Christian Drouin Vintage 1962/2007 Calvados AOC

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Extended oak maturation defines this vintage Calvados from Christian Drouin’s Les Millésimés range. Distilled in 1962, it was bottled in 2007 after 45 years of ageing in oak casks.

Fruity apple notes combine with sweet and spicy cask influences. Despite the long maturation, the texture remains velvety, while nuts and honey define the finish. The Calvados is bottled at 40% alcohol without colouring and presented in a wooden box containing one bottle holding 0.7 litres.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is intensely fruity, with notes of roasted apples accompanied by vanilla.
• Palate: The palate has a velvety texture. Caramel, oak and spices combine in a balanced flavour.
• Finish: The long finish leaves warm impressions of nuts and honey.

Distillery/Bottler:

The house’s history began in 1960, when Christian Drouin senior acquired the Fiefs Sainte Anne farm in the hills at Gonneville near Honfleur. Its existing cider apple trees provided the starting point for his Calvados production. Working with distiller Pierre Pivet, he built up stocks of aged spirits over the following twenty years. His son joined the business in 1969; in 1979, the company began marketing its accumulated stocks. By focusing on old vintages, the family developed a specialism that continues to define the house today.

In 1991 and 1992, production moved to another Norman farm, dating from the 17th century, in Coudray-Rabut near Pont-l’Évêque. For maturation, the house mainly uses small oak casks and many previously used casks, which limit the uptake of bitter tannins. Once an old Calvados has absorbed enough tannin, larger wooden vessels are available for its continued ageing. Each vintage follows its own maturation programme. Christian and Guillaume Drouin taste the casks annually to decide how they should be used next. Guillaume joined the family business in 2004 as the third generation and took over its management in 2013.

Facts: