Distillation of cider.

The cider which is destined to become calvados goes through a complete and exclusively natural fermentation, either in oak barrels or in vats. It ferments until 5 to 6 percent.

Our Calvados AOC Pays d’Auge is obtained through a process of double distillation of cider in a traditional copper still called “alambic à repasse” (which translates as a “double distillation still”). Our still is heated by an innovative and unique process in Normandy: woodchips. Woodchips produced on the Estate serves as ecological combustible.

The cider is heated once for the first distillation. The alcohol vapours rise and condense into the coolant which produces the "petite eau" that contains between 30 and 35% by volume of alcohol.

The second heating is to distil this "petite eau". The heads and tails are left out to only keep the heart of the distillation called "bonne chauffe". This "eau-de-vie" thus obtained contains between 70 to 72% by volume of alcohol.

Our AOC Calvados is produced by a single continuous distillation in a column still using this unique process of whoodchips. The "eau-de-vie" contains between 70 to 72% by volume of alcohol.

This colourless apple "eau-de-vie" with a fruity and floral flavour and with a high alcoholic strength needs to mature during a minimum of two years in oak barrels to be offered for sale with a 40% by volume of alcohol.

Did you know ?

1 litre of Calvados that contains 70% vol alcohol means 13 litres of cider at 5%vol or 18 kilograms of apples.