Flavors of Normandy

A story about Calvados

Calvados is much more than just an alcoholic beverage: it’s a living part of Norman history. Its name comes from the department of the same name, but its origins go back several centuries.

The first written record of this apple brandy dates back to 1553 , in the journal of a Norman lord, Gilles de Gouberville , who recounts how he distilled his cider to make a “cider brandy”.

At the time, this practice was reserved for nobles and monasteries. But little by little, Norman peasants adopted this technique to preserve surplus fruit and warm up the long winter evenings. It was said that Calvados “warmed the heart and strengthened the soul.”

A tradition even arose: that of the “trou normand ,” a small sip of Calvados taken between courses during a heavy meal to revive the appetite. Even today, this custom is alive and well in many families.

During the Second World War, stocks of Calvados were sometimes hidden in cellars or buried barrels to avoid looting. Some forgotten casks were rediscovered years later, offering a beverage of rare finesse, naturally aged for decades.

Calvados is therefore not just a digestif: it is a liquid memory of Normandy, which combines know-how, patience and respect for the fruit.