Adrien Camut Prestige Pays d' Auge Calvados

After five decades, all that’s left of Calvados in the barrel is a concentrated, so-called “noble spirit.” This 55-year-old bottling exemplifies that. Deep bronze in color, there’s at first an ethereal nose, almost like vaporized apple. Then it opens up to darker, more powerful flavors and aromas of prune, dates, raisin, and serious rancio notes of walnut, saddle leather, and antique furniture. The finish is long and intense. Pricey, but singular. (AOC Pays d’Auge 40% abv.) 95 Points  Jason Wilson, Vinous November 2018

Since the 1800s, the Camut family has grown 115 acres of apple trees in the Pays d'Auge, the finest growing region for Calvados. In Normandy, 800 types of apples are grown; the Camut family grow about 25 of these, all of which are hand-harvested at optimum maturity between October and mid-December. While pears are allowed in Calvados (actually mandatory in the Domfrontais region with a minimum of 30%), only apples grown on the Camut property are used in Camut Calvados. 

Cider is made from these apples and rests in oak barrels for ten or eleven months. In September, the cider is double-distilled with two of the property's wood-fueled stills, one of which is 75 years old. It enters the barrels at 126 proof, then is reduced by about 20 proof. During the first two years, the Calvados is frequently transferred between barrels in an effort to promote oxidation. No new barrels are used; most have their origin in Limousin and average 50 years of age.