Roger Groult - Calvados 12 Year Old Cask

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93 points, Ultimate Spirits Challenge: "Excellent, Highly Recommended. Tasting Notes: Bright on the nose, it is reminiscent of applesauce and white grapes. In the mouth it is spicy and complex with Meyer lemon, white flowers and deep clover honey. The play between savory and sweet is intriguing."

The Groult family distillery began in the eighteenth century, when the family Groult settled in the “Clos de la Hurvaniere”, a beautiful farm located in the hills of Pays d’Auge, in St Cyr du Ronceray. Calvados Groult was officially born in 1860, when Pierre Groult decided to distill his farm’s cider and aged that eau-de-vie in oak barrels. His hard work, production methods, and beautiful terroir won his Calvados its first gold medal in 1893.

Today, Pierre’s traditions are carried on by his great-great grandson jean-Roger, a fifth generation producer who manages the distillery. Goult’s 23 hectares are planted to more that 5600 apple trees, with 30 varieties of cider apples in use. From October to December, the apples are sorted by hand, and cleaned before being processed. Around 600 tons are harvested and pressed each year, with 1 ton of apples producing 700 liters of distillation cider. Groult’s three small pot-stills are very old and are still warmed by a wood fire. Apple ciders 5-7% ABV are distilled after a slow natural fermentation on the lees lasting one year. The first heating of cider in Groult’s alembic pot stills produces and intermediary alcohol, named “petite eau” of 30% ABV. The second distillation, or “proper heating”, yields Calvados of about 70% ABV. Groult separates the heads and the tails during both of these distillations. The distillery begins resting their Calvados immediately after the second distillation. Spirits rest only in the very old oak barrels, most more than 100 years old, in order to focus on the fruit’s taste. Their cellar comprises of 350 such barrels, which are never totally emptied. This ensures that each successive blend contains the roots of very old Calvados. The result is the traditional Calvados, marked by fruit, finesse and subtlety.