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Tag: Nusbaumer

National Calvados Week and Liqueur Day

Posted / in Cocktails, Learning about Brandy, News and tagged , , , , ,

calvados weekCalvados is a brandy made from apples and produced exclusively in Normandy.  Its history dates back to 1553, when the drink was known as cidre eau-de-vie.  The name calvados was introduced in the late 1700s, when France was divided into departments, and it is now known as one of the Three Noble French Eaux de Vie (cognac and armagnac being the other two).  National Calvados Week is now in its tenth year and will run, alongside the annual apple harvest, from 10 – 16 October in bars and retailers throughout the UK.  World Calvados Day will follow on shortly afterwards, on the 20th October, which falls on the eve of National Apple Day.  If calvados is new to you, now is the time to try it.  We have recently taken on a new supplier, Toutain, whose calvados are some of the finest we have ever tasted.  Rich in fruity, appley flavours they evoke perfect seasonal aromas of autumn in the North of France.

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Also on the 16th of October we will be celebrating National Liqueur Day.  A liqueur is a distilled spirit-based drink that is further blended with natural sweet flavours (such as sugar or corn syrup along with fruits, nuts, creams, plats, purees, spices, etc).   Although the base spirit will have been aged, the liqueur is not; it just undergoes a brief resting stage for the flavours to blend.  Liqueurs generally have an abv of 15 – 30% and are great for cocktails.  You can also have them straight, mixed with other drinks or desserts, or simply poured over ice.  Check out our range, including Nusbaumer, here.

 

 

Introducing Bunch & Bushel, our new Trade arm

Posted / in News and tagged , , , , , ,

Bunch & BushelOver a quarter of a century ago we started selling individually selected, pure, single estate cognacs from the premier crus under the name Hermitage.  The brand now has a loyal following and our award-winning range expands year on year.  Our trade customers were so delighted with the exceptional quality and value for money we brought to the marketplace, they asked us to broaden our offering.  And so, we bring you Bunch & Bushel.  The trade arm of our company which seeks to bring you a portfolio of exceptional products sourced from less well-known producers.  These independent, family producers use processes that were honed over generations and the results are spectacular.  Their products all have a story to tell and a flavour to match.

We hope you will enjoy exploring the beautifully crafted nectars that the very finest artisan producers of Europe can provide.

Nusbaumer Eaux de Vie and Liqueurs

Posted / in Brandy Bottle Reviews, News, News from the Brandy Houses and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NusbaumerWe are very pleased to announce a new addition to our stocks: liqueurs and eaux de vie from Nusbaumer, an independent, family-owned artisanal distillery in the heart of the Alsace.  Founded by Jos Nusbaumer in 1947, the distillery is located in Stiege, a small town in the Vosge valleys, to the south-west of Strasbourg.  There are several factors that make Stiege the ideal place to distil fruit spirits; there’s exceptional mountain spring water, an altitude allowing lower distillation pressure leading to richer aromas and a microclimate with significant temperature variations.  All of these factors have a positive impact on fermentation, maceration and aging.

 

The eaux de vie include Poire William Rouge which is made exclusively from small red Williams Pears native to the Hautes-Alpes and grown on hillsides with exceptional aspect. The crushed pears are fermented for four weeks and distilled in a small copper-pot still. The eau de vie is then rested for twenty years then reduced with mountain spring water prior to bottling.

We also have Vieille Prune which is made from wild plums sourced in the Fouchy valley, the crushed fruit is fermented for four weeks prior to small copper-pot distillation. The eau de vie is then aged for seven years in chestnut barrels to create a unique roundness and intensity.Nusbaumer

 

 

 

 

Nusbaumer’s liqueurs are the best of their type that we’ve come across. Unlike most liqueurs that are made from neutral spirit, these are made from the eau de vie of the particular fruit.  For example, cassis is made using blackcurrant eau de vie.  As a consequence, the delivery of flavour and balance is exceptional. These are luxurious and distinguished by their quality.