Where is Calvados?
Calvados, which is located in Lower Normandy. It is distinguished by the charming Pays d’Auge countryside with its apple orchards and half-timbered homes, some of which have what the French know as “colombage” thatched roofs. The area’s economy is dominated by agriculture, and the region’s famed culinary creations frequently use butter, cheese (particularly Camembert and Pont-l’Eveque), cider, and Calvados – the apple brandy that bears the region’s name. If you’re a lover of fresh cuisine, Calvados offers a huge variety of fresh fish and shellfish served “à la Normande” with a superb choice of local produce from market stalls offering colourful fresh fruit and vegetables.
What kind of alcohol is Calvados?
Calvados is a cider or perry eau-de-vie and not an apple or pear eau-de-vie — i.e. it is obtained from fruit that has already been fermented. It is dependent on the terroir, the varieties harvested, their quality and quantity, and the nature of the cider or perry made from these fruits. A good example of a fine Calvados is Christian Drouin 10 Year Old
What’s the connection between Calvados and whisky?
Since the ground-breaking 2019 amendments, Calvados casks have been permitted to be used for maturing or “finishing” whisky. Many distilleries have been experimenting with Calvados casks to delicious results. For example, Deanston 2007 Calvados Cask Finish is a superb, light golden coloured whisky with notes of sharp green apple, citrus zest and sweet caramel.
We highly recommend giving Calvados a try, have a look at the range available here, why not try side by side with a Calvados finished whisky to compare and contrast. Happy sampling – Team HoM.
