Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year, and apple brandy fits the table better than almost any other spirit. It is distilled from fermented apples, it shows up in classic fall cocktails, and it pairs naturally with apple and pecan pie. Here is how the main styles differ and which bottles we have in stock.
What Is Apple Brandy?
Apple brandy is a spirit distilled from fermented apple juice, essentially cider, and usually aged in oak. The two names you will see most often are Calvados from France and American apple brandy and applejack.
Calvados: Normandy's Apple Brandy
Calvados is made in Normandy from cider apples, and some can include perry pears. There are three appellations:
- Calvados AOC: the broadest area. Any distillation method is allowed, and the spirit must age at least two years in French oak.
- Calvados Pays d'Auge: the strictest. It must be double distilled in a copper pot still, may use up to 30% perry pears, and also ages at least two years in French oak.
- Calvados Domfrontais: column distilled, with at least 30% pears and a minimum of three years in oak.
The label also tells you the age of the youngest brandy in the blend. Fine means at least two years, Vieux or Réserve at least three, VSOP at least four, and XO or Hors d'Age at least six.
Calvados to Try
- Père Magloire Fine VS Calvados: the Fine category, aged at least two years, and a sensible choice for cocktails.
- Père Magloire VSOP Calvados: aged at least four years, a good step up for sipping after dinner.
- Pierre Huet Calvados Pays d'Auge Cambremer 20 Year: from a family estate in Cambremer that has been run by the Huet family since 1865, growing 25 varieties of cider apples on its own orchards. A bottle for the end of the meal.
American Apple Brandy and Applejack
Apple spirits have deep roots in the United States. Laird and Company in New Jersey received License No. 1 from the U.S. Treasury in 1780 and is known as the oldest licensed distillery in the country. Early applejack was often made by leaving cider out in the cold and removing the ice, which concentrated the alcohol. Modern applejack is distilled, and much of it is blended with neutral grain spirits.
The key difference on the shelf is between straight apple brandy and blended applejack. Laird's straight apple brandy is 100% apple brandy, while Laird's Blended Applejack is 35% apple brandy and 65% neutral grain spirits, which makes it lighter and a common choice for mixing.
American Bottles to Try
- Laird's Applejack: the blended style, a classic base for the Jack Rose cocktail.
- Laird's 7.5 Year Old Apple Brandy: 100% straight apple brandy, aged seven and a half years in charred oak and bottled at 80 proof.
- Clear Creek Apple Brandy 2 Year: made in Oregon from Pacific Northwest apples and aged in French oak. The 375ml size is handy for a small gathering.
- Clear Creek Apple Brandy 8 Year: barrel aged for eight years and bottled at 40% ABV, using apples from orchards in the foothills of Mount Hood.
- Old Delicious Double Bourbon Barreled Apple Brandy: made at Clear Creek from Pacific Northwest apples, then aged one year each in two freshly emptied Kentucky straight bourbon barrels.
For the Bourbon Drinker
If your guests lean toward whiskey, Trail's End 8 Year Bourbon Finished in Apple Brandy Barrels splits the difference. It is an 8 year Kentucky straight bourbon finished by the Clear Creek distillers in their own apple brandy barrels and bottled at 105 proof.
How to Serve It at Thanksgiving
- Before dinner: a Jack Rose made with applejack, lemon or lime juice and grenadine, or a splash of young Calvados in sparkling cider.
- With dessert: a small pour of VSOP Calvados or aged apple brandy next to apple or pecan pie.
- As a host gift: an older Calvados or the Clear Creek 8 Year is a thoughtful bottle to bring.
Browse the full selection in our Brandy and Armagnac collection. Orders ship to 44 states and require an adult signature (21+) at delivery. We cannot ship to Alaska, Hawaii, Michigan, South Dakota, Tennessee or Utah. Order early so your bottles arrive before the holiday.
