Christian Drouin Cooking Calvados AOC 200ml

Volume: 0.2 litres | Alcohol content: 40%

Special Features:

Fruit takes centre stage in this Calvados: Christian Drouin developed Sélection in the 1990s for use in cocktails. Its apple and pear character also lends itself to cooking, for example in apple granita or other fruit-focused recipes. The small bottle contains 0.2 litres of Calvados at 40% alcohol.

Cider apples and perry pears form the base, with pears accounting for 30%. After a single distillation in a column still, the Calvados matures for two years in very old casks that have been used repeatedly. This choice of casks preserves the fresh fruit character rather than obscuring it with pronounced wood notes. The perry pears contribute a tart freshness, while the cider apples provide a softer counterpoint.

The Calvados is pale gold in colour. The bottle is sealed with a wooden-topped cork.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, apple aromas mingle with spicy notes. Almond notes also unfold in the bouquet.
• Palate: The Calvados is soft and slightly oily on the palate. Ripe apples and pears shape the flavour before prune notes develop.
• Finish: The finish is clean and leaves a fresh mouthfeel.

Distillery/Bottler:

The family firm's history began in 1960, when Christian Drouin senior acquired the Les Fiefs Sainte-Anne farm near Honfleur. Together with distiller Pierre Pivet, he spent many years building up stocks of maturing Calvados; sales did not begin until 1979. In 1991–1992, production moved to a 17th-century farm in Coudray-Rabut near Pont-l’Évêque.

Guillaume Drouin joined the company in 2004, representing the third generation. An agricultural engineer and oenologist, he took over its management in 2013. Father and son create the blends together, tasting every cask in the cellar each year. Each bottling follows a maturation programme tailored to its style. The fruit-forward Sélection is produced partly at the firm's other facility in Domfront.

Facts: