Adrien Camut Réserve de Semainville Pays d'Auge Calvados 750ml

As you go up Camut's range of Calvados you start to see what the immense care they take in the cellar translates to in the bottles. The 6 year is fresh, forward, and fruity. The 12 year starts to bring the darker riper apple flavors into the mix. The 18 year begins the transition toward the savory and nutty character that is often exhibited in old Calvados. While the whole line is exceptional, the subtle differences between the expressions are a connoisseur's dream, the Reserve de Semainville is honestly in a totally different league. It states "assemblage de 25 ans," but I know that there is some brandy in here older than that. I know it feels like we're piling it on, we're more excited about each expression of Camut, but honestly this domaine has so much to give each bottling should be treated with proper reverence. With only wisps of caramelized apple and baked fruit remaining, a totally different side of Calvados begins to peak through here. Now we get flavors usually reserved for an incredibly high end Single Malt. Tangy citrus, dried fruit (salted?), flowers, mango, and passion fruit. If this had some peat smoke you could mistake it for 1960's Bowmore. Truly a transcendent experience.