Roger Groult : 5^th generation

Can you introduce Groult estate to us?

Groult House is a family-run estate, one of the oldest in the Pays d’Auge region, where I rep­res­ent the fifth gen­er­a­tion. We pro­duce Calvados Pays d’Auge fol­low­ing tra­di­tion­al crafts­man­ship, includ­ing double dis­til­la­tion over a wood fire. We over­see the entire pro­cess, from har­vest­ing to bot­tling, using mainly bit­ter­sweet apples from our high-stem orchards.

We press our own apples and pro­duce our own cider for dis­til­la­tion, with no extern­al pur­chases. Both the dis­til­la­tion and aging are car­ried out on-site in our family cellars.

How are your product ranges organized?

We have two main dis­tin­guish­ing fea­tures. First, our per­petu­al blend­ing method: we never com­pletely empty the bar­rels, which allows us to incor­por­ate a base of long-aged Calvados even into our young­est blends. This cre­ates a unique com­plex­ity without overly woody notes.

We also have a sig­ni­fic­ant stock of very old Calvados, includ­ing iconic products such as our “Vénér­able”, a blend of eaux-de-vie aged 18 years and older. What’s remark­able is that the apple remains dis­cern­ible even in our oldest Calvados, which is quite unique com­pared to other spir­its like Cognac or Armag­nac, where the raw mater­i­al tends to fade over time.

Addi­tion­ally, we innov­ate with our range of cask fin­ishes, launched in 2017. This includes fin­ishes in bar­rels from wine-pro­du­cing regions (Vouv­ray, Jur­ançon, Bany­uls), as well as from whisky and beer. Finally, we are devel­op­ing a range of vin­tages, ini­ti­ated in the 2000s, with releases such as the 2003 and 2008 vintages.

What values define Maison Roger Groult?

Our values are deeply rooted in respect for biod­iversity and tra­di­tion­al meth­ods. We use no syn­thet­ic treat­ments on our apple trees, pre­serve hedgerows and small plots, and have even intro­duced bee­hives. During pro­duc­tion, our cider fer­ments nat­ur­ally for at least 10 months, giving it excep­tion­al com­plex­ity. We then dis­till the cider from the pre­vi­ous year in our cen­tury old pot stills, heated by a wood fire, an approach that embod­ies our authenticity.

Our goal is to share eth­ic­al, high-qual­ity Calvados every day, break­ing the ste­reo­type of “Calva” being overly strong in alco­hol. We also cham­pi­on envir­on­ment­ally friendly prac­tices because, even if they’re not always the most prof­it­able in the short term, they align with our core beliefs.

Do you have a memorable story related to Calvados?

What comes to mind right away are the olfact­ory memor­ies: when I came home from school, I could smell the stills at work from afar. That smell of a blend of eau-de-vie and warm wood is some­thing that left a last­ing impres­sion. I also vividly recall dip­ping my finger under the still’s spout to taste the 70-proof eau-de-vie. The warmth, the aromas… those moments stay with you.

Finally, do you have a favorite cocktail?

A very simple drink: 3 year old Calvados, a touch of cane sugar, lime juice, and a twist of zest. It’s some­thing close to a Dai­quiri, but with Calvados repla­cing the rum.