion of their cider that is often delicious especially when fresh. Calvados is typically aged three to ten years although vintage Calvados from top producers can easily be found.
Calvados should be dominated by flavors and aromas of apples (typically baked apples) complimented by notes of brown spices, cinnamon, oak, and brown sugar. Calvados is scandalously under appreciated, even at home in France. Unfortunately, it had a sordid history as a cheap distillate frequently used to give a jolt to coffee. Beyond the high-octane café, Calvados was secondarily known as a component in desserts. Today Calvados is enjoying a revival as many consumers are discovering that it’s not just for cooking any more!
If you are curious about Calvados you must read our full Calvados HERE
Find a list of Calvados brands HERE
Links to all Calvados Reviews at BevX HERE