This is the first calvados I've tried. Now, I'm sure I'm going to mark myself as a calvados rookie by saying this, but. . . well, it tastes like apples. The aroma isn't particularly strong or complex (mostly apples!). The taste has a bit of spice along with the apples. When I was a kid my mom used to make baked cinnamon apples sometimes on Sunday mornings, and this reminds me of that. There's also a cidery tang to it, especially in the finish. The expert review says, "Perhaps not the most complex, but easy to enjoy" and I think that's pretty accurate. It's a solid, tasty drink that occupies a different flavor space than ordinary (i.e., grape) brandies. I'd like to explore more in the realm of calvados, but there aren't too terribly many budget options available, so I may wind up coming back to this. At $35 it's not exactly a bargain but a decent price.