Toutain Calvados – Apple Harvest Time

October always denotes the start of the apple harvest which, for us, means Calvados.  A French brandy made from apples, Calvados can only be made in a specified area of Normandy.  One of our favourite suppliers, Toutain, have their orchards in the top cru, Pays d’Auge.  The ‘cidre’ they produce is then distilled on column stills to enhance the fruity flavours.  This year we have extended our range of Toutain Calvados to include:

Toutain Reserve 3 Year Old – Fresh with a strong palate, full of taste. A lingering flavour of cooked apples.

Toutain XO 8 Year Old – Smooth, a mix of apple and wood. It is fresh with minerals and a slightly peppery taste.

Toutain Hors d’Age 15 Year Old  – Well balanced with flavours of green apples, dried fruit and vanilla.

Toutain Vieille Reserve 30 Year Old – Intense and round with flavours of vanilla, wood and hints of fruit on the tail.

Toutain Cuveé Ancestrale 45 Year Old – Intense and elegant with a long finish, reminiscent of ‘Tarte Tatin’.

Toutain Reserve Odile 60 Year Old – Apples and candied fruits (apricots, orange & ginger) with a spicy finish.