Christian Drouin 2001 Pays d’Auge (20yo) 42%

Another PA from Drouin, but a bit younger this time. 

Colour: Mahogany, gold lights. Irregular medium tears.

Nose: Earthy and fruity, very rum-like indeed. A mix of fruity sweetness (like a Cuban one — Eminente, for example) and more rustic notes (let’s say Neisson). Hints of roasted notes in the background, mainly coffee. Ample pastry notes, with obvious Tatin pie aromas.

Palate: Rich texture. Round, but with a nice acidity in the aftertaste. Aside from classic cooked apple flavours, you still get some rum impressions, more in a Barbadian style, with a fine mix of pastry and exotic fruit notes. Precise aftertaste, with hints of bitter grapefruit. Nice oak integration, it has to be said.

Last Notes: Intense nutty notes, with great hazelnut cream aromas. Caramelised carrots. A touch more roasted notes, mainly ristretto. Back on the palate, you get warm spiced notes of nutmeg powder. It ends on cardamom and poached pears.

Deep and precise. Almost a perfect kind of Pays d’Auge, with a reasonable amount of oak. Fully approved.

My very subjective note: 89/100