Calvados - Apple Brandy

Calvados is a type of apple brandy from Normandy, France, made primarily from cider apples with some pear cider (perry) included. Producers harvest and mash the apples (and pears), then press and ferment them into a dry cider. This cider is distilled once or twice, depending on the appellation. The resulting spirit, called eau-de-vie, ages in French oak barrels for at least two years but often longer to develop rich flavors.

The production follows strict regulations under different appellations, such as Calvados AOC, Calvados Pays d’Auge, and Calvados Domfrontais. Each has specific rules about still types and minimum aging periods. Calvados typically features apple, pear, and spice notes, with older versions developing deeper flavors like caramel and vanilla​