Everyday Drinking: Is Calvados Finally...Sexy?

I've been telling you about my favorite apple brandy for years. Maybe during our Brat Summer you'll finally embrace it. Plus: 15 bottle recommendations!

JASON WILSON

JUN 27, 2024

About a decade ago, a research study was published suggesting that apple consumption improved women’s sex lives. Researchers divided study subjects (more than 700 Italian women aged 18 to 43) into two groups: Those who ate apples on a daily basis and those who averaged less than one apple per day. The daily apple eaters scored much higher on the Female Sexual Function Index, which measures factors including desire, arousal, and satisfaction. According to the study, there’s evidence that apple consumption could be “related to better sexual quality of life.”

I mention this study today because, for more than a decade, I have attempted to convince more people to try Calvados, the exquisite apple brandy from Normandy—with rather limited success. I first tried, in the late aughts, in the Washington Post (twice actually). In the mid-2010s, I made my pitch at Tales of the Cocktail. In 2018, I tried to elevate Calvados with my critical eye at a highbrow wine magazine. I even put in a good word for it in my 2019 book, The Cider Revival. Of course, I’ve held forth extensively on Calvados here at Everyday Drinking.

So far, if I’m being totally honest, none of it has really moved the needle for my beloved apple spirit. Everyone loves Calvados when I pour it for them, but in general, it still remains out of the mainstream.

Sex, on the other hand, sells. And so, I begin my annual pitch for Calvados by highlighting the scientifically studied apple-sex correlation. To wit, a bottle of Calvados is made from about 15 pounds of apples. I’m not saying you’ll want to rethink your date-night drink of choice. I’m simply confident that my readers are people who believe in science.

In any case, now would be a perfect time to dive into Calvados, especially at the top end. There’s honestly never been a more exciting time to be a fan of apple brandy from Normandy. Recently, the Interprofession de Appellations Cidricole (IDAC) launched an expensive “Drink Calvados” marketing campaign with an early aughts indie sleaze vibe that might fit with the hot, trashy Brat Summer aesthetic we’re now experiencing.

Over the past few months, I have tasted a string of very exciting Calvados expressions from benchmark producers such as Roger Groult (18-year-old single cask), Christian Drouin (17 year-old, finished in Caroni rhum barrel) and Domaine du Coquerel (24 year-old-single cask).

But perhaps the most-awaited new bottles come from a collaboration between French spirits expert Alexandre Vingtier and importer PM Spirits. Vingtier selected three exceptional Calvados casks, a 12-year-old from Domaine Olivier, a 26-year-old from Domaine du Coquerel, and a 45-year-old from Cave Normande.

Vingtier is publisher of French rum magazine, Rumporter, and he writes for La Revue du vin de France, the leading French wine magazine. On my last trip to Cognac this winter, Vingtier and I spent an evening at his home, tasting through more than 30 brandy samples, including a dozen Calvados cask selections—a preview of what’s to come in the near future.

Born in Normandy, Vingtier insists that his native brandy ticks all the boxes that contemporary spirits geeks desire. “It's a very unique spirit,” he says. “It’s mostly sourced from small farms and distilleries, with little to no artificial fertilizers, the fruit of a very well balanced ecosystem with cow and horses living next to the trees. It's kind of the French mezcal, as some production is commercial but still a lot is family-produced for personal consumption.”

He’s convinced that Calvados is ready to be discovered by a worldwide audience. “Think mezcal in the 1990s,” says Vingtier. “Most of Calvados is not released internationally. Most small producers sell directly to consumers on their farm. So many terroirs and expressions have almost never been released. Especially single casks and cask-strength. Have even a hundred Calvados ever been bottled as single cask or cask-strength so far? I doubt it.”

Clockwise from left: Alexandre Vingtier; PM Spirits Collab Calvados; Domaine du Coquerel; Still at Cave Normande; Domaine Olivier; In the orchard; Pears at Cave Normande.

Palazzi of PM Spirits is a veteran of trying to sell expensive French brandy to Americans. But he sees something special in Calvados. “To me, Calvados is the last frontier of French brandy, as close as it gets to pure expression,” he says. “It talks to your ‘soul.’ It is not made to please anyone, it is not made to hit specific notes. It hasn't been altered by the large brands or conglomerates.”

