This article originally appeared in the Spring/Summer 2023 print issue of Quench Magazine.

Most people who launch a spirit brand are inspired by a specific category. Often as not, that spirit is either whisky or tequila.

When Avallen Calvados founder Tim Etherington-Judge began planning his start-up, though, he didn’t know which spirit he was going to make. His goal was to create a truly sustainable spirit—one that promoted biodiversity, was bee-positive, transparent about its carbon footprint and produced under the B-Corp model, which prioritizes social and environmental responsibility over economic growth.

After extensive research, he settled on Calvados, in part because the orchards in Normandy are largely reliant on the wild bee population—as opposed to apiaries.

“I think, in general, it’s less industrial than a lot of other spirits, because of the rules and regulations surrounding the production of Calvados, all of which are to maintain the orchards,” says Etherington-Judge. “One of the reasons we chose Calvados as our spirit is that there are many traditional practices still being enforced.”

In addition to requirements about spacing in the orchards and mandatory grass ground cover between the trees, the region has actively resisted monoculture by allowing over 200 different varieties of apples to be used in the production of Calvados.

Strangely, though, most of the tough regulations are limited to the orchards and stop at the distillery door. After the liquid comes off the stills, things loosen up considerably—and not just with Calvados, but with many French spirits.

“What is less frequently spoken about is what’s added to the liquid after,” Etherington-Judge explains. “More often than not, French spirits contain added sugar, caramel, and boisé, an oak extract that we were very particular about avoiding for a number of reasons.”

Boisé is an “aging alternative” product that’s made by boiling and then simmering wood in water for hours until it turns into something like an “oak tea.” After that, it’s reduced and added to spirits to add weight and make a spirit look and taste older than it actually is.

Etherington-Judge isn’t alone in avoiding boisé. Many in both the Cognac and Calvados industry have misgivings about this controversial product. Fewer worry about the other, less odious additives, especially the dosage, which involves adding a small amount of sugar—a practice that’s also used to make Champagne and Cognac.

“My partner was speaking to the distiller one day and told her: ‘We’ll just add sugar and not tell Tim, okay?’” recalls Etherington-Judge. “So, it’s pretty universal here.”

His partner said no, obviously. This choice, as well as all the other additives that are omitted, makes Avallen distinct from any Calvados I’ve ever tried. It’s light in colour and, instead of tasting like boozy apple crumble, it’s floral and fresh. That might be a problem for a digestif but, since this spirit is really meant more for mixing, it’s an asset.

In case you’re wondering what to mix it with, keep it simple and use it in a highball, like this Normandy Tonic.

Feature photo: Avallen partners Tim Etherington-Judge and Stephanie Jordan

photos courtesy of Avallen