i brought back some creme de calvados from france once, didn't taste particularly nice.
what about steeping apples in brandy, like a rumtoftthingwhatsit? bet that would be nice.
Society, thanks for the recipe. Wine making is fine - it's spirits that are illegal. (Incidentally, I number among my friends some pretty influential people so maybe I ought to keep away from the moonshine! Oops! Ha ha!).