Now is the time to jump on the Calvados bandwagon. Below are notes on nine top expressions, followed by a half-dozen value selections that are great introductions to the spirit.

Calvados Is Calling

PM Spirits Collab - Alexandre Vingtier Selections 12 year Calvados ($155)

Single cask distilled and aged at Domaine Olivier, a top producer in Domfrontais, known for its pear ciders and pear-based brandies. This 50/50 blend of apples and pears come from 30-year-old organic apple orchards and pear trees more then 200 years old. Aged 12 years in French barrique, and it delivers incredible complexity at such a young age. Dark amber, aromas of gingerbread, pineapple pastry, dark chocolate, molasses, and flavors of tropical fruit, membrillo, maple syrup, pepper, licorice, with a long nutty, balsamic, and kirsch-like finish. (47.9% abv)

PM Spirits Collab - Alexandre Vingtier Selections 26 year Calvados ($230)

Single cask distilled at Domaine du Coquerel from 95% apples and 5% pears from an orchard with 50-year-old trees. Complex nose of burnt orange peel, grilled apple, tobacco, hay, roasted nuts, with rich rancio notes throughout. On the palate it’s bold and fiery (bottled at 57.1% abv, super high for Calvados). Balanced by nuttiness and spice, as well dessert notes of tarte tatin, dates, and crème caramel, with unique, floral finish that lingers and lingers. Very distinct spirit that belies Calvados’ rustic roots.

PM Spirits Collab - Alexandre Vingtier Selections 45 year Calvados ($500)

Remarkably rare single-cask distilled at Cave Normande, made from a 50/50 blend of apple (15 varieties) and pears (12 varieties) from an orchard with trees ranging from 20 to 200 years. Nut brown in color, redolent of rancio: by turns sherry-like, rum-like, with beautiful aromas of antique furniture varnish, candied orange, and black tea. On the palate, there’s honeyed and dried fruit notes—fig, membrillo—spices and chocolate, and miles-long finish of grilled apple, almond paste, and cigar smoke. Imagine a Calvados with hair on its chest, wearing gold chain, and possibly driving a Corvette.

Roger Groult 18 Year Old ($100)

Show me an 18-year-old spirit, in any category, that offers better value than this. Expressive nose, at first full of carmelized apple, then candied citrus, then finally crisp apple peel, herbs, and autumn leaves. Silky and expansive in the mouth, balanced by juicy freshness, baking spice, and mouthwatering acidity at the midpalate. The long, earthy finish is a savory swirl of russeted apple skin, fruit leather, espresso, and wet stone that’s unique for a brandy of this age. (41% abv)

“Value” Picks Under $100

Everyone defines value differently. With prices continuing to rise, these days $60 is as low as I would go for quality Calvados—one that I would enjoy neat rather than use in a cocktail. Is $60 to $90 a value? I guess it all depends on your definition. When I look at categories like tequila, mezcal, rum, or whiskey, I’d say it’s comparable. Remember: An $80 bottle of spirits contains a little more than a dozen two-ounces pours. That’s roughly $6.67 per pour. How does that compare to what you pay for a middling spirit at your local bar?

Roger Groult 8 Year Old, Pays d’Auge, $80

This 8-year-old bottling is a reminder that Calvados doesn’t always need decades of aging. Intense nose, with baked apple, mulled spice, and sandalwood. But in the mouth it’s fresh and juicy, with ripe and crisp apple notes, and a creaminess at the midpalate. Notes of cardamom, cinnamon, and peppercorn throughout that slides into a long finish. Always a good, value introduction to Calvados. (41% abv)

Commanders and Cocktails!

Welcome to COMMANDERS AND COCKTAILS!

Some folks know that before I was able to work full time in comics, I worked in a variety of jobs in the wine and spirits field. And the final one of those was for my good friend Nicolas Palazzi’s PM Spirits. Just COMMANDER IN CRISIS, PM works its ass off to be unique, to create trends rather than follow them, and offer craftsmanship and creativity in a field that has, at times, been known to stagnate. I wouldn’t be where I am, writing this, without the support of friends and employers like Nicolas.

