PSA: calvados

Astor has posted their annual allocation of Camut, if anyone is interested.

some expensive apple juice. What do you recommend?

12 and 18 would be the ones to grab if you haven’t tried it. 25 is fantastic if you want to go big.

Thad Vogler’s book has a very nice profile of camut.

Where are these on the funk scale? I like Calvados, but I tend to prefer relatively clean styles. I don’t know producers well enough to give examples. My favorite apple brandies are from Germain-Robin, if that helps.

Very clean. 15% off today, btw.

Thanks!

The 15% brings them in line with others in metro NY (and you can get the 12 year a little cheaper at Grapes -the Wine Company), but Astor will ship distilled spirits to California and has free shipping on first order over $99 which made it worth trying. Given the break on shipping, I went with the 18 year.

Hope I like it, have only had entry level and not in the last 20 years. But I love cognac and getting into armagnac, so thought I’d give it a whirl.

Grapes wanted like $40 to ship last time I tried to buy something.

I’m assuming no issue shipping Calvados in high temparatures ground, is there?

Certainly not to the same degree as wine.

Spirits are distilled and stored at high temps. My understanding is that spirits aren’t shipped temperature controlled across the water either. That said, I imagine controlled temps are still better, but probably more of an issue for long term storage then shipping. I usually don’t sweat shipping temps for spirits, but others may disagree.

Thanks. Usually don 't worry about it either, but don’t remember having it ship in summer before.

Might ask them to hold it a month or so, as it’s been hot (and even Vegas hot a few days) in So Cal.

Well, bummer. They oversold it and my order was cancelled.

If i’m only getting one bottle of Calvados, should I hold out for the 18 or is the 12 close to on par. It’s only a $40 difference in price so I’m not nearly as excited, but then I’ve never tried anything but cheap stuff.

NYWW is probably not much more expensive. I think the 18 is a step up.

Thanks. NYWW regular price matches their sale pric (but no shipping deal).

Not sure if they charge tax

I’d like to do this but my wife is going to kill me if I put another bottle of liquor on the floor by the liquor cart. I need to drink down some inventory.

Camut is pretty life changing, fwiw

So is divorce.

We cracked the 18 tonight; it’s crazy good. Nose of apples, baking spices and cinnamon. Palate was incredibly complex and smooth without noticeable heat or wood. Finish was minutes long. Phenomenal. 25 on deck.

Lost out on the 18 at Astor, started hunting around and found the 25 yr for $202 here, with a free shipping deal if you spend over $300. Grabbed one and an armagnac to get the free shipping.

https://www.absinthes.com/en/adrien-camut-o517

How did the 25 compare?

I bought a bottle, hasn’t arrived, but just came across Jason William’s tepid review:

“The nose is shy at first, enveloped in oak, but eventually it opens up to fresh and leafy notes, followed by warm apple pie. In the mouth, it’s a bit flabby and there’s a little too much wood throughout. Pleasant, but for the price, steer toward other Camut bottlings”

Gives it 90 points vs. 98 for the 18 year old. Not that I am a point chaser, but the wood comments are concerning. The other public commentary I found (from K&L’s site) is more favorable, but likens it to a high end single malt scotch. . So basically trying to get a handle on Wilson’s palate before I spend another few hundred $$ .