30&40 Calvados Reviews

Calvados, like cider, tends to have its madly-keen enthusiasts, and then everyone else who is pretty indifferent. Some new spirits from the 30&40 distillery in Normandy might just convert them.

I admit to being one of the indifferent ones. Given a choice between cider and beer, I would go for beer every time, yet a recent visit to a cidermaker in Denver, Colorado, showed my just how wonderful cider can be, and how varied, when made well.

The same was true (note the past tense) of calvados. While I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve been offered it, it’s way down the list of what I would order when given a drinks menu. Some new spirits from the 30&40 distillery in Normandy have put an end to that, though. Now I’ll be scrutinising the calvados alongside the cognac.

The Apple Orchards of 30 and 40 calvados distillers — The Apple Orchards

What is Calvados?

Calvados is a brandy made from apples or pears instead of grapes, and must be made in Normandy and with certain requirements. As with brandy, there are different types, each with its minimum ageing requirements. It must be aged for at least two years in oak barrels, with some spirits aged for six years and more.

Who is 30/40?

The company was founded in 2013 by three friends who went on a visit to Normandy and fell in love with calvados. Aymeric Dutheil, Vincent Béjot, and Thibault Patt decided they wanted nothing more than to make calvados, and make the best that they could. They now have a range of six different products, and I’ve been lucky enough to taste three of them recently.

The three founders of 30 and 40 calvados distillers — The Founders

The name 30&40, by the way, is from a game that used to be popular in Normandy’s casinos. The founders obviously knew they were taking a gamble in launching their calvados company!

Eau de Vie

I started with the palest, a clear Eau de Vie. It’s 45% ABV, and though it does have some calvados in it, it also has two other spirits and so it can’t legally be called calvados. The other ingredients in the blend are white rum and pommeau, which is a mix of apple juice and apple brandy.

Although it’s a neutral colour, it’s far from neutral on the nose. Naturally you’d expect an apple fruity freshness, but there are also floral aromas, more fruitiness (cherries, maybe?) and a contrasting peppery spiciness. Those aromas also all come through on the palate, and it’s extremely smooth, ideal for sipping or for experimenting with those flavours in cocktails.

Calvados Extra Old

This has been aged for ten years in French oak casks, so is bound to be interesting. It’s the colour of a light beer, a little darker than lager. You might say it’s a nutty colour, and it also has a nutty, sweet, apple aroma, with peachy elements. There are floral and citrus notes too, a bit of pepper, and it certainly smells of alcohol though at 42% it’s not overly strong. Close your eyes and you’re in an apple orchard where some of the fruit has fallen to the ground and started to ferment.

The alcohol really comes through on the palate, and the taste is less apple-like and more caramel/vanilla, oaky, with floral notes and candy sweetness tool. It definitely warms the mouth and shows me how good calvados can be, just as good a choice as any other brandy for an after-dinner drink. It’s also incredibly smooth going down with that beautiful apple/brandy aftertaste.

Double Jus

This is an aperitif at 23% ABV, and like the Calvados Extra Old is a blend of calvados, pommeau, and rum. It’s a beautiful dark brown colour, like a rich bitter ale.

On the nose you get mint, apple of course, and it’s more savoury than sweet. I smell something damp, like clothes drying, not an unpleasant smell at all, and the distinctive aroma of pear drops (do they have those in Normandy?) There’s a herbal smell, too, a smell of straw, and sweetly nutty. It’s very complex and totally delightful, and I’ve not even tasted it yet.

On the palate it’s lighter than I expected, with a hint of sherry about it, plus all those things you get on the nose – nutty, apples, and sour rather than sweet, though with hints of toffee too. It also tastes like a really rich sherry, somewhere between a sherry and a port.

It’s also very smooth going down, a perfect aperitif, setting you up for wine and a meal… or maybe just another Double Jus first.

Where to Find 30&40 Calvados

30&40 is available in retailers such as Soho Wine Supply, The Whisky Exchange, and Gerry’s Wines & Spirits. It is also on the bar menu at hotels and restaurants in London including Artesian at The Langham, Core by Clare Smyth, Beaufort Bar at The Savoy, Blacklock, Frenchie, and Coupette. In the US you can find a large range of Calvados on Drizly and some at Caskers.