LEMORTON 1926 40%
Mantilly Pears & Elegance
A genuine piece of history. Calvados from the 1920s is already rare, but one from the Domfrontais region is exceptional. The pear trees that produced the fruit for this spirit were likely planted in the 19th century. I had already tasted a few old Lemorton Calvados before, but nothing quite comparable to this one. So, 1926, and a Domfrontais Calvados bottled in the 90s, which gives a venerable age of 60yo+. Let’s go!
Colour: Old gold with brown shades. Heavy, regular tears.
Nose: Bright cider-apple notes at first. What a vivid and lively profile for such an old Calvados! Beautiful candied citrus scents. Delicate spices emerge gradually: nutmeg, caraway, cardamom. Gingerbread and poached pear follow. This bright fruitiness even recalls certain old Clynelish profiles.
Palate: Slightly austere at first, yet very delicate, even fragile. Subtle yeasty notes on fresh bread dough. Excellent mouth length on gingerbread and licorice. The oak influence feels perfectly integrated, leaving space for a fresh, nuanced fruitiness.
Last Notes: Exquisite floral tones on rosewater. A refined mix of fruit and freshness that could almost evoke top Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume wines, something like a 15/20yo Silex cuvee from Dagueneau. The evolution brings gentle hints of lychee and strawberry stew. The palate remains a bit fragile but conveys elegant poached pear notes. A slight acidity in the aftertaste, combined with a fine bitterness, evokes the profile of a good gueuze beer, with a faint yeasty echo.
A true piece of history, and one I won’t forget. It’s not the deepest Calvados I’ve ever tasted (easily in a top 5), but it’s the first time I’ve encountered such a delicate perfume. The oak is perfectly integrated, giving just enough structure to let the fruit take the lead. If only the palate had been a little less fragile…
My very subjective note: 90/100
Cheers L!
Kudos to Emile Smits for this one 😉