Alexandre Vingtier is an internationally renowned spirits expert, consultant, and competition judge. He founded Rumporter, the world's first magazine dedicated to rum, and writes for leading French wine and spirits magazine La Revue du vin de France. He was previously editor in chief of Whisky Magazine & Fine Spirits – France's only magazine dedicated solely to spirits – during which he championed the publication's expansion in scope to cover fine spirits outside of just whisky. Alexandre and Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits have selected three exceptional single casks of Calvados for this initial collaboration.

ALEXANDRE VINGTIER + PM SPIRITS
COLLAB CALVADOS 45 YEARS
single cask • appellation calvados domfrontais contrôlée

This single cask was distilled at Cave Normande in the commune of Saint-Cyr-du-Bailleul in Normandy. A terroir somewhat forgotten in the grand scheme of Calvados, it is one full of farm producers who often know better than anyone else how to manage their orchards in order to produce immaculate cider and spirits.

The raw material for this single cask was 50% apples and 50%pears grown in an orchard with trees ranging from 20 to 200 years old. All 15 apple varieties utilized are of the highly phenolic type, complemented by 12 varieties of pears. Distilled on a small, mobile, wood-fired column still, this Calvados slumbered for 45 years in French Oak before being bottled at cask strength.

TASTING NOTES
NOSE: old sherry, jamaican rum, dried orange, botrytized wine, black tea
PALATE: honey, pine resin, pear, fig, banana, quince, allspice, cacao
FINISH: extremely long with big apple rancio, wood, clove, ash, almond

PRODUCTION INFO
ORIGIN: NORMANDY, FRANCE
FRUIT: 50% APPLES, 50% PEARS
DISTILLATION: SMALL COLUMN STILL
AGING: 45 YEARS IN FRENCH OAK
ABV: 48.8%

ALEXANDRE VINGTIER + PM SPIRITS
COLLAB CALVADOS 26 YEARS
single cask • appellation calvados contrôlée

This single cask was distilled at Domaine du Coquerel in the commune of Grandparigny in Normandy. The area produces a unique, fresh and lively style of Calvados due in part to the peculiar climate of the region. The raw material for this single cask was approximately 95% apples and 5% pears grown in an orchard with trees as old as 50 years. Coquerel utilizes forty varieties of apples and several varieties of pears in their production, with the apples varieties including bitter, bittersweet, sweet, and sharp.

The cider produced from this fruit fermented for 3-6 months before being distilled on a small column still at the domaine. While the sister casks from this distillation went into a small batch, this singular 26 year old single cask was secured by Alexandre Vingtier to be bottled on its own at cask strength.

TASTING NOTES
NOSE: prunes, flambéed pineapple, orange zest, roasted nuts, tobacco, hay
PALATE: rich rancio, orris root, punchy cinnamon, roasted caramel, dates
FINISH: long, waxy, hazelnut, rosewater, lavender, orange blossom

PRODUCTION INFO
ORIGIN: NORMANDY, FRANCE
FRUIT: 95% APPLES, 5% PEARS
FERMENTATION: 3-6 MONTHS
DISTILLATION: SMALL COLUMN STILL
AGING: 26 YEARS IN FRENCH OAK
ABV: 57.1%

ALEXANDRE VINGTIER + PM SPIRITS
COLLAB CALVADOS 12 YEARS
single cask • appellation calvados contrôlée

This single cask was distilled at Domaine Olivier in the commune of La Ferriere-aux-Étangs in Normandy. Known for their outstanding Perry (pear cider), the domaine also produces impeccable Domfrontais Calvados, required by law to be made up of at least 30% pears. This particular single cask was distilled from 50% apples and 50% pears grown in a certified organic orchard with apple trees as old as 30 years and pear trees as old as 220 years.

Fermentation of the juice of 12 apple varieties and 4 pear varieties lasted 8 months and was followed by distillation on a small, mobile, wood-fired column still. This calvados aged in a 225 liter new French Oak cask and was gradually reduced with small quantities of water over time, but was not further proofed down at bottling.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: vanilla, dark chocolate, bread and butter, pineapple skin, rum
Palate: blood orange, papaya, coconut, cinnamon, black pepper, licorice
Finish: long and fresh with salted caramel, almond, balsamic, lime, cherry

PRODUCTION INFO
ORIGIN: NORMANDY, FRANCE
FRUIT: 50% APPLES, 50% PEARS
FERMENTATION: 8 MONTHS
DISTILLATION: SMALL COLUMN STILL
AGING: 12 YEARS IN FRENCH OAK
ABV: 47.9%