Distiller Notes
Jean Francois Guillouet has combined three vintages (’90, ’92, ’05) to create this incredible Hors d’ Age. Deep green apple, vanilla, honey and smoked almond are all present. This well aged Calvados has a round, oily mouthfeel and a long finish. A step up in development and a wonderful representation of the third Calvados appellation!
Proof: 80
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
Pinning down the term hors d’age is a moving target, but this bottling by Michel Huard stands at the older end, with a minimum of 10-year-old spirits, along with a significant percentage that is more than 25 years old. Golden-colored, it opens with a gorgeous, old-time nose – rustic in the best sense of the word. There’s woodiness here, from the nose to the finish, but it’s an attractive virtue, with deep and well-integrated. There’s balanced aromas and flavors of tarte tatin, with notes of pepper and even salted licorice. In the mouth, it’s expansive, like a blanket in the mouth that says “comfort me with apples” all the way through the long finish. This might be the Calvados to convert a bourbon drinker to the pleasures of apple brandy. An excellent value to boot for such a high-quality spirit.
Calvados is a department (county) in Normandy in northern France that is famous for its Brandies—also called Calvados—which are created by distilling cider made from locally fermented pears and apples. The Calvados orchards and brewers date back as far as the 8th century; distilling came about in the 16th century. Categorized by both age and geography, Calvados production methods differ among the three sub-appellations: AOC Calvados, AOC Domfontais and AOC Calvados Pays d’Auge (highest quality). Generally, the longer a Calvados ages in barrel, the more it resembles Cognac and other fine Brandies in clarity and depth of flavor, approachability and complexity.