Christian Drouin Millésime 1996/2023 Calvados Pays d'Auge

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 42% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Maturation in both Calvados casks and former Banyuls casks distinguishes this vintage from Christian Drouin. This Pays d'Auge Calvados was distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2023 after 27 years of maturation. It combines a pronounced apple character with fruity sweetness, creamy impressions and a chocolate-and-nut finish.

This bottling contains no added colouring and has an alcohol content of 42%. The bottle holds 0.7 litres and comes in a wooden gift box.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Intense apple aromas lead on the nose. Vanilla and dried fruit complement them, alongside subtle floral notes.
• Palate: The palate offers rich, fruity sweetness with spicy and creamy impressions. Sweetness and acidity remain in balance.
• Finish: Chocolate and nut flavours linger through the long finish, accompanied by gentle spice.

Distillery/Bottler:

The family firm's history began in 1960, when Christian Drouin senior acquired the Fiefs Sainte-Anne estate near Honfleur. Together with distiller Pierre Pivet, he spent two decades building up stocks of maturing Calvados. His son Christian joined the business in 1969 and further developed its focus on long-aged vintages. In 1991–1992, production moved to Coudray-Rabut near Pont-l'Evêque, to a 17th-century Norman farm. Guillaume Drouin, an agricultural engineer and oenologist, joined in 2004 as the third generation; he has led the company since 2013.

The house uses around 30 cider apple varieties from its own orchards of standard trees and from other regional farms. After washing and crushing, the apple pulp rests for a few hours in a stainless-steel tank before being gently pressed in a pneumatic press. The cider is stored for several months before distillation. For Calvados Pays d'Auge, Drouin uses double distillation and adjusts the separation of heads and tails to each batch of cider. Small, previously used casks play an important role in the maturation cellars, limiting the extraction of bitter wood tannins. Christian and Guillaume Drouin taste every cask each year to decide on its further maturation.

Facts: