CALVADOS - Christian Drouin - Hampden Angel - 44%
Maison Christian Drouin is located in the Pays d'Auge, in Normandy. In 1960, Christian Drouin Sr. moved to Fiefs Saint-Anne, near Honfleur. The farm is planted with cider apple trees and he quickly develops a desire to produce Calvados. With the help of Pierre Pivet, a renowned distiller, he spent the first twenty years distilling his cider production and storing it in his farm buildings. In 1969, Christian Drouin Jr. joined forces with his father. Commercialisation begins in 1979, when stocks are deemed sufficient. After 10 years abroad, Christian Drouin Jr. gives a new dimension to his Calvados and distributes them to famous hotels and restaurants. At the end of 1991, to satisfy the need for space resulting from the success of the estate, Christian Drouin transferred production to another farm near Pont L’Evêque. In 2004, Guillaume Drouin, third generation, joined the company. He is an agricultural engineer and oenologist and spent the first five years in the company developing exports before taking over production management and eventually the direction of the company in 2013.
The apples come from two orchards where there are about thirty different varieties. These orchards are managed according to the rules of organic farming. The cider ferments slowly and then a double distillation is carried out in a 2,500-litres pot still. Calvados are aged in old Sherry, Porto, Rivesaltes, Banyuls barrels...
Hampden Angel is a 14-year-old Calvados, aged for its last 8 months in 4-year-old American oak barrels of the famous Jamaican rum Hampden.
