Reliquum turns waste apples into brandy

UK producer Reliquum has launched an apple brandy made using fruit that would otherwise have gone to waste.

Each 500ml bottle of Reliquum Apple Brandy is made from 28kg of Essex-grown waste Opal apples. To make its Apple Brandy, Reliquum presses Opal apples and ferments the juice to make a cider. The alcoholic liquid is then distilled to create an eau de vie at the English Spirit Distillery. Afterwards, the brandy is aged in red wine barrels made from French Trombais Oak for four months. The spirit is said to be “akin to calvados” with “rich notes of caramel and memories of the very best apple tarte tatin”. Reliquum founder Pete Thompson said: “Aged 16 I was packed off to France by my folks to brush up on my French. Landing at a small farm on the Normandy coast I’m not sure what it did for my French, but it did introduce me to a whole new world of seafood, cider and Calvados. Our brandy is a tribute to Normandy and the finer things in life.” Thompson founded Reliquum following the launch Cotchel, which uses waste apples and pears to make fruit juices. The third generation farmer and fruit grower hopes the brand will help him “get rid of all food waste on his farm”. In addition to its Apple Brandy, Reliquum produces a London Dry gin, as well as plum and apricot liqueurs.