As I've confessed previously (see [ Ссылка ] and [ Ссылка ] ), I adore Calvados Domfrontais when I can get it. The area surrounding the town of Domfront, you see, not only allows but requires the use of pears (apart from the usual apples) in its brandy's AOC regulations, and especially once the pear proportion starts to get serious it makes a huge difference in the character of the calva. Meanwhile I also adore spirits made by cider producers, such as the excellent Cyril Zangs I reviewed last month ([ Ссылка ] ). So I was ecstatic when a kind soul was willing to mule me a bottle of this 24-odd year old monster from Jérôme Forget, known in the US for his excellent and very hardcore ciders: [ Ссылка ] . You can read more about this bottle at [ Ссылка ] (in Dutch), but suffice it to say this is the real deal: 80% pear, never reduced with water even during maturation. Stats:

- Jérôme Forget Calvados Domfrontais 1996 (Ferme de L'Yonnière, bottled 2020, circa 24 years old; 80% pear, 20% apple; 56.2% ABV), 90/100

Killer, very unique, and it still feels young - this could've easily gone another decade in wood without a problem (much like, say, Camut, which is high praise). So anytime you see a prominent cidermaker doing calva, even if you can't get this bottle in particular, you should go ahead and grab it is what I'm saying.

One item of note is that, if you add water, you *really* need to give this a little time as it gets especially prickly for a bit. And, since I don't do editing on these things, the lull gives me a chance to critique one particular choice made in the first season of Amazon Prime Video's recent quasi-Tolkien-adaptation quasi-LOTR-prequel TV series entertainment thing Rings of Power. (skip to around 13:05 to avoid.)

Extra special thanks to my Different Spirits on Patreon ([ Ссылка ]) -

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