Chateau du Breuil VSOP Calvados
80 proof (40% ABV) | 750mL | Minimum 4 years in French oak | Calvados Pays d'Auge AOC — Chateau du Breuil VSOP is a true Norman Calvados from the Pays d'Auge — the appellation that requires double distillation in copper pot stills. Made from cider apples grown in the estate's own 42-hectare orchards (~22,000 trees) around the 16th-century Château du Breuil in Le Breuil-en-Auge, Normandy, fermented naturally to cider, double-distilled keeping only the heart of the second pass, and aged a minimum of four years in French oak casks in the château's own cellars.
The result is the classic VSOP profile: old-gold in the glass; a fruity, complex nose of ripe apple, fresh almond, citrus (orange peel and lime), mirabelle plum, vanilla, and white pepper; a soft, round palate of ripe fruit, quince, apple syrup, and milk caramel; and a long, spicy finish of vanilla wood, candied mirabelle plum, and a whisper of chili. An IWSC medalist from a house distilling since 1954 — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
Tasting notes
Per Nicolas UK/France oenologists and IWSC judges: nose — ripe apple, fresh almond, orange peel, lime, quince, mirabelle plum, vanilla, white pepper. Palate — soft and round, ripe fruit, quince, apple syrup, milk caramel. Finish — long, spicy, vanilla wood, candied mirabelle plum, slight almond bitterness. IWSC: "intensely aromatic nose featuring apple strudel with earthy, salty and woody undertones."
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- Pays d'Auge AOC — double-distilled in copper pot stills, the appellation's quality mark
- Minimum 4 years in French oak (VSOP = Very Superior Old Pale)
- Estate-grown apples — 42 hectares of orchards at a 16th-century château
- IWSC-awarded house, distilling since 1954
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Neat as a digestif, or in the Norman tradition — a small pour between courses ("le trou normand"). Also superb in a Calvados Old Fashioned.
Frequently asked questions
What does VSOP mean for Calvados, and how old is it?
VSOP = Very Superior Old Pale; for Calvados it means the youngest spirit in the blend is at least 4 years old — Château du Breuil ages this VSOP a minimum of 4 years in French oak.
What's the difference between Calvados and Calvados Pays d'Auge?
Pays d'Auge is the premium appellation within Calvados country, requiring double distillation in copper pot stills (versus single column distillation allowed elsewhere) — generally a more refined spirit.
Is this the same as applejack?
Related but not the same — Calvados is the French AOC-protected apple brandy from Normandy; applejack is its American cousin.