Christian Drouin VSOP Pale & Dry Calvados Pays d'Auge

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Chill filtration: Yes

Special Features:

Small, previously used casks shape the maturation of this VSOP. These include former Bordeaux wine casks, which are re-charred and often seasoned with cider before being used for Calvados. The blend also contains spirits matured in former sherry, port and Banyuls casks. These different previous contents contribute to its richness and aromatic complexity.

The base consists predominantly of cider apples with a small proportion of pears. The Calvados is distilled twice in copper pot stills in the Pays d'Auge. For the VSOP, Christian Drouin blends spirits matured for at least four years. Ripe fruit, floral notes and spices form a balanced aromatic profile, with subtle accents of vanilla and cinnamon. This bottling has an alcohol content of 40% and is offered here in a 0.7-litre bottle with gift packaging.

Livarot cheese from Normandy makes a suitable pairing: its strong flavour contrasts with the fruitiness and light character of this Calvados.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose recalls fresh apple peel and baked apple pie, complemented by white chocolate and dried flowers.
• Palate: Rich, savoury pome-fruit flavours unfold on the palate. The Calvados remains light, with balanced fruitiness.
• Finish: Warm oak notes meet juicy, fresh stone fruit on the finish.

Distillery/Bottler:

The house's history began in 1960 when Christian Drouin senior purchased the Fiefs Sainte-Anne farm near Honfleur. Together with distiller Pierre Pivet, he built up stocks of mature Calvados. His son Christian later developed the company's international business and specialised in old spirits. In 1991–1992, production moved to a 17th-century farm in Coudray-Rabut near Pont-l'Évêque. Guillaume Drouin, a trained agricultural engineer and oenologist, joined the family business in 2004 as its third generation.

The house's approach includes traditional standard-tree orchards with around thirty apple varieties and gentle pneumatic pressing. Before pressing, the crushed fruit rests for several hours in a stainless-steel vessel, resulting in softer, less bitter tannins in the cider. Heads and tails are separated during both distillation runs, with the cut points adjusted to each cider. In the maturation cellar, Christian and Guillaume Drouin taste every cask annually and decide how it will be used next.

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