Malternative No.4 Le Bouc 1973 French Calvados

Malternative Belgium No. 4 “Le Bouc” 1973 Vintage Calvados is an extraordinary old Pays d’Auge Calvados produced by Michèle Giard at Manoir de Montreuil in Normandy, France. Distilled in 1973, this remarkable spirit spent approximately 46 years ageing in oak before being transferred to stainless steel in 2019 to preserve its mature character. Bottled in August 2025 at a natural cask strength of 45%, just 102 bottles were released, making Le Bouc an exceptionally rare glimpse into traditional Norman Calvados produced more than half a century ago.

Producer: Michèle Giard – Manoir de Montreuil
Bottler: Malternative Belgium
Vintage: 1973
Region: Pays d’Auge, Normandy, France
ABV: 45%
Maturation: Oak Cask (1973–2019), followed by Stainless Steel
Outturn: 102 Bottles 

Malternative Belgium is an independent bottler specialising in distinctive, mature spirits with provenance and character at their core. For this release, the team travelled to Manoir de Montreuil, a traditional estate in the Pays d’Auge operated by Michèle and Patrice Giard. Surrounded by approximately 30 hectares of traditional high-stem orchards, the estate works with more than 50 old apple varieties to produce its cider. The apples are allowed to ripen further after harvest before pressing and fermentation sur lie, with the cider matured for 15 months in oak prior to distillation. Until 1988, the majority of the estate’s cider destined for Calvados was distilled using traditional wood-fired stills.

The name “Le Bouc” — The Billy Goat — references the distinctive wild-fermentation character found throughout the spirit. Malternative Belgium selected the goat artwork as a playful nod to the rustic, funky aromas created through natural cider fermentation, a character that gives this exceptional Calvados much of its individuality.

Tasting Notes:
Rich baked apple and apple compote lead into ripe apricot and traditional cider, underpinned by a wonderfully rustic character of dried hay, worn leather and wild fermentation. Layers of old oak, beeswax, roasted nuts and delicate spice add remarkable depth. The palate is richly textured and distinctly waxy, unfolding with candied apple, preserved peach, walnut and apple peel alongside beautifully integrated mature oak. A fascinating farmhouse funk runs throughout, bringing an almost old-school whisky-like complexity to the fruit. The finish is long, warming and elegant, leaving lingering orchard fruit, wax, polished wood, gentle spice and a distinctive wild-ferment character that makes this a truly unique example of mature Calvados.