One of the younger bottlings in Lemorton’s superb range of vintage Calvados releases, nevertheless, this 1999 expression is as delightful as its older siblings.

Lemorton bottlings are interesting in that despite being Calvados, they contain a majority of pear juice. This is because the appellation that the distillery is based in, Domfrontais, is perfect for the cultivation of pears. The rules of this region insist that any cider or Calvados produced here contains a minimum of 30% pear juice, Lemorton, however, use 70% pear, and only 30% apple. As a result, keen-palated drinkers will find a Calvados lighter and more elegant in character, with a little less of the vivid acidity found in Pays D’Auge spirits.

The fruit used in this Calvados is grown at the distillery’s 9-acre orchard, and fermented for 11 months in oak barrels, before being distilled in Lemorton’s single alembic. As a single vintage bottling, it is the product of one distillation season and harvest.

Aged for a relatively long time in French oak casks, the result is a supremely delicious Calvados, with notes of juicy pear, bright apple, warm hay, toasted oak, slight spice, cinnamon, honey and pressed flowers.

Fruity and well balanced, this is another excellent offering from this traditional distillery.

• Distillery / brand
  Lemorton
• Country
  France
• Bottler
  Distillery Bottling
• Distillation date
  1999
• Non-chillfiltered
  No
• Natural colour
  No
• SKU
  034119