Roger Groult Calvados Pays d’Auge Vénérable (41%, OB, 2010)

• Category: Calvados Pays d’Auge
• Origin: Calvados Roger GROULT
• Bottling: Official
• ABV: 41%
• Cost: £73.45

What they say:

Vénérable

“Vénérable” is really the signature of our domain ! A blend of old Calvados over 18 years, whose finesse, balance and aromatic persistence are the main features.

Caractéristiques Techniques / Specifications :

AOC : Calvados Pays d’Auge

Pommes à cidre du Pays d’Auge / Cider apples from Pays d’Auge area

Double distillation au feu de bois / Double distillation over wood fire

Vieillissement et assemblages en vieux fûts de chêne roux français / Aged and blended in old french oak casks

Mise en bouteille au domaine / Bottled at the domain

Notes de dégustation / Tasting notes :

• Couleur / Color : tuilé brillant / bright tawny color
• Nez / Nose : fruité, pointe vanillée, mélange de nombreux épices poivrés / fruity, touch of vanilla, blend of many peppery spices
• En bouche / Palate : arômes fumés, fruits à chair blanche type poire, très belle persistance / smoky aromas, white fruit like pear, very good persistence

À consommer / how to drink it :

À l’apéritif, en digestif à température ambiante, en accompagnement de desserts (au chocolat, à la pomme) / As an aperitif, as a digestif at room temperature, as an accompaniment to desserts (chocolate, apple)

International Wine & Spirit Competition (August 2014) :
SPETIAL MENTION “OUTSTANDING” (category : Calvados from 18 to 20 yo)

World Drinks Awards (2014) :
2nd WORLD’S BEST CALVADOS (Silver Medal)

La Revue du Vin de France (October 2012) :
“Apple is present on the nose but cooked in a spiced syrup. The persistent finish continues with notes of gingerbread.“

International Wine & Spirit Competition of London (2010) :
SILVER MEDAL

What I say

Our first sampling from Calvados Roger Groult is this Vénérable edition made from Calvados Pays d’Auge distillate matured for a minimum of 18 years and is constructed to represent their signature style.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Dark gold (12/20), numerous medium tears and medium legs
• Nose: Sweet & spiced, cider apples slightly fermented, floral; hyacinth, honeysuckle, coloured pencil shavings, waxy and woody, wood shavings, ripe apple fruits, apple skin, yeasty, beeswax, estery and sweet, musty, old wood, wood smoke a little like beech wood and some ash.
• Taste: Sweet and floral initially with honeysuckle and apple blossom, apple fruit, oak wood, a touch of bitterness like dark chocolate, quite light to mid bodied, a touch of tannic spices, cinnamon, baked or poached apple fruits.
• Finish: Long, gentle tannic spices ripple over ripe apple skins and juicy, sweet fruit, completed with old wood shavings

Overall

A lovely combination of old wood and fresh ripe apple fruit, with equal measures of florality, spice and some bitter dark chocolate adds to an earthy quality too.

Score 90/100

Shop for Roger Groult Calvados Pays d’Auge Vénérable (opens Master of Malt)

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