Calvados Spritz
Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 19.9% ABV ∙
The Calvados Spritz is a built highball of apple brandy, elderflower liqueur, and dry sparkling wine, topped and served in a wine glass. Baked apple and honeyed elderflower open the glass, then fine bubbles lift it dry and light before a warm, orchard-fruit finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Pour the ingredients: Calvados 45 mlElderflower liqueur 45 mlDry sparkling wine 90 ml all into the ice-filled glass
- Briefly stir
- Garnish with an apple slice
Tips
- Fill the wine glass with large ice cubes first, then pour Calvados and elderflower liqueur before topping with sparkling wine to preserve carbonation.
- Add the sparkling wine last and pour gently down the side of the glass, stirring only once or twice to avoid going flat.
- Chill the Calvados, elderflower liqueur, and sparkling wine beforehand so the build stays cold without needing heavy stirring over ice.
- Cut a thin apple slice and float it on top rather than dropping it in, so it releases aroma without weighing down the fizz.
History
The Calvados Spritz is a modern cocktail created in February 2023 by bartender Kaitlin Wilkes as part of a drinks strategy she developed for Avallen, a Calvados brand. Wilkes, a Canadian bartender who had previously worked at London hotels including the Savoy and the Berkeley before joining Avallen as a brand consultant, built the recipe to introduce Calvados apple brandy to drinkers through the familiar, widely popular spritz format. The drink pairs the apple brandy with elderflower liqueur and sparkling wine, following the spritz template established by the Aperol Spritz and its many regional variants.
FAQ
What is in a Calvados Spritz?
Calvados (apple brandy), elderflower liqueur, and dry sparkling wine, built over ice in a wine glass and finished with an apple slice. The sparkling wine is the longest pour, at double the calvados or the elderflower liqueur the glass.
What kind of alcohol is Calvados?
Calvados is a French brandy distilled from cider apples (and sometimes pears) in Normandy, giving it a fruity, orchard-driven character distinct from grape brandies like Cognac. It typically runs 40% ABV or higher on its own, though it's diluted here by the liqueur and sparkling wine.
Is a Calvados Spritz shaken or stirred?
Neither — it's built directly in the glass over ice, in the same style as an Aperol Spritz. The ingredients are simply poured in and briefly stirred to combine, not shaken or mixed elsewhere.
What glass is a Calvados Spritz served in?
A wine glass, garnished with an apple slice. The wide bowl gives the sparkling wine room to stay lively without going flat too quickly.
What mixes well with Calvados?
Calvados pairs naturally with apple, pear, cinnamon, honey, and floral notes like elderflower, which is why it combines so easily with elderflower liqueur and sparkling wine in this build. It also works well with citrus and warm spices in other cocktails.
What is the best way to drink Calvados?
Calvados is traditionally sipped neat or on the rocks as a digestif, often after a meal, though it also works mixed into a highball or spritz-style drink. In this build it's cut with elderflower liqueur and sparkling wine for a lighter, session-friendly version.
