Calvados Lemorton Reserve

A category of spirits that I have not delve into much, Calvados can be made from a combination of apples and pears. Most lean more heavily on the apples, but this bottle is actually heavier on the pears. The nose immediately reminds me of an orchard and pears. The first couple of sips I get granny smith apples, a bit of spice and some citrus. The finish is pretty long, with only a touch of a burn. It definitely feels like a young spirit, but I wouldn't call that a bad thing. As an everyday drink, I would call this serviceable for sure. Again though, I have not had too many so maybe others disagree. For the cost though, I think this is a solid choice and works well in most cocktails that call for Calvados.

There are some interesting flavors here. Immediately, it has that stale taste of Grappa. In this case though, the apple solidifies the fruit presence into something palatable. It's semi-dry with a bit too much cinnamon, a touch of anise, and a green apple presence that pleasantly pops in a juicy and somewhat sweet hit in the middle. The stale flavor is still not appealing, but the apple does a good job of covering it up. Imagine mixing grappa with cinnamon and one of those sour candies that gets sweet at the end. The flavor is a bit subdued, but if that's what it takes to avoid sour and cinnamon overwhelming my palate, I'll take it.