There is a lot to discover when it comes to Calvados. This historic apple brandy, or apple eau de vie, dates back to the 1500s. The Normandy region of France is full of orchards producing fruits to be made into cider and then to Calvados.
What is Calvados?
Calvados is a type of French brandy or eau de vie made mainly from apples, although some pears can also be used.
The fruits differ from the ones we eat, and the apples come in four varieties: Sweet (fragrant & sweet, contributes to a higher ABV), Bittersweet (both sweet & tannic, dominant kind), Bitter (more tannins, adds body) and Acidic (adds freshness, helps to preserve). At least 70% of the orchards on each appellation must be bitter and bittersweet, although it is the overall blend in the cider that gives the Calvados the right balance.
There are now three Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC). The appellations are known as Calvados AOC, Calvados Pays d’Auge AOC and Calvados Domfrontais AOC. Each appellation has subtle differences when it comes to the production details such as stills used and fermentation times. Even the type of orchard in these appellations differs due to the terroir of the area. Around 70% of the whole production comes from Calvados AOC.
How is Calvados made?
The season for harvesting begins in September and ends mid to late December. The fruits are generally picked once they’ve already fallen off the tree. They are washed before being crushed or grated. The pulp is then pressed for the juice, also known as must. The must is fermented as long as it takes to reach a minimum of 4.5% ABV. This usually takes at least 21 days, although the overall fermentation can take from one to three months. The fermentation is done in tanks and without additional sugars.
Calvados AOC allows the use of both column and pot stills, although column stills are more common. Calvados d’Auge AOC only allows pot stills and Calvados Domfrontais only column stills. It usually takes five to six first distillations to obtain enough spirit (30% ABV) to commence the second distillation. The middle cut, the heart, can’t be above 72% ABV.
Around 18kg of fruit is needed to make 13 litres of cider, which will then produce one litre of Calvados (before it’s been aged and diluted).
Ageing
Calvados must be aged for a minimum of two years in oak before it can be bottled and sold (the exception being Calvados Domfrontais, which requires a minimum of three years). Many distilleries even age their spirit for up to 20 years. The oak used for ageing can be sessile oak (also known as Irish oak or Cornish oak) or European oak.
Some distilleries age the spirit in 250 to 600 litre new oak barrels before transferring the liquid into a much older cask (even 100 years old). This allows the spirit to take colour, tannins and some flavour from the fresh oak before its time in the older wood. Some producers use large 1000 to 10000 litre vats for ageing. The common tasting notes include cooked apples and pears, oak spice, vanilla, honey, butterscotch, walnut and even leather. The older the Calvados, the deeper the flavours will be.
Like with whisky, several spirits will be blended to create the perfect balance of flavours and aromas. Calvados must be bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV.
Terroir
Whether it comes to winemaking, whisky production or Calvados, terroir plays a big role in the drinks industry in France. The Normandy area has an oceanic climate with only small changes in temperature. The area, especially Calvados AOC, gets regular rainfall and wind.
Calvados Pays d’Auge appellation has a shallow clay-limestone soil, which is high in calcium. It creates smaller fruits that are high in sugar and polyphenols. Many believe the best Calvados comes from this area. Calvados Domfrontais, on the other hand, has a deep and moist soil made of granite, making it an ideal area for pear trees.
The orchards used to create Calvados include 230 varieties of cider apples and 139 types of perry pears. Together they extend to over 8000 hectares of orchards, which are split into high-stem and low-stem orchards.
High-stem orchards average around 25 tonnes per hectare and low stems yield around 35 tonnes. High-stem trees take a minimum of seven years to grow, reaching full maturity at around 15 years. Low-stem ones take from three to eight years. Despite the lower yield, high-stem orchards are preferred due to their more sustainable production methods. The higher trees allow room for cattle farming, which helps to maintain biodiversity.
The grass that grows between the trees plays an important part in the Calvados production. The grass helps to soften the landing of the falling ripe fruit and it also maintains the soil quality. High-stem orchards therefore play an important role in production.
Pear trees take much longer to grow, and it can take as long as 15 years for the first fruit to appear. These trees can live for hundreds of years.
More about terroir in spirits, see my previous blog post about Waterford Distillery.
Labelling
Like with scotch whisky, the age shown on the label only refers to the youngest whisky in the blend, with the exception of vintage Calvados. Vintages are always made using spirits that are all distilled in the same year.
Age statement is not mandatory, but if it is used, the following must be included:
- VS (very special) or Three Stars or Three Apples to indicate a minimum of two years of ageing
- Réserve or Vieux to indicate a minimum three years of ageing
- VO (very old) or Vieille Réserve or VSOP (very superior old pale) to indicate at least four years of ageing
- XO (extra old) or Hors d’Âge or Très Vieille Réserve or Très Vieux or Extra or Napoléon to indicate a minimum of six years of ageing
Future of Calvados
Calvados is a spirit with a long history, but as times are changing, and to reach a wider audience, the industry has evolved. There have been single-cask (or cask strength) releases as well as various secondary maturations in casks similar to the scotch whisky industry.
Calvados can be finished in Bourbon barrels, whisky casks, sherry, Sauternes, Port, rum, tequila or Cognac casks. However, American oak or Japanese Mizunara wood is not allowed, although that doesn’t mean they aren’t used. If the apple brandy is aged in one of these casks, it must be labelled Eau de Vie de Cidre instead of Calvados. That is why you can find some Calvados finished in rum casks, for example, and other rum finishes labelled as Eau de Vie de Cidre due to the type of wood the rum was originally aged in.
Have you tried Calvados? Do you have a favourite brand?
