I walk cities, and I am curious. I wander past places and stop in to ask questions. That instinct—to pause, to inquire—comes from my experience in sales and a general curiosity about almost everything. I often find myself stopping in front of all sorts of places: a falafel shop, a shoe store, a café I’ve somehow never noticed before. There’s always something new to discover when you step out of your door and walk down a familiar street. Even if you’ve been there before, the world changes just enough to surprise you.

Our apartment overlooked a small neighborhood park, tucked into a quiet corner of Paris that didn’t attract many tourists. One afternoon, wandering back to the apartment, we took the street that ran just behind our building. A storefront caught my eye—it had something to do with alcohol—so of course I stopped in. They invited us to return the next day to meet someone who could tell me more.

At eleven the next morning, we returned and were greeted by a man eager to talk about Calvados.

Calvados, an apple-based brandy from northern France, has long been one of my favorite spirits. In my opinion, an excellent Calvados can easily stand in for Cognac or Armagnac.

The storefront we’d stumbled upon was a new venture by a group of young entrepreneurs launching their own Calvados brand, called 30&40. We sat down to taste through their range and talk about what makes the spirit unique.

Cider apples used for Calvados tend to have more acidity, and there are more than 300 varieties grown in the region. About 400 producers make Calvados, though three large houses account for 80% of production. Among the best known are Busnel and Boulard.

There are three AOCs for Calvados:

• Calvados AOC, distilled in a simple column still, represents about 85% of total volume.
• Calvados Pays d’Auge, double distilled in copper pot stills like Cognac, makes up around 12%.
• Calvados Domfrontais, about 3% of production, must include at least 30% pears.

Since the mid-1980s, it has been legal to include pears in Calvados, and many producers do.

Tasting Notes:

Eau de Vie de Cidre de Normandie IGP “Blanche de Normandie”
Clear, transparent. 45% alcohol. Mild apple flavor. Blend of two ciders. Column still fruit. Beautiful flavor of apples on palate. Intense Poire Willliam flavor. A little cinnamon note on the nose.

Calvados Extra Old 10 Years Old
Minimum 8 years for Extra Old. Ages for them 10-28 years. Pretty caramel color. French Limosin oak. Mild aroma of apple. Pretty apple flavors. 42% alcohol. Light flavors on palate. Not overwhelming. Elegant.

Calvados Ferme des Parquets Single Cask
48% alcohol. Pays d’Auge. Light clear yellow. Subtle aromas—more subtle dark nuts or fruits. 60 varieties of apples. A little hay on the nose. Reminds me more of a whiskey. 

Calvados AOC Single Cask Nicolas Garnier
This 15 year old is done in a column still dating to 1913. Very light caramel color. 54.8% alcohol. Light aromas of apples. Intense flavor which comes thru with the alcohol and some pears.

Calvados AOC 
This 25 year old is vintage 1993 at 45.5% alcohol. Single column distilled. Clear caramel color. Beautiful aromas that are intense and surprisingly easy and pleasant. About 5000 bottles made per year.

Double Jus
At 23% ABV this is Calvados mixed with cider and apple juice. Medium caramel color. Ripe apple aromas. Delicious flavors, easy to drink. Can be used in a cocktail or on its own over ice.