Calvados is a typical brandy of Normandy, which is distilled from apple wine (or cider), after a fermentation of 12 days. A good Calvados must age at least six to seven years, in barrels of Oak tree. Calvados generally has an alcohol content of around 40-42° and its color is amber, with golden reflections, while its perfume is penetrating and the taste velvety. The French sometimes serve it halfway through the meal, to create the so-called "trou normand" (Norman hole) in the stomach and facilitate the continuation of the meal. Calvados is also used to inflame crêpes.