We all know Malternative Belgium because the main impartial bottler of cognac, in fact. Nevertheless in March 2025 additionally they ventured into calvados choice.
Now calvados is a drink we’re not very accustomed to. Those we tried have been nearly completely from Christian Drouin’s inventory. A few of them have been actually spectacular, though we’re additionally life like about their potential market share: most individuals appear to have hassle with its apparent fruit character, excess of in cognac as an example.
Malternative Belgium selected to enter the market of Le Calva with three releases without delay, all from Christian Drouin certainly.
Calvados Christian Drouin 1964 ‘La Bolide Normand’ (44,1%, Malternative Belgium 2024, 60 btl.)
Nostril: a mixture of oxidated apple and shiny apple juice. Brown sugar sweetness, hints of apple crumble and beneficiant cinnamon. Hints of Sirop de Liège as effectively (nevertheless, might I recommend Stroopstokerij Wiertz as an alternative?). Then whiffs of outdated furnishings and refined nail polish, in addition to some musty forest aromas, moist soil, som walnuts and hints of black nougat.
Mouth: candy and bitter. Extra stewed apples and crumble, in addition to cinnamon pastry. Then it turns into darker, on walnuts and roasted chestnut, together with gentle bittersweet components, orange peels and clove. This merges with black tea, cigar containers and dried apple cubes. Slightly extra natural in the long run.
End: lengthy, nonetheless balancing between natural tea, stewed pears and wooden spice. Fairly a dry finale.
That is Calvados Domfrontais, so there’s a little bit of pear within the combine. It’s actually outdated and actually advanced, with developed fruit notes and a agency bittersweet theme. A worthy after dinner dram. Obtainable from Malternative Belgium and their companions.
Calvados Christian Drouin 1987 ‘Noix Shock’ (47,2%, Malternative Belgium 2024, Oloroso cask, 60 btl.)
Nostril: dried fruits instantly. Prunes and dates, in addition to raisins, and loads of savoury notes beneath. Then brighter hints of bitter cherries, in addition to walnuts, roasted almonds and hazelnuts. Echoes of outdated leather-based saddles within the background. And sure, a number of apples as effectively. A pleasant hybrid of sherry and calvados.
Mouth: fairly earthy once more, with a little bit of pepper, chocolate truffles and a few tannins. Then again to figs, dates and blackberry, together with many nuts. There’s greater than a touch of cognac-like rancio as effectively – this might be mistaken for one of many extra strong cognacs. Apples have much less to say right here, though they lend the composition some spherical sweetness.
End: very lengthy, with extra natural notes, walnuts and a few juiciness of stewed pear.
A pleasant shock certainly, particularly for those who’re a sherry lover. It’s someplace on the crossroads of oloroso, calvados and cognac. Why select? Most likely the spotlight on this choice. Obtainable from Malternative Belgium and their companions. Rating: 90/100
Calvados Christian Drouin 19 yo ‘Beurre et Chaleur’ (51,8%, Malternative Belgium 2024, 60 btl.)
Nostril: barely rougher and youthful, with a transparent trace of latte, butter toffee and cocoa. Additionally numerous pastry notes, apple pie with vanilla in fact, hints of cinnamon rolls and roasted almond flakes. Liquorice too. There’s extra of an eau-de-vie character, but additionally a candied sweetness.
Mouth: baked fruits, rapidly adopted by an even bigger bitterness than within the different releases. Toasted flavours, roasted chestnuts and walnuts, with liquorice roots and spicy sweetness. Then drying hints of tobacco leaves and outdated leather-based once more, with sparkles of contemporary yellow apple. Darkish cherry within the background.
End: lengthy, nonetheless darkish and drying, with liquorice, burnt sugar and a lightweight earthiness.
Good aromas and flavours once more, however barely rougher and fewer ‘malternative’ for my part. This seems to be bought out, so perhaps folks have been attracted by the accesible worth, however I really feel it’s nowhere close to the opposite two. Higher save up for the Oloroso cask. Rating: 87/100
