Christian Drouin Selection Calvados AOC 350ml

Volume: 0.35 litres | Alcohol content: 40%

Special Features:

Fruit takes centre stage in Sélection. Christian Drouin developed the recipe in the 1990s with cocktail bars in mind. Alongside cider apples, it uses perry pears, which account for 30% of the blend. The cider and perry undergo a single distillation in a column still. The Calvados then matures for two years in very old casks. These much-used casks preserve its fresh fruit character rather than overshadowing it with pronounced woody notes.

Sélection belongs to the Calvados AOC appellation and is partly produced at the house’s premises in Domfront. It brings together the tart freshness of perry pears and the softer character of cider apples. White flowers and vanilla complement the orchard fruit, almond and spice notes. Its light, fruit-forward style suits cocktails, aperitif long drinks and cooking. This bottle contains 0.35 litres at 40% alcohol.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Apple and spices unfold on the nose, alongside almond notes reminiscent of amaretto. With air, pear, red melon and freshly cut grass emerge. Beeswax and wax polish complete the aromas.
• Palate: The Calvados feels soft and oily on the palate. Ripe apples and pears unfold before the flavour develops into prunes.
• Finish: Prune notes linger in the clean finish, leaving a fresh sensation in the mouth.

Distillery/Bottler:

The family house’s history began in 1960, when Christian Drouin senior acquired the Fiefs SainteAnne farm in the hills of Gonneville near Honfleur. Working with distiller Pierre Pivet, he turned the farm’s own cider into Calvados, initially building up stocks of maturing spirits. His son joined the business in 1969, and sales began in 1979. In the early 1990s, production moved to a 17th-century farm in Coudray-Rabut near Pont-l’Évêque.

Guillaume Drouin has represented the third generation in the business since 2004. A trained agricultural engineer and oenologist, he took over the management of the company in 2013. He creates the blends together with his father. Each year, they taste every cask in the cellar before deciding how it will be used. Maturation is tailored to the intended style of each blend and vintage. Sélection’s short maturation is therefore a deliberate choice to create a young, fruit-forward Calvados.

Facts: