Calvados, the brandy of cider
Brands that age only in oak barrels and become Calvados after 2 or 3 years of aging depending on its appellation.
The tannin in the barrel gives the color to the calvados, the wood and the ambient air its aromas.
A young calvados is the liveliness of the apple, the power while an old calvados will be more complex, aromas of cooked apples and more roundness and a beautiful maturity.
Here are the 3 appellations
Calvados Pays d’Auge
This appellation requires a double distillation in a pot still or Charentais still. A first st heating which allows to obtain the small water. This small water is then reintroduced to obtain the right heating. Aging of 2 years minimum in oak barrels.
Calvados Domfrontais
A single distillation in a column still which requires at least 30% pear. Aging in oak barrels minimum 3 years.
Calvados AOC
A single distillation in a column still. Aged for at least 2 years in oak barrels.
At Sophie's Calvados, you can find these different appellations but also blends or vintages.
Blend: the cellar master must bring out the best in each Calvados.
Vintage: a single year of distillation.
Calvados is a digestif to be drunk at room temperature but can also be enjoyed as an aperitif. It goes perfectly with chocolate, cheese or a cigar.
From the youngest to the oldest, from the most powerful to the roundest, from the least expensive to the most expensive, Sophie will help you find your Calvados.
Producer for 3 generations located in the heart of the Pays d'Auge.
![]() | Light in color, the fine Calvados is a young Calvados with aromas of fresh apples. Ideal for cocktails or cooking. |
![]() | Vieux is a 5-year-old calvados, slightly more amber, it keeps its aromas of fresh apples with a beautiful power. Perfect for a Normandy trou or as an aperitif. |
![]() | Hors d'Âge, this one is aged for 9 years in oak barrels which gives it a roundness while keeping the liveliness of the apple. |
![]() | This 15 year old Hors d'Âge acquires its finesse and develops aromas of candied apples that balance with the flavors of oak. |
Calvados producers for 3 generations located in Pont l'Evêque.
![]() | La Blanche de Normandie is a delicate eau de vie with an intense cider apple aroma. It can be consumed pure or frozen. |
![]() | VSOP, tender and delicious, this blend aged in oak wine barrels for a part thus offering a delicious fruit and an elegance to the first spices. |
![]() | XO Longer aging and completed by the use of old Cognac barrels. Richer and rounder in the mouth. |
![]() | Hors d'âge blend of over 15 years with floral and spicy notes. The palate is powerful, intense and very elegant. |
![]() | 1977 vintage, bottled today, a calvados over 40 years old with great complexity and an exceptional bouquet with a note of mahogany. |
Family business for 3 generations located in the heart of Domfront. Their Calvados is about 70% pears and 30% apples.
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![]() | Calvados ages for 5 years in oak barrels with very fine aromas and notes of pear. It is very fine. | |
![]() | 10 years: Fine and light Calvados, it is on the aromatic fruit with a length in the mouth. | |
![]() | 1999: Calvados of a beautiful intensity with notes of cashew nuts, caramel and melting fruit. | |
![]() | 25 years: Blend of several calvados offering a very good balance between fruit and alcohol. A very nice intensity on the finish. | |
![]() | 1987: Calvados of a beautiful elegance with notes of honey and lemon. | |
![]() | 1980: Very sweet Calvados, harmonious with creamy vanilla note. style="width: 114px;"> | 1972: Fine Calvados on the nose with a beautiful complexity that reveals notes of hazelnut and honey. It explodes in the mouth. |
![]() | 1962: Calvados with a long finish in the mouth, as complete as you want, captivating and mellow with notes of toast. | |
![]() | Rarity: Very complete par excellence with a very beautiful intensity. This Calvados caresses us tastefully. It has notes of coffee, chocolate and orange zest. A pure moment of happiness. |
Farm production for three generations, in the heart of the production area of Calvados with the Domfrontais Appellation of Origin.
Victor Gontier's Calvados are produced by distilling typical cider apples and perry pears harvested on the farm located in the Domfrontais Appellation area. Calvados, aged in oak barrels, is sold as a vintage because it comes from a single distillation.
At Sophie's, you can find vintages from 2003 to 2015 in 35cl or 70cl.
