BHAKTA Launches 35-Year-Old 1989 Vintage Calvados

BHAKTA Spirits introduces its first single-origin Calvados, a 35-year-old 1989 vintage, signaling the luxury spirits producer's expansion from its core Armagnac and whisky products. This Calvados is made exclusively from three oak barrels in Normandy's famed Pays d'Auge region.

Distilled from 20 traditional apple varieties, this Calvados received a 98-point rating and a platinum award from the Beverage Tasting Institute, hailed as the benchmark for exceptional aged Calvados. BHAKTA also released its annual ten-year series, reinforcing its lead in the U.S. Armagnac market and driving the global luxury brandy revival.

Calvados and Armagnac both stem from centuries-old French distillation traditions, with the former originating from Normandy's apple orchards and the latter from Gascony in southwestern France. The Pays d'Auge sub-region holds a special reputation within the Calvados appellation.

BHAKTA positions traditional brandy as a premium alternative for whisky enthusiasts, a strategy that has gained traction as dark spirits lovers show growing interest in classic brandies. This isn't BHAKTA's first use of aged Calvados—its flagship blend BHAKTA 1928 and the sold-out BHAKTA 27-07 both incorporated apple brandy.

Official tasting notes describe this deep reddish-brown spirit with aromas of summer fruits, cinnamon sugar, and stewed pears, flavors of honeysuckle, hot apple cider, and pipe tobacco, and a finish of fresh apples, citrus peel, and aged oak.

BHAKTA's complete fifty-year series, spanning vintages from 1965 to 1985, remains available. The company plans to announce international expansion details in 2025 and 2026.

This 45.8% ABV 1989 Calvados was distilled in France and aged in Vermont before being hand-bottled in 2024. With only three barrels released, collectors and brandy enthusiasts will find this a rare opportunity.

2025-08-11

Source: https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-news/bhakta-launches-35-year-old-1989-calvados/