CALVADOS
Normandy’s signature brandy doesn’t fall far from the tree.
A visit to Normandy, the region where France’s apple-based (and sometimes pear-based) brandy is made, yielded this indelible memory: contented cows parked beneath an apple tree, happily munching on overripe, perhaps partly fermented apples that had fallen from the tree.
Those were some smart cows. Calvados—Normandy’s signature apple brandy—is a treat worth getting to know.
Calvados is a pure expression of the French countryside, where hundreds of apple varieties grow.
Marked by rich baked-apple flavor and spice, Calvados is a pure expression of the French countryside, where hundreds of apple varieties grow. Often, the flavors are reminiscent of strolling through a French bakery: think tarte Tatin, spice cake, vanilla cream, and brioche slathered with butter and honey. That’s a result of the underlying apples and pears, of course, while time spent in oak casks (and increasingly, barrels that previously held whiskey or other types of brandy, like Cognac) contribute rich vanilla and baking spice.
With all those delicious, dessert-y flavors, it’s tempting to relegate Calvados to just a dessert sipper. Resist that urge. Similar to France’s grape-based brandies—Cognac and Armagnac—Calvados works well in cocktails, too. If you’re lucky enough to