So, I thought it would be fun to turn the tables and feature him and his crew below, offering some in-universe cocktail recipes to honor the heroes of the Crisis Command. In the paraphrased words of a greater power, when I left PM I was but the learner. Now, I am the master (well, or closer to it)! And either way, I’m happy to return the support with a feature here, and invite creatives from other fields into the world of the Crisis Command.

STEVE ORLANDO

Commanders in Crisis, Vol. 2

PRIZEFIGHTER

2oz Navazos Palazzi Malt or Corn Whisky
0.75oz La Quintinye Rouge Vermouth
0.5oz cherry liqueur
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Barspoon Absinthe

Instructions:

Build in rocks glass over ice and stir briefly. Garnish with burnt blood orange peel.

SEER

2.5oz Neta Espadin Destilado de Agave
0.5oz La Quintinye Dry
Barspoon of olive brine
Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Build in mixing glass over ice and stir until cold. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and garnish with 3 green olives on a pick.

SAWBONES

2oz Père Labat Rhum Blanc 59%abv
4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Sparkling mineral water

Instructions:

Pour Rhum into highball glass over ice. Stir briefly to chill. Top with sparkling water and bitters. Stir once again to combine. Serve without garnish. or Neat pour of Jacky Navarre Cravache d’Or Cognac

ORIGINATOR

1oz Nouaison Gin by G’Vine
0.75oz lemon juice
0.5oz Laurent Cazottes Folle Noire
0.5oz simple syrup
2oz sparkling wine

Instructions:

Build all ingredients except sparkling wine in a shaker and shake lightly to combine. Add sparkling wine to the shaker and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a spring of fresh lavender.

FRONTIER

2oz Père Labat Rhum Blanc 40% or 59% abv - Choose your strength
0.5oz Laurent Cazottes 72 Tomatoes

Instructions:

Build in mixing glass over ice and stir until cold. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and garnish with freshly ground black pepper.

COCKTAIL CREDITS: David Yi-Hsian Dong and Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits.

The Best Cognacs to Stock in Your Home Bar

Don’t have a bottle of Cognac on your bar? You should.

Cognac—which is a type of brandy (we'll get to that)—has always had an unfairly snooty image. It’s the building block for the Sidecar and the original Sazarac—real down-to-earth cocktail classics. As a result of the French embrace of Black servicemen in World War II, they drank it often. Before it was getting shouted out by everyone in rap, from Tupac to Drake, Hennessy became the first spirits company to place ads in Ebony and Jet magazines. (It was also was omnipresent at my cousins’ weddings at Chinese banquet halls, where there was a bottle of Hennessy on every table, right next to a two-liter of 7-Up for mixing.) Cognac has history, and it's not just pinched-face old white guys in smoking jackets swirling snifters, is what I'm saying. So yes, while you can easily shell out thousands of dollars for aged Cognac in Baccarat crystal, there are great bottles at every price point.

Best Bang-For-Your-Buck Cognacs

Paul Beau VSOP

None of the Cognacs in this category are what you would call cheap, but the idea here is value. “Paul Beau VSOP is an exquisite spirit that sells for around $60, but what makes it a great value is that this VSOP is really an average age of 15 years old,” says Thorn. “This could be labeled as an XO, which would typically fetch at least $100.”

Guillon-Painturaud VSOP Grande Champagne

Similarly, Guillon-Painturaud VSOP Cognac is also an average age of fifteen years old, far exceeding the VSOP designation. “Line Guillon-Painturaud produces on her family’s 18 hectare estate, and she is one of the few female master distillers in Cognac,” Thorn says. “Her Cognacs are elegant and fruit forward, and they are ridiculously good value considering the ages that are in the bottles.”

Navarre Vieille Reserve

“Navarre Cognacs are such a treat. Jacky Navarre is a fourth-generation distiller, and his production methods are slow and old-school. He hand-harvests the grapes, distills in small batches, and does not reduce with water, but instead allows reduction to take place only in barrel over time. The average age is 40 to 50 years old. Navarre Vieille Reserve is around $250 retail, and it is worth it.” —Kellie Thorn

Our Favorite Bottles to Give (and Receive)

Eleven writers, spirits experts and bartenders pick the one bottle under $75 they'll be gifting this year.

