Christian Drouin 1989 Calvados Pays d’Auge (42%, OB, 2017)

• Category: Calvados Pays d’Auge
• Origin: Calvados Christian Drouin
• Bottling: Official
• ABV: 42%
• Cost: £150

What they say

The vintages correspond to the distillation year and not to the apple harvest year.  The vintage Calvados are kept in barrels and the year of bottling is on the label. Distilled in 1989 and finished in ex-Sherry casks.

Official tasting notes

• beautiful dress with clear fawn hues and topaz highlights, beautiful shine.
• Nice nose, fruity, cooked apple, almond, grilled, smoked.
• Palate: nice volume, quite powerful tannins, rather long finish.

What I say

Purchased from Master of Malt.

This 1989 vintage Calvados from Christian Drouin peaked my curiosity with its ex-Sherry cask finish.

Voted 2017 World’s Best Calvados at the World Drinks Awards

My tasting notes

• Appearance: Radiant copper (11/20), thick, oily tears and numerous thick legs.
• Nose: Sweet apple, apple blossom, red apples, hints of blackcurrant and raisin, nutty almond or marzipan, light, dry wood smoke.
• Taste: Balanced fruits, not as sweet as the nose, forest fruits, bramble, apple, raspberry, smoked almonds, cigar boxes, medium-heavy bodied and mouthcoating, hints of honey.
• Finish: Long, drying, tannic wood, darker berry fruits, tart brambles and subtle woody spices.

Overall

A fantastically balanced Calvados, the sherry has deepened and darkened the fruits, reducing the apple sweetness and also prolonging some lovely mouth-coating oils. Everything in moderation here results in the complete package, dangerously easy to drink before you realise the fully what is going on. Deliciously light nutty and woody smoke, tart brambles and tannic oak.

Score 93/100

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