Who has not heard of a drink like calvados? Everyone probably knows what it is, at least that it is made from apples. Especially popularized was Remarque, who made Calvados drink the heroes of the “Arc de Triomphe” on almost every page of his work. Probably having read these inspirational lines, many people decided to try Calvados. What it is? In fact, it is apple brandy obtained by distillation of cider. A similar drink is produced in different parts of the world: Poland, Bulgaria, Italy, Germany, USA. But the French version of this alcoholic drink is considered classic.
Remarque's favorite drink
Calvados from apples, like its relatives from grapes - champagne, cognac and Armagnac - was named after the area where it is produced. A drink comes from the Norman department of Calvados, but it is also found in Brittany and in le-de-France. However, the name may have other roots: once the ship of the Spanish “Invincible Armada” El Calvador ran aground off the coast of Normandy.
Until about 1914, the drink was known only in its homeland, even fewer people heard the word "calvados". What is it, in Europe told the brave French soldiers. They called it a drink for brave guys and loved no less than grape. It began to be produced in the sixteenth century due to the fact that the vineyards were not feeling well. But the northern climate was suitable for apple plantations. Therefore, the Normans made cider, which they later learned to distill.
For a long time, Calvados was considered a second-rate drink, but in the forties the French government passed a series of laws that improved its position in the alcohol world. He got his own category - OSA, thanks to which not only geographical production zones were established, but also apple varieties, processing method, and aging time.
Calvados today
Cooking calvados today is possible from 48 varieties of apples, some of them were specially bred for this business. Cider distillation can be continuous (single) or double. The young drink reaches maturity in oak barrels, for the production of which only trees growing in France are used. They withstand it on average ten years, although it can take longer. The result is a wonderful drink with a sophisticated bouquet and amber color, which is proudly called the "sun of Normandy."
How to drink Calvados
Try Calvados personally. What is it - just an apple alcoholic drink or an unsurpassed masterpiece of winemaking? Each person has their own opinion. Today in France there are more than ten thousand of its types, and the companies that produce it are family-owned enterprises. Professionals advise drinking calvados slowly, in small sips, stretching the pleasure. A connoisseur will need approximately forty minutes to drink one glass of this drink. Then you literally feel how warmth, peace and tranquility fill every cell of your body. But, as is the case with other alcoholic products, one should know the measure.
Good appetite!