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calvados It has been the pride of Normandy for centuries. While many of its distilleries have rich traditions stretching back generations and boast unparalleled craftsmanship, French brandy is enjoying a newfound appreciation among U.S. consumers and beverage professionals.
Global sales increased by 4.7% in 2022, while sales in the United States increased by 70%, making it the company's second largest export market after Germany. The Calvados industry has led efforts to highlight the category's dynamism, the spirit's inherent sustainability, and its benefits by focusing on small-scale production methods, but this trend is being driven by the commitment of producers and bartenders to It comes from innovation on both sides.
“As more and more bartenders use Calvados in cocktails, [its] It has a new image,” says third-generation owner Guillaume Drouhin. Calvados Christian Drouhin. “We've worked a lot with bartenders, written books with them, organized cocktail competitions and hosted them at our distillery to spread our passion and knowledge. Calvados has been around for a long time. It is a great historical spirit with a great tradition. This is something we are very proud of. At the same time, we hope that this category will bring fresh images and communication to further increase curiosity about Calvados. It’s important to be able to do it.”
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The Calvados Spirits Council (IDAC) has created Introducing Calvados: Authentic Spirits from Europe, a new initiative funded in part by the European Union to raise awareness of Europe's GI spirits. The program includes dinners, masterclasses, trade shows (scheduled for June at Bar Convent Brooklyn), in-store promotions, and other events to help buyers interested in Calvados learn more about its spirit. It will help you learn more and establish yourself at the bar. Until then, Sevenfifty Daily For the beverage expert's guide to Calvados, we spoke to the region's leading producers.
Encounter with French tradition
Spirit drinks are deeply rooted in European culture and tradition and are produced in all EU member states for both domestic consumption and export. The United States remains the largest export market for European GI spirits, as more American consumers seek expertise, reliability and know-how.
Despite the great potential of all 250 GIs, exports to the United States are primarily concentrated in a few GIs, such as cognac. However, these EU spirits fit well with current American consumption trends, offering high-quality products that maintain sustainable values and provide interesting ingredients for a vibrant cocktail scene.
Calvados is a prime example of the promise of European GI spirits, which is why it is the flagship spirit of this EU campaign, which actively recognizes European GI spirits as authentic and sustainable products. The purpose is to make you aware. We are also working to increase knowledge of the high quality standards of the European Protected Designation of Origin in the United States.
calvados Essentially distilled cider, or Eau de vie de cider, made from apples or pears grown across a designated 20,000-acre area in the Normandy region of France. Protected by three different his AOCs. Calvados AOC accounts for 70 percent of production. Calvados Pays Doge. Specifies products that are double distilled in copper pot stills (as opposed to stills). column yet); and Calvados Domfrontais is distilled from mostly pears.
“Calvados was born from the serendipitous meeting of two traditions,” explains Serge. Der Saagian, CEO and Executive Director Spirit France Diffusion. First, cider making in Normandy. Drinks began to be distilled in the name of preservation. In this region he dates back to 1553. Empty rum barrels from France in the Caribbean were piled up in the port of Le Havre and used as containers for the distilled cider while the cider makers worked. Similar to the story of cognac's evolution, storing cider distillate in barrels has had auspicious results.
Named after Calvados DepartmentBut Calvados didn't become famous until the late 19th century, when phylloxera devastated French vineyards and the first industrial Calvados distilleries opened.
Currently, Calvados production is controlled by strict regulations. According to the AOC, Calvados must be produced using fruit grown in the Normandy region. There are approximately 230 legally recognized varieties of apples, divided into four classifications: sharp, sweet, bitter sharp, and bittersweet, and approximately 139 varieties of pears.
Fusion of ancient production and modern ingenuity
Once the apples are harvested, washed, and pressed to extract the juice or juice, they are fermented for at least 21 days before being distilled. (The minimum fermentation period for Calvados Donfrontai is 30 days.) After distillation, the spirit is Aged for at least two years in French oak barrels, but many producers let it mature for even longer. Bottled at a minimum of 80 proof.