Over the course of the year, we’ve asked a number of sommeliers and retailers to weigh in on the wines we ought to be drinking—orange wines, summer wines, quarantine wines. We even compiled a list of our favorite cocktails, the ones we turned to time and again to keep us sane in the depths of isolation. But now, as the annual tidal wave of gift guides is upon us, we thought we’d check in with our team and our favorite spirits connoisseurs to see how they’ll be tackling their holiday gifting this year. The question was simple: What is the one bottle you’ll be giving—and would be very excited to receive—under $75. Here’s what they had to say.

R. Navarre Pineau des Charentes Vieux

Navarre Blanc Pineau des Charentes Vieux

This pineau has been aged for an impressive 30 years, leading to complex notes of honey, raisin, almond and even a hint of mushroom. It’s such a versatile spirit, which can be enjoyed neat as an aperitif or digestif, or a splash can be added to a classic Martini or a glass of brut Champagne. [BUY] —Paul McGee, co-owner, Lost Lake

Ten Outstanding Cognacs That You Have Probably Never Heard Of

Cognac is one of the world’s great spirits. Its history dates back almost four centuries. Its presence in the U.S. goes back almost as long. It has been intimately intertwined with American history. George Washington was a fan. He drank it in his camp during the Revolutionary War and served it to his guests at the first Presidential Inauguration.

Cognac was the basis of most cocktails in the U.S. long before bourbon became the quintessential American spirit. Cherry Bounce and Fish House Punch, two popular drinks during colonial times, both featured Cognac. The original recipe for that classic American drink, the mint julep, was also Cognac based. The bourbon version did not appear till the late 19th century. The first American book of cocktail recipes The Bartender's Guide, by Jerry Thomas in 1862, mostly featured Cognac based drinks…

…France has hundreds of Cognac producers. The four largest producers, however, account for 90% of the U.S. market—Courvoisier (Beam Suntory), Hennessy (LVMH), Martell (Pernod Ricard) and Rémy Martin (Rémy Cointreau).

Most Cognac producers do not export to the U.S. market. Bottling Cognac to meet U.S. bottling requirements, 750 ml versus 700 ml bottles, is expensive and burdensome. Finding a U.S. distributor is difficult, especially given the relatively small volumes that they produce. That’s a pity, because most Cognac enthusiasts have little opportunity to taste the wide range of Cognacs produced in France.

Recently, I asked Max von Olfers for his recommendations of outstanding Cognacs that are relatively unknown in the U.S. Max, along with his sister Sophie, runs Cognac-Expert.com, a Cognac based mail order supplier of Cognac to consumers worldwide. The website features more than 1,000 Cognac expressions, that’s easily 10 times more than even the best stocked U.S. retailer would carry.

Below are 10 recommendations from Max, plus a couple of my own, of outstanding Cognacs. They range from relatively common, at least in Cognac, to quite rare. Price wise they range from under $100 to over $5,000 a bottle. All bottles are 700 ml. Max’s comments are below (in italics), followed by my comments.

Navarre Cravache d’Or - $110
Cognac Navarre Cravache D'Or

Cognac Navarre Cravache D'Or

I love this cask strength Cognac. Non-chill filtered, not colored or boiséd. No water is used during the aging process, and all the grapes are hand-harvested—this is the ultimate in artisan production. This Cognac explodes with aroma and has an evolving floral palate that’s so typical of a Grande Champagne eau-de-vie, 45% ABV, 90° proof/cask strength.

Boisé is a syrup produced from a mixture of Cognac, sugar and wood chips. It’s made by macerating, and sometimes boiling, oak chips with lower-proof spirit. The process extracts color from the oak chips and when sugar is added produces a concentrated syrup. When added to young Cognacs, it can make the spirit look and taste older than it is. The addition of boisé to Cognac is quite common among producers and is permitted by the regulatory body, the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC).