XO Alambic presents Cameo-de-Vie VSOP

DAYTON-Founder and master distiller Rusty Figgins has announced the release of a new apple brandy at XO Alambic, named Cameo-de-Vie. The distillery, located at the Blue Mountain Station in Dayton, will offer tastings this Friday and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

Cameo-de-Vie is a bit of a play on words. Made mostly from the Cameo apple, a Washington-original apple variety, Cameo-de-Vie is an eau-de-vie de pomme, or apple brandy, if you will. Comprised also of Braeburn and cider apples, with a healthy measure of Bosc, Bartlett and d'Anjou pears for additional complexity, this apple brandy earned its VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale, in brandy nomenclature) rating after sufficient maturation in barrels.  The brandy was matured in barrels made of French oak from the Limousin Forest. 

The Cameo apple is prized for its flavor and elevated level of malic acid, making it perfectly suited for the crafting of apple brandy. What mostly sets it apart, however, is that all Cameo trees in the world descend from a single tree that still survives today in a Washington orchard. 

Not the product of years of apple-breeding research, Cameo was created by nature! 

The most remarkable part of the Cameo story is that the first tree of its kind began its life as a chance seedling in an orchard, right where there was once a missing tree, and as such, it was never uprooted.  Incredibly, the cross-pollinated apple sapling was left to flourish for several years before any fruit formed, until it was discovered that the characteristics of the apples that it bore differed from all the other trees around it.  Dubbed 'Cameo' by the enterprising orchardist, it soon gained favor for its distinctive flavor and attractive, variegated color.  Cameo has since been spread around the world, and all of them descended from that single tree, which still produces reliably in Dryden, Washington.  Cameo ~ a Washington original! 

Through a strategic partnership with Warren Orchards in Dayton, Washington, XO Alambic procures their entire orchard block of Cameo apples which grows on an exceptional site situated at 1800 feet elevation.  For the production of this brandy, Warren Orchards also provided Braeburn apples, three varieties of pears, and their two rows of cider varieties, making it a 100% single-estate bottling. 

All hand-sorted fruit is processed at the distillery site using an innovative continuous cider press, the CiderMaster 4000. The fresh juice is sent directly to 500-liter puncheons for barrel fermentation. The juice undergoes a slow, cool fermentation, inoculated only by yeast that is indigenous to the orchard.  After a six-month maturation in barrel sur lie, the hard cider is then double-distilled in the Figgins Reciprocator still, and the clear distillate is filled into prior-use, French-oak barrels that vary in size from 50 to 225 liters.  A single 50-liter barrel, or firkin, was selected for this inaugural release.

Distiller Rusty Figgins, was at the ready to explain:  "As an apple brandy, Cameo-de-Vie VSOP is quite versatile.  With its intensely harmonious apple and pear notes, and having a nearly endless finish, it is wonderful on its own, but also mixes exceedingly well."  He continued, "Because of a few advance bottles, it is already the secret ingredient in the area's best apple pie!  Enjoy Cameo-de-Vie VSOP neat in your brandy snifter, over ice (or even over ice cream), or create the famous Jack Rose with it!"  Figgins promptly provided his personal recipe for the cocktail, as follows:

JACK ROSE

(preferred by authors Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck)

Three jiggers Cameo-de-Vie VSOP apple brandy

One-half jigger Rose's Grenadine syrup

One jigger Rose's lime juice 

Shake with ice and strain, pour into two chilled coupe glasses and garnish each with a slice of apple and a brandied cherry. 

Enjoy slowly with a good friend or a good book!

The inaugural edition of Cameo-de-Vie VSOP is certain to be an instant classic immediately upon release!  Scheduled for its début on November 22nd and 23rd, in advance of Thanksgiving Day, you may place your order today for delivery before your special giving of thanks!