Each bottle is essentially a blend of different ciders eau de vie. Some producers release vintages for individual years. Calvados is classified by age. Fine or VS Calvados is aged for at least two years. VSOP bottlings are aged in oak barrels for at least four years. Calvados aged for more than 6 years is graded as XO. Younger expressions are defined by a fresh apple flavor profile, while older Calvados offers more of a baked apple aroma.
Of course, production is seasonal. Cider made in the fall is stored in cider barrels or barrels for several months, allowing the aging to be reflected in the brandy. “Distilling the youngest ciders yields a simple, fruity spirit suitable for sale as very young Calvados,” says Drouhin. “Distillation continues until June and sometimes into autumn, producing a more structured calvados with a more pronounced acidity. This allows us to produce more mature vintages, which is our specialty.”
But aging is just one way to influence flavor. Even with strict regulations, there is room for experimentation. Co-founder Stephanie Jordan said: Avalen Spiritspoints out how Calvados makers, long bound by tradition, are taking a page from other categories known for innovation.
“This transformation began over five years ago, with the introduction of new, young, fresh styles of brandy, tailored to the tastes and aesthetics of 21st century drinkers,” Jordan said. “The latest generation is now taking the lead, some launched by traditional family-run producers, others by those in the industry who moved to Normandy because they felt the category was ripe for a new proposition. Some have been launched by innovators. New cask finishes are starting to come out of cellars, some of which are on par with the finest Scotches.”
Cask finish primarily drives innovation. As an example, Boullard offers VSOPs of Rye Whiskey Cask Finish, Wheat Whiskey Cask Finish, and Virgin Quercus Cask Finish.of Experimental de Christian Drouhin The series features collaborations with Hine Cognac, Springbank Whiskey and rum maker Foursquare. The owner, Pierre Martin Neuhaus, Domaine du CocquerelHis grandfather acquired it in 1971 and in 2015. Cask finish collection The company deserves credit for attracting new customers, especially thanks to its new modern packaging.
an inherently sustainable ethos
Another way Calvados speaks to today's consumers is through its sustainability proposition. For calvados producers, sustainability is not a strategy. That's the trick. “The Calvados industry's carbon footprint is absolutely positive, unparalleled by any other spirit in the world. This is due to large apple orchard plantations that absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. ,” he says. Der Saagian.
Donatien Ferrari, Communications Manager La Martiniquese Bardinea family company engaged in production and sales. Bunel Calvados Pays Doge, estimates that one hectare of apple trees absorbs 35 to 50 tons of carbon over 25 years. Additionally, orchards prevent soil erosion and contribute to biodiversity, especially for bees and other pollinators. Great care is taken to protect the fruit. AOC regulations prohibit irrigation and pesticides, so apples are rich in beneficial microorganisms.
“Apple skins are naturally rich in microorganisms, so we don't need additional yeast during cider fermentation and can instead rely on the indigenous yeasts already present. It’s ecological evidence,” Jordan says.
Centuries ago, before laws were passed to protect the standard, Calvados was a wild spirit. It was often drunk as “Cafe He Calva,'' a shot of Calvados with your morning coffee. But Calvados is a versatile drink. Jordan has noticed that cocktails of Calvados, apple juice, lemon juice and sugar are emerging as a classic.
Der Saagian we're seeing a growing trend of using old Calvados in place of other base spirits in stirred drinks, such as Old Fashioneds and Manhattans. Neuhaus says the young, fresh, fruity flavor is perfect for drinking as an aperitif or in a cocktail. His explorations include many highlights. Apple Martini with Coquerel VS, apple juice, lemon and simple syrup. Coquerel VS Tonic Water. And the Espresso His Martini with VSOP is a welcome callback to old-fashioned Calvados drinkers with Café His Calva.
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