Le Compte Comtel 20 Year

Calvados is generic for traditional, highly-regulated French apple brandy with an Armagnac character and highly regulated production/aging methods from the Calvados/Normandy region. Calvados is distilled from spectacularly inedible, highly acidic apples (and, often, pears). Fermentation times vary, but can last weeks. Distillation is in column or pot stills depending on the style intended. Aging is in limousin oak casks and barrels, often of varying sizes, some very large. Blends are common, and labels tend to be quite specific. “Fine” indicates a blend, with all components barrel aged at least two years. “Vieux” or “Réserve” indicates a blend, with all components barrel aged at least three years. “VO”, “Vielle Réserve” and “VSOP” indicate a minimum of four years of barrel aging. “XO”, “Napoléon”, “Hors d’Age” and “Age Inconnu” have at least six years of barrel aging on each component. Of course, the average components of any of these may be much longer than the minimum. If the label indicates a vintage, that’s the year of both the harvest and distillation of all components in the spirit. AOC (Appellation d'origine contrôlée) Calvados is generally a column-distilled blend (lighter spirit), but if the label indicates AOC Pays d’Auge, fermentation is at least six weeks and distillation must be double pot still (heavier spirit). If the label indicates AOC Domfrontais, then the must is at least 30% pear. See also, Pommeau, which is often produced alongside Calvados. [Editor’s note: thank you to Andrew Bohrer for clarifying this category for me.]