🥃 Normandy cider brandy (Eau-de-vie de cidre de Normandie)
French cider brandy from Normandy and nearby communes: an EU-protected name since 1989; the clear version is aged at least a month in inert containers, the amber one at least a year in oak.
Normandy cider brandy (Eau-de-vie de cidre de Normandie) is a French spirit distilled only from cider made of Normandy cider apples. Unlike calvados, it may be sold colourless, without any contact with wood. The name has been protected in the EU since 1989, and the current national specification was approved in 2015.
Region. Apples are harvested, cider is made, distilled and aged in five departments of Normandy (Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime) and in several communes of Mayenne, Sarthe and Oise. The climate is oceanic, with at least 700 mm of rain a year and 160 rainy days, and no summer drought.
Raw material and distillation. Local cider apple varieties are allowed, but not dessert apples; yield is up to 35 t per hectare, and irrigating trees in bearing is forbidden. Sugar may not be added to the must. Cider is distilled twice in a copper pot still or a copper column of up to 250 hl per day; the fresh spirit must be no more than 72% ABV.
Two types. The clear version matures at least one month in inert containers and may contain up to 10 g/l of sugar. The amber version is aged at least a year in oak; colour and taste may be adjusted with caramel and sugar, as long as the apparent strength drops by less than 4% ABV. Cider distillation has been recorded in Normandy since the 16th century, and a guild of distillers existed from 1606.
Why this matters to you. This name does not guarantee long aging: a colourless bottle may be very young. If you want an aged apple spirit, look at the colour and the age mark, or choose calvados. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol.
Facts
| EU category | 10 “Cider spirit and perry spirit” (protected name of France) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | cider only, from Normandy cider apples; no sugar added to the must |
| Distillation method | double distillation in a copper pot still or copper column up to 250 hl/day; ≤ 72% ABV |
| Minimum maturation | clear — 1 month in inert containers; amber — 1 year in oak |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 37.5% ABV (EU category 10 minimum) |
| Legal basis | EU PGI since 12.06.1989 (PGI-FR-01988); specification — order of 22.01.2015 |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Normandy cider brandy (Eau-de-vie de cidre de Normandie) → then → 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation ← goes through ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 French
- Part of
- 🍏 Cider spirit and perry spirit
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Calvados, 🥃 Calvados Pays d'Auge, 🥃 Calvados Domfrontais, 🥃 Aguardiente de sidra de Asturias
Frequently asked questions
Is Normandy cider brandy the same as calvados?
No. Both are made from cider in Normandy, but they are different protected names: calvados requires at least 2 years in oak, while this brandy can be clear, with no wood aging at all.
What types of Normandy cider brandy are there?
Clear, aged at least one month in inert containers, and amber, aged in oak casks for at least a year.
Can it be sweetened?
The clear version may contain up to 10 g/l, expressed as invert sugar. The amber version may have caramel and sugar added, as long as the apparent strength drops by less than 4% ABV.
How is it distilled?
Double distillation in a copper pot still or in a copper column of up to 250 hl of cider per day; rectification is forbidden, and the fresh spirit is up to 72% ABV.
Where is it produced?
In the departments of Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime, and in several communes of Mayenne, Sarthe and Oise.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🧑🤝🧑 French — The French are the main population of France, known for the festive meal and baguette on UNESCO's list, for wine and for cheese.
- 🥃 Calvados Domfrontais — Calvados name from southern Normandy: at least 30% perry pears, column distillation only, ageing of at least 3 years in oak; AOC since 1997.
Similar
🥃 Maine cider brandy (Eau-de-vie de cidre du Maine) · 🥃 Breton cider brandy (Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne) · 🥃 Normandy perry spirit (Eau-de-vie de poiré de Normandie) · 🥃 Aguardiente de sidra de Asturias · 🥃 Calvados Pays d'Auge · 🥃 Calvados Domfrontais
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- BO AGRI (Ministère de l'Agriculture, France): Cahier des charges de l'IG «Eau-de-vie de cidre de Normandie», arrêté du 22.01.2015 (5 départements normands + communes de Mayenne, Oise, Sarthe; ≤ 35 t/ha; repasse ou colonne ≤ 250 hl/24 h, ≤ 72 % vol.; blanche ≥ 1 mois en cuve inerte, ≤ 10 g/l de sucre; ambrée ≥ 1 an sous chêne; corporation des distillateurs 1606)
- INAO: fiche produit «Eau-de-vie de cidre de Normandie»
- eAmbrosia (EU register of geographical indications): «Eau-de-vie de cidre de Normandie», PGI-FR-01988 (EUGI00000014139), spirit drink GI, EU protection 12.06.1989
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I: category 10, Cider spirit and perry spirit (min. 37.5 % vol.)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)