Roger Groult Calvados Pays d'Auge 3 Year Old

Rare double aged Réserve Calvados from one of the great estate producers.

Pays d’Auge is a section of Normandy in the north of France where the Seine River empties into the Channel. The Groult Family has been distilling cider and making Calvados here since 1860. To this day Groult Calvados is a family owned and operated estate producer currently lead by fifth generation distiller Jean-Roger Groult. Their exceptional aged apple cider Brandies are served in some of the finest restaurants across more than thirty countries.

Roger Groult Calvados Pays d’Auge 3 Year Old is the core Spirit of the Groult lineup. Interestingly, the cider is aged for a full year prior to double-distillation. Then the resulting spirit is aged for three more years in old Limousin oak barrels on site with a small amount of much older Calvados married in to add complexity. This two-step aging process is rather unique and rare. And even though they produce other older and rarer Calvados, this particular dram has won many awards on its own over the years, including “World’s Best Calvados” in 2016.

Smartass corner:
Although less famous than grape-based Brandies, both apple and pear based Spirits are extremely popular in much of Europe. Calvados is distilled apple cider aged in large oak casks. Although there is no official designation, think of it as apple-Cognac — prized by those in-the-know.