Adrien Camut Rareté 40%

ADRIEN CAMUT RARETE 40%

Semainville’s finest

That’s not the first Camut on Hors d’Age, but the previous one (18yo) seems quite young compared to this one. The Rareté cuvée is a blend of very old Calvados, from 50yo up to 100yo(!) Pays d’Auge gems. I had the opportunity to taste it two times, the first one in a 2-Michelin-star restaurant (David Toutain, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, that I can only hardly recommend. A very talented chef from…Normandy, what a surprise!), and a second time in perfect tasting conditions  (thanks Loris!). 

Colour: Dark amber, gold lights. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: What a perfume! Full of floral scents: jasmine, orange blossom, lychee, reminding a bit of a very old Gewurztraminer. Dark rancio, full of balsamic and sweaty notes. 60yo Pineau des Charentes shades. Grand Marnier. Capovilla plum eau-de-vie. Stunning nose! Honeysuckle, anise. A shy wind of freshness after a dark storm.

Palate: Thick texture. What a richness! The kind of sip that is equal to a full teaspoon of dark honey. Generous overripe fruity notes, mainly on pear and raisins. Cider apple and fresh clove aromas in the background. A bit dusty in the aftertaste.

Last Notes: Tatin pie, gingerbread, ristretto. Can’t keep myself from humming this beautiful bouquet. Yes, it feels old and undeniably oaky, but the aromatic spectrum equals some of the most venerable cognacs. 

I’ve never tried a calvados with this level of quality and complexity. Maybe a bit too dark to go higher than 90. However,  I think I need to taste more venerable Calvados to fully understand this Rareté cuvée. 

My very subjective note: 90/100

Interesting article about Adrien Camut by Olivier Scars