The people have spoken, at least the voices in my head. They said Apple Brandy! Today I taste and compare 3 kinds, Door County Distillery, Calvados Morin, and Paul Masson Apple Brandy.
As you can see, they each have a distinct color, from clear to dark amber. Here is some info about all three.
Door County Distillery Apple Brandy is made in Wisconsin from apple wine and fresh apples. It is 35% ABV and semi-sweet. A bottle retails for aprox $19.99. I really enjoy it. It has a nice aroma, an authentic apple flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.
Calvados Morin has been making brandy in the Calvados region of Normandy, France since 1889. It is derived from apple cider from a variety on tannin-rich apples. This stuff is aged in Limousin Oak casks for 3 years. It is 40% ABV. A bottle retails for aprox $24.99. It does have a decent apple flavor but zero sweetness and high alcohol content gives it quite a bite. It is quality stuff but comes across a bit harsh to me. I do think it would make an excellent mixer, I wrote and then, therefore mixed said spirit with some Ocean Spray Cranberry Pineapple juice. It wasn't the best combination but I did finish it for science. I think it would mix well with apple cider and I will surely try it.
Paul Masson Apple Grande Amber is up next. It is 27% ABV. A bottle retails for aprox $8.99. It is made with premium grapes distilled in California and then aged for 3 years in Oak barrels and bottled in Kentucky. The brandy is then mixed with apple liquor or flavoring. I wasn't able to find any info on this part of the process. Paul Masson Apple Grande Amber is the cheapest of the three by far. It is the thickest and the sweetest. I do like it, although sweet, it is not as sweet as Pucker or Amaretto for example. The aroma is more like a candy apple than a fresh one.
In conclusion, my favorite of the three is Door County Distillery Apple Brandy. It is a Wisconsin product made with nothing but apples. It has just enough kick to get ya where you're going, just a little sweetness, a good consistency and it represents the apple the best. Calvados Morin has the best aroma and I appreciate their long tradition of excellence in distilling but at $25 a bottle, I won't be getting it again. Paul Masson Apple Grande Amber is surprisingly good. At only $8 to $10 a bottle, if you like apple booze, give it a try.
Alright, in my next blog, I will answer the age old question, long contemplated in mathematics: A is for apples + J is for jacks = ? Stayed tuned and crunch on!
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