I’m not really familiar with apple brandies, so I wanted to get one to discover what was the flavour profile like. Instead of going with the classic Calvados or Applejack, I’ve decided to choose something local. This is a 3 Year Apple Brandy made with Quebec apples: Lobo, Cortland & Empire. Michel Jodoin is well known in the cider industry & has somewhat recently started to develop quality spirits made from its orchards fruits.
L’Heure De Mettre La Pomme À Off.
Distilled by Michel Jodoin
Type: Apple Brandy
Region: Rougemont, Quebec, Canada
Age: 3 years, aged in new American oak barrels
ABV: 40% (80 proof)
Apples: Lobo, Cortland, Empire
Colouring: No
Appearance: 7.5/10
The bottle is very nice with its wooden cork top. It has a classic look while the label lends a more casual profile. There is sufficient information in order to fully appreciate the product such as the apple varieties & the aging process. The name can loosely be translated to “Time to take a break”. I have a general feeling towards the industry that not enough brown bottles are used to protect spirits from the light. The brandy is pale gold with orange hues & it leaves very thin legs when I tilt it against the glass.
Nose: 11/15
The nose is full of apples but there is a significant contribution from the barrel, which brings up aromas of cinnamon, caramel, coffee, milk chocolate & some woodier notes. There is a faint fresh red apple with much sharper apple pie & cooked orchard fruits. On the background there is a hint of smoke & tobacco. The overall feeling is an amalgam of baked desserts, a hot mocaccino & a cigar in late October. The brandy is pretty much straight to the point & the ethanol comes on a bit too strong, but I’m well pleased by this first experience.
Mouth: 11/15
The ethanol burns a little more than think it should. This hot feeling paired with the light acidity makes it hard to keep the spirit in my mouth long enough for me to thoroughly analyze it. It still stays in the path of the late fall with a nonetheless warming sensation. Again, the apples strike first but this time lending a more smoked apple wood flavour along with more prominent caramel & a hint of vanilla. As the glass warms up, I get some chocolate cherry blossom. The cinnamon is accompanied by some cloves & mild cardamom. I like the freshness of the brandy being only 3 years old, it keeps a lot of fruity flavours yet I feel like it could be tamed further, letting it in a barrel for a few more years.
Finish: 7.5/10
The finish is strong with the after-burn leaving a pleasant warmth. The flavours of apples, oak & caramel lingers for a few seconds, making this a medium-length finish.
Overall: 74/100
A pretty solid first experience. I already love grape brandies, so apples weren’t a hard step to take, but it only made me want to try other fruit spirits as well as some Calvados to see the potential of tradition. Local apple brandy is quite recent where I live, so maybe in some years, more products will hit the shelves allowing me to compare between various recipes.
3-word Description:
Apples, baking spices & warm.
The Reference:
More information @micheljodoin.ca
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