Improvisation in Charente-Maritime: A Summer Cocktail Born from Necessity

Last week, I spent my holiday in Charente-Maritime, a sun-drenched region on the Atlantic coast of France, nestled between the legendary wine regions of Cognac and Bordeaux. With its salty sea breeze, rolling vineyards, and rich culinary culture, it was an ideal setting for indulgence — and, of course, inspiration.

Naturally, I couldn’t resist experimenting with local ingredients. But I made one major mistake: I had forgotten to pack my bar tools. No shaker, no jigger, no strainer. And as it turns out, finding decent bar gear in a sleepy coastal village isn’t all that easy.

But as is often the case, limitations sparked creativity. On our first morning, we had a simple breakfast: a piece of baguette with jam. The tiny jam jar caught my food blogging wife’s eye — and became my saving grace. 

Once cleaned, it turned out to be the perfect size for a 30 ml jigger. Shaking wasn’t an option, but stirring with a spoon certainly was. 

Calvados Morin

Last week, I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with my family in the charming village of Ivry-la-Bataille, nestled in the picturesque region of Normandy, France. One of the highlights of this area is its renowned production of a popular spirit known as Calvados. During our stay, we visited the Calvados Morin caves, located just a short distance away.

Normally, tours of the cellars were only available on Fridays. However, due to the national holiday on the 14th of July, this posed a challenge. Fortunately, the accommodating guide, upon learning about my blog and passion for spirits, graciously offered to conduct a private tour for us anyway.

Calvados Morin can be compared to the top independent whisky blenders and bottlers. They source their spirits from a selection of 7 or 8 trusted distillers in the Calvados region, skillfully aging them in enormous oak casks before creating their unique blends. It was fascinating to discover that this entire operation is managed by a mere five individuals, despite 60% of their production being exported. 

We also learned that any Calvados brand wishing to feature an apple tree on their label must have a live apple tree present on the premises of their head office. True to this tradition, Calvados Morin proudly maintains an apple tree at their location.

Descending into the depths of the cellars, we marvelled at the casks of Calvados quietly maturing over the course of several decades. Some casks we encountered were already more than 40 years old. A noteworthy detail is that the labels of the bottles always indicate the age of the youngest spirit in the blend. Unlike similar products that undergo a secondary phase in large glass "dame Jeanne" bottles, Calvados Morin exclusively ages their spirits in oak casks before transferring them to the final bottles for sale.

The last segment of the cave tour took us through a narrow passage lined with shelves, where up to 300 bottles of each production patiently awaited harmonization with the ambient elements. The presence of multi-coloured yeast-mold in this confined passage was extraordinary, as can be seen in the photos. However, it is important to note that while visually intriguing, this mold has negligible impact on the spirit itself, which ceases to age the moment it leaves the oak casks. These moldy bottles primarily serve as a marketing spectacle.

Naturally, the tour included a delightful tasting session featuring several bottles from their main range, some of which had been aged for up to 50 years. Tasting the various expressions proved to be a fascinating experience, allowing me to discern the nuances brought forth by the aging process. The younger spirits delivered a fruity burst of fresh apples, which I particularly relish in cocktails. On the other hand, the older bottlings exhibited a more subdued alcohol burn, accompanied by a complexity of flavour and aroma.

The guide also offered me the opportunity to sample a special bottle, a project crafted by their master blender to cater to whisky enthusiasts. This particular Calvados displayed a pronounced freshness, with the fruity apple notes taking a backseat to subtle hints of citrus. What intrigued me most was a distinctive sour note that instantly evoked the local product of apple cider. The guide revealed that this unique bottling was partially aged in ex-cider casks. I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as he commended me for being the first visitor to ever make the connection to cider.

Calvados Morin, 10 Rue d’Ezy, 27540 Ivry-la-Bataille.

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Consulting unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.  

Christmas Gifts Parade 2021 - Gwalarn Whisky

Next bottle for the Christmas series is - again - a whisky from a country that isn’t often related with whisky: France. Gwalarn Whisky is made at the Celtic Whisky Distillerie in Pleubian (Normandy). To create Gwalarn, the first premium Celtic Whisky brand, the cellar master carefully selected some of the most complex whiskies from across the Celtic world to carefully blend them with their own single malts. Slowly diluted with water from the distillery’s own spring. The result is a whisky with a French soul and Celtic roots. 

• Nose: Elegant, frank, distinguished. Cereals, ripe fruits, vanilla on a slightly peaty background.
• Palate: Fruity at first. Very clear vanilla. Peaty and salty. 
• Finish : Peaty and salty. 

Cherish your Celtic roots.

Ingredients
50 ml Gwalarn Whisky
20 ml Fresh lemon juice
12 ml Monin Cherry syrup

Method
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake for 15 seconds. Fine strain in a tumbler with fresh ice. Garnish with cherries. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Vylmer, Apéritif du Sud

 

Some days you don’t want to spend too much time fixing your drink, but Gin & Tonics can get a bit boring after a while. While Italy has a well-known range of vermouths and amari, the south of France also has a lot of wine-based aperitif liqueurs. This style of aperitifs also seems to inspire Belgian producers. A few months ago we tested Midi Apéritif Classic Red, today we open a bottle of Vylmer, Apéritif du Sud.

Vylmer is a product created by the Belgian Annelies Lefere, but produced in the Provence. This aperitif is based on rosé wines from the Luberon, with a selection of herbs and a distillate of sweet and bitter oranges. It’s barrel aged for 3 months to get the perfect balance. Vylmer can be served neat, on ice, mixed with tonic or prosecco… or in cocktails.

In our next article we will shake up a nice Mediterranean style cocktail that will sweep you all the way down to the beach or coast of your choice. Today we enjoy a nice and refreshing Vylmer & Tonic. If you’re used to adding 5 cl of Gin to your G&T, watch it because you’ll need a bit extra of this product !

Vylmer & Tonic

Ingredients
1 part Vylmer
1 part Tonic

Method
Add both in a glass with ice cubes. Give it one gentle stir to mix. Add a dried orange slice. 

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

All the good stuff : Spytail Rum

 

Soms krijg ik wel eens een flesje in handen waarbij ik onmiddellijk het gevoel heb dat het echt niet fout kan gaan. Dit was er zo eentje.

Spytail Rum is een merk uit Frankrijk. Ze importeren gerijpte rum uit de Caraïben (uit Trinidad en Guyana om exact te zijn), maken hun eigen blend en laten die nog 3 tot 6 maanden verder rijpen op cognacvaten in de kelders in Cognac.

Het resultaat is een zachte rum met heel veel smaak. Verdomd lekker. Het stond dan ook vrijwel dadelijk vast dat ik er iets wou mee doen in de richting van een Old Fashioned.

“All The Good Stuff”

Ingrediënten
5 cl Spytail Rum
2 cl Gonzalez Byass Nectar (Pedro Ximénez Sherry)
1,5 cl Falernum
2 dashes Nut bitters

Bereiding
Alles samenvoegen in een mengbeker met veel ijs. Goed roeren tot het drankje ijskoud is.
Serveren in een tumbler met een groot ijsblok. Versier met een stukje citroenschil.

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.