![]() | 6 Years: Amber Calvados, aged in large barrels. The aroma, above all apple, without artifice. It is neither sweetened, nor colored, nor filtered. This young Calvados has very little aggressiveness. |
![]() | 12 Years: A more slender Calvados, we are still clearly on the fruit. |
![]() | 18 Years: This is truly an intermediate Calvados between the fruit and the complexity of certain aromas with a nice length in the mouth. |
![]() | Réserve de Semainville: The magic of aging. The color is superb and clear. At this stage of aging, nearly 50% of the alcohol has been lost: the angels' share. This natural reduction allowed the evaporation of almost all the volatile alcohols and the concentration of apple aromas, with now the alliance of a woody taste, rendered slowly and without tannin. |
![]() | Réserve d'Adrien: Very complex Calvados, great length in the mouth, a marvel. Cigar lovers will be able to discover, with surprise, the alcohol of a power of aromas such that the cigar does not take over. |
![]() | Prestige: Exceptional Calvados 50% dAdrien - 50% Rarity |
![]() | Rarity: Blend of Calvados still in barrels from different vintages between 1900 and 1940. All these barrels have received and receive, more or less once a year, fairly old Calvados with a degree higher than 40°, since naturally after so many years of aging and concentration, the difficulty is to maintain them at 40°. The length in the mouth is incomparable. The taste buds are initially dried, then slowly and for several minutes, the candied apple is revealed in your mouth with an incredible combination of diverse aromas. |
Located in the heart of the Pays d'Auge on the cider route, Michèle and Patrice Giard, recently joined by their daughter Estelle, have been cider producers for 13 generations.
![]() | 3***: Calvados aged 4 years in oak barrels which is very fruity with a beautiful power. |
![]() | Hors d'Age: 8-year-old Calvados with a very fruity nose that is found in the mouth with a very beautiful persistence. |
![]() | 10 years: Fruity Calvados with notes of wood. |
![]() | 15 years old: Calvados with a light color, offering notes of caramelized apples and a very nice length in the mouth. |
![]() | Private reserve: blend of more than 15 years with spicy notes of bitter dark chocolate. This is a slightly woody Calvados with a length in the mouth. |
![]() | Vintage 1999-2000: Lively and fresh Calvados with fruity notes and intense aromas of caramelized apples. |
![]() | 1980: vintage with a very nice length in the mouth with aromas of grilled apples. |
![]() | 1973: captivating Calvados with superb roundness and sweetness with aromas of vanilla and caramel. |
Since 1889, a family business specializing in the blending and development of "Top of the range" Calvados.
![]() | Selection: Calvados aged in oak barrels for over 3 years. Straw yellow in color, it is fruity. Ideal for aperitifs, cocktails and trou normand. |
![]() | Extra: Amber yellow color with a structured mouth. |
![]() | 10 years: Offers a beautiful suppleness, softness and smoothness in the mouth, all with notes of tarte tatin. |
![]() | 15 years: Beautiful color with amber highlights and a superb roundness. This Calvados is powerful and harmonious on the palate with aromas of ripe apples. |
![]() | 2003: vintage aged in Sauternes barrels. Whisky lovers will find something to their taste in this Calvados. |
![]() | XO (20 years): Powerful Calvados with great complexity and richness. |
![]() | Napoléon (25 years old): The smell of candied apples still warm awakens your taste buds. |
![]() | The Golden Age (30): Of great maturity, it is a balance between power and elegance. |
![]() | Henri IV (35 years old): it is a concentration of aromas |
![]() | 1973: vintage of a very beautiful power enveloping your mouth. Woody this calvados is a treat for your taste buds. |
The Domaine Famille Dupont extends over 30 hectares of orchards in Normandy, in the heart of the Pays d'Auge. The activity of the estate is the production of ciders, pommeau and calvados.
![]() | Hors d'âge: Calvados aged over 6 years in oak barrels, it is fruity and lively. |
![]() | 12 years: Sweet Calvados with a beautiful intensity and roundness. Nice balance between alcohol and fruit. |
![]() | 15 years: Minimum aging of 15 years in oak barrels. With a beautiful golden color, this Calvados offers a beautiful complexity with subtle notes of wood, vanilla but also a floral nose. |
![]() | 20 years: Aged for at least 20 years. Copper-colored, this Calvados is very round, concentrated on notes of hazelnuts with a lot of sweetness in the mouth. |
![]() | 30 years old unreduced: Bottled at the degree of the barrel in cold filtration. It brings a unique aromatic and taste intensity. A very beautiful copper color. It is very apple. |
Small family farm located on the cider routes in the Cambremer region.
![]() | Goutte blanche: Cider brandy with 55° alcohol Very fruity to enjoy as an aperitif or digestive on crushed ice. It is also an excellent base for many cocktails. |
![]() | Old: aged in oak barrels, it is very light and lively, it has kept all the flavors of the apple. Perfect for cocktails, cooking or even the Normandy hole. |
![]() | Hors d'âge: Balance between fruity flavors and alcohol. |
8 rue de la ville 14600 Honfleur
Tel: +33 (0)2 31 89 77 92
lescalvadosdesophie@gmail.com