Christian Drouin Vintage 1981/2021 Calvados Pays d'Auge

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Long maturation in oak casks is central to this vintage Calvados. Christian Drouin distilled it in the Pays d'Auge in 1981; this release was bottled in 2021 at 40%. At Drouin, the vintage refers to the year of distillation, not the apple harvest.

This amber-coloured Calvados has a character that is both powerful and rounded. Alongside its apple fruit, it offers unusual savoury aromas reminiscent of beef broth and mushrooms. It contains no added colouring and comes in a wooden box.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose brings together apple tarte Tatin, oven-baked light-coloured raisins, cloves and cedarwood. Savoury hints of beef broth and mushrooms add further dimensions. Ripe apples are accompanied by a light floral fragrance.
• Palate: The Calvados is powerful and rounded on the palate, while retaining freshness and a distinct apple character. Caramelised apples, cinnamon and subtle additional spice notes complement its full-bodied feel.
• Finish: The long finish remains smooth and leaves a warming sensation on the palate.

Distillery/Bottler:

The house's history began in 1960, when Christian Drouin senior acquired the Fiefs Sainte-Anne farm near Gonneville-sur-Honfleur. Together with distiller Pierre Pivet, he initially built up stocks of aged Calvados. His son Christian joined the business in 1969 and later focused particularly on developing its range of old vintages. In 1991 and 1992, production moved to a 17th-century farm in Coudray-Rabut, near Pont-l'Évêque. Guillaume Drouin joined in 2004 as the third generation and took over the management of the company in 2013.

Around thirty cider apple varieties grow on standard trees in the house's own orchards. After washing and crushing, the apples are left to rest for several hours before gentle pneumatic pressing. For its Calvados Pays d'Auge, the house uses double distillation in a traditional pot still. Heads and tails are separated during both distillations, with the cut points determined by the characteristics of each cider.

Cask maturation is tailored to each vintage. Many of the casks have been used previously, which limits the extraction of bitter wood tannins. Christian and Guillaume Drouin taste the cask stocks annually to decide how they should be used next. Larger wooden vessels are used, among other purposes, to store older Calvados that have already absorbed enough tannin.

Facts: