An overview of the types of calvados: Derbent, Pierre Magloire, Chevalier de Touche Fine, Boulard
According to statistics, there are about 10 thousand producers of Calvados in Lower Normandy today. Of these, approximately 450 farms produce this aged fruit (apple or apple-pear) brandy on an industrial scale.
As you can imagine, a review of the products of even these last ones will take more than one hundred pages and will be of interest to professional tasters rather than ordinary alcohol lovers.
So, Vzboltai is pleased to offer you a small cross-section characterizing the various brands of calvados, as well as some of their producers.
Learn about calvados much more.
Calvados Pierre Magloire: variety and quality
The Pere Magloire brand is rightfully considered the king of calvados producers. This distillery, named in memory of a creative and charming Norman innkeeper who appreciated good company, cheerful conversation and excellent apple brandy, produces numerous forty-degree types of calvados covering the entire age range of the drink.
Pere Magloire Fine - a drink of two years of aging, created by a single distillation. It has a very bright apple flavor and light amber color. Easily recognizable thanks to the characteristic green glass bottle.
Pere Magloire VSOP (WCO labeling means at least four years of aging) - combines traditionally first-class raw materials and double distillation. This Normandy digestif is characterized by a floral flavor and a pleasant chestnut color. Any connoisseur will immediately recognize it on the store shelf when they see the familiar yellow bottle.
Pere Magloire XO (aged for six years or more) - red calvados with a floral hue and vanilla and berry notes in the taste. This wonderful double-distilled product is hidden in dark glass bottles.
Pere Magloire 12 year old - is a serious example of a single distillation. By the way, 12 years of age is considered to be the ideal age for calvados produced by continuous distillation. You will be able to see this for yourself by appreciating the combination of a mild taste with almond, citrus, woody and, of course, apple notes, and a rich aroma, where, in addition to the apple leitmotif, you can guess nutty, banana and spice undertones... This golden brown drink is also housed in an elegant dark glass bottle.
Pere Magloire Isadora Extra - a fifteen-year-old blend dedicated to the famous ballerina Isadora Duncan. It attracts with a combination of sunny amber color, apple orchard aroma and a designer rectangular decanter.
Pere Magloire 20 year old - is nothing more than a masterful blend of separately aged spirits obtained by continuous and double distillation. A drink of this class is beyond the scope of generalized organoleptic perception. Perhaps, every lucky person who had the opportunity to join it, discovered special absolutely unique flavors and aromas.
In addition, the assortment of the Pierre Magloire house includes drinks whose age reaches forty and even fifty years. But we can't write anything about such truly extraordinary things of the grand reserve class.
Calvados Chevalier de Mascara Fine
Although the Chevalier des Touches brand drink, which belongs to the popular Fine category, is produced under the auspices of the reputable Christian Drouin family house and exported to 40 countries, it seems that the manufacturer does not care much about its prestige. This three-year-old forty-degree drink is too light, and it has absolutely no woody flavor. We believe that getting acquainted with Calvados with the help of the mentioned drink can deceive the rosy expectations of beginners.
Calvados Boulard - a tribute to family traditions
The Boulard distillery, or rather Boulard, founded back in 1825 by Pierre Auguste Boulard, is a classic example of an old family house for which it is a matter of honor to keep the brand. Today, the company continues to produce high-quality drinks under the leadership of a descendant of the company's founder: Vincent Boulard. It should be noted that all brands of calvados produced by the masters of this house are famous for their rich and long aftertaste.
Boulard Grand Solage - a good blend of fine class. It has a golden copper color, apple-vanilla aroma and a slightly sharp, rich apple flavor.
Boulard VSOP - a hard drink that claims to be somewhat aristocratic. Its distinctive features: sunny amber color, apple-woody aroma with hints of toasted nuts and freshly baked sweet buns, as well as a fairly balanced taste with woody motifs and a hint of vanilla and dried fruit. According to connoisseurs, the drink evokes a slight nostalgia for the last days of the outgoing summer.
Boulard XO - a noble digestive drink. It has a rich amber color, apple-vanilla aroma with hints of oak bark and a balanced taste of ripe apple fruit, tinged with notes of spices and hazelnuts.
Boulard Auguste - named after the founder of the brand. The fruity vanilla flavor of the drink is strongly associated with homemade apple pie. The flavor profile is characterized by cinnamon, candied fruits, almonds and dried fruits, combined with a woody counterpoint.
Boulard Extra - it is considered the pinnacle of the art of local masters over cellars. This little masterpiece combines a fruity and spicy aroma with a floral touch and a rounded taste of caramelized apples.
Calvados Derbent - a funny curiosity
The drink produced by the Derbent Cognac Factory cannot be considered calvados for many reasons. Not only does it have nothing to do with Normandy, but it is also made from local Dagestan apples; and it is aged in a barrel for no longer than six months. Although, if you want to sip something apple and stronger, this homegrown decoct will be quite appropriate.
How to choose calvados
It should be noted that in the post-Soviet space, calvados, due to its relatively low popularity, is counterfeited much less often than cognac. However, this does not mean that we are completely free from such incidents. Accordingly, when buying this Normandy drink, you should keep in mind some generally accepted rules.
You need to conduct an external analysis of the label and excise stamp. Both should be glued evenly, without traces of glue on the paper, and the label should be printed with high quality.
You should take a closer look at the label. It should clearly indicate such parameters as the barcode of the country of origin (in this case, France), the name of the brand, its age and one of the three possible sub-regions of origin (Calvados Pays d'Or)’Auge, AOC calvados or Calvados Domfrontais).
Finally, you need to pay attention to the color of the drink. As a rule, these are different shades of amber: from sunny golden to darkish brown.
And, of course, do not look for real calvados among the dubious cheap bottles on the shelves of no less dubious mini-markets. Respect yourself and the good Normandy distillers.
Update: 25.11.2016
Category: Brandy and Cognac