My former guests, founder of Healthy Hospo, Tim Etherington-Judge and Wine & Spirits Specialist Stephanie Jordan are set to launch a Calvados brand with a #beepositive message at its very core this spring and I cannot wait!
Tim and Stephanie, both former faces of two of Diageo’s most successful RESERVE brands, are set to launch Avallen Calvados, a new purpose-driven spirit brand this spring.
Born out of a shared passion for traditional spirits and sustainable products, Avallen Calvados has been founded with the intention to re-ignite Calvados, one of the world’s great brandies, and have a positive impact on the wild bee populations in the markets where it is sold.
They explain that Calvados is by far one of the most sustainable spirits in the world made from over 300 varieties of apples and pears, cultivated in a well-orchestrated eco-system whereby the orchards, cows, birds and bees work in perfect harmony. It is this biodiversity that inspired them to build a program to help bee populations around the world with their #BeePositive message, donating €0,50 of profit for every bottle sold to organizations dedicated to restoring and protecting the most important of insects as well as a commitment to plant 100,000 wild flowers over the next 3 years across the globe in aid of helping our forever declining bee population.
According to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust in the UK, 70 of the 100-crop species that provide 90% of food worldwide are pollinated by bees and they are the single most important animal to human survival. Yet, the past 30 years have seen dramatic decline in bee populations around the world with a number of species appearing on endangered lists for the first time such as the Rusty Patched Bumblebee in the US which as seen its numbers decline by 90% since the 1990’s.1
The name Avallen derives from Old Cornish, a language that existed during the period (800–1200) and means ‘Apple Tree’. There are strong ties between Cornwall and Normandy, including the iconic locations of St Michaels Mount and Mont St Michel. Avalon, meaning ‘Isle of Apples’ derivatives from Avallen.
Avallen’s liquid is fresh, fruity and proudly apple forward in its flavour profile. A Calvados AOC aged in French oak barrels for 2 years and bottled at 40% ABV with no added sugar, caramel or boisé. It is made from nothing buy real apples, water and time. Ultimately an accessible yet high-quality liquid with a fresh and innovative take on design for the category, Avallen Spirits aims to shake up the global spirits market and take Calvados off the shelf and into the speedwells and cocktail menus of bars around the world
Avallen Spirits is a company with environmental positivity at its core. Made from nothing but real apples, water and time, Avallen Calvados is completely natural with no additives or added sugar. The bottle has been selected for its bartender friendliness but also as it is one of the lightest on the market ensuring a reduced carbon footprint from shipping. The label is printed on recycled apple pulp paper (the rest of the pulp is distributed to dairy farmers to feed their herds) using only sustainable dies minimizing the impact on the environment. Avallen Calvados is produced in La Manche region of Normandy, France, who’s local council have been pesticide free since 2016.2
To coincide with the apple trees coming into blossom and signalling the start of the birth of the season’s apples, their first product: Avallen Calvados will launch in May 2019 in selected European markets and the UK.
For more information go to www.avallenspirits.com
References
1 – https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-lists-a-bumble-bee-species-as-endangered-for-first-time/
2 – https://www.manche.fr/