What is apple brandy?

Apple brandy is a distilled spirit made from fermented apple juice or cider. The family includes American apple brandy and applejack, Normandy calvados, and other cider brandies such as eau-de-vie de cidre. US federal rules define brandy standards of identity; production is fermentation, distillation and usually oak ageing.

Updated 2026-10-05

Key facts

Distilled apples. Apple brandy is spirit distilled from fermented apple juice or cider. [1]
Family names. US apple brandy and applejack, French calvados, and other cider brandies (eau-de-vie de cidre, Somerset cider brandy).
Ageing. Most commercial styles spend time in oak before bottling.

What counts as apple brandy under US rules?

Under 27 CFR 5.145, brandy is distilled from fruit at less than 95% alcohol by volume and bottled at not less than 40% ABV; apple brandy may also be called applejack. [1] Blended applejack under 27 CFR 5.146 is at least 20% apple brandy aged not less than two years, with the remainder neutral spirits. [2] Label class matters more than marketing nicknames — see where to buy apple brandy.

Which types of apple brandy will you see?

American apple brandy / applejack. US category names for apple distillates; historic freeze "jacking" and modern distillation are compared in calvados vs applejack.
Calvados. Protected Norman cider brandy — definition and AOC detail in what calvados is. Browse Normandy makers.
Other cider brandies. Breton and Maine eaux-de-vie and Somerset cider brandy sit in what cider brandy is.

What does apple brandy taste like?

Young apple brandy leans toward fresh apple, orchard fruit and solvent heat. Oak ageing adds vanilla, spice and dried-fruit depth while drying the palate — most aged bottles taste warming and dry rather than sugary. Sweetness, when present, comes from residual sugar or producer finishing choices, not from the word "brandy" alone. Serving ideas: how to drink apple brandy. [3]

How is apple brandy made?

Makers ferment apple juice or cider, distill it, then usually age the spirit in wood. For the Norman process — stills, cask time and bottling strength — see how calvados is made.

Related answers: where to buy apple brandy · what cider brandy is

Find it on Cider Radar

Browse calvados and apple-brandy makers on the map, including Normandy.
Open producer profiles for site, social and place links.
You can order directly from the maker in Cider Radar (iOS, Android and web).
Open the map: app.ciderradar.com · iPhone · Android

Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.

Questions

Is applejack a kind of apple brandy?

Yes in broad use; US rules also recognise blended applejack. Compare calvados vs applejack. [2]

Sources

27 CFR 5.145 – Brandy (standards of identity) — eCFR (US Government Publishing Office)
27 CFR 5.146 – Blended applejack — eCFR (US Government Publishing Office)
How and when to drink Calvados — Calvados Nouvelle Vogue (IDAC)