Bandida do Pomar

This Portugese cider is made by Sociedade Central de Cervejas e Bebidas S.A., part of the Heineken group. As they describe it: "With a fruity, light and refreshing taste, Bandida do Pomar cider has an intense apple flavor. It is aimed at consumers between 18 and 34 and all alcohol consumers who want new alternatives."

It has a light amber like light apple juice colour, and a light apple juice bouquet. Taste is sweet with an artificial apple flavour and no dryness in the finish, just a lingering sweetness. 4.5% ABV. 5/10

Cider Tour 2024

I tried 39 ciders while on holiday in 2024. Most were British and many of these were at the Armagh Food & Cider Festival in Armagh, Northern Ireland. The Long Meadow ciders were pretty good. I tried 6 at The Cider House in the Borough Market in London.

Cider & Wine dinner at Long Meadow Farm

I tried 5 in France that I purchased at a high end grocery store: La Grande Épicerie, Rue de Sèvres, Paris. I tried 4 in Tbilisi, Georgia and they were not drinkable.

I had a couple of nice Austrian sparkling ciders in Vienna.

Appie - Le Poiré

From Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône, this pale yellow cider has a light fresh apple and dry pear bouquet. Taste is intially quite dry for a perry and quite a subtle pear taste, and it finishes still quite dry. Nice and refreshing. 8/10

 

Zathinoe Cidre Bouché

From Castillon en Auge comes this cider with a slightly cloudy amber colour and a very mature apple bouquet. Initial taste is of old even musty apples, rather than just mature which persists and finishes off dry. A strong cider and the extra old apple taste is not appealing. 5/10

Alain Milliat Organic

From Normandy comes this cider that is yellow-amber in colour with a light mature apple bouquet. Mature apple initially follows with an off-dry finish with a hint of old cheese with a lot of body. 6.5/10

Fils de Pomme

A French cider from Nanterre. Slightly cloudy light amber colour. A nice fresh apple bouquet and a pronounced fresh apple flavour which is noticeably off-dry on the finish. 9/10

Topa Brut Apple-Pear

A Spanish and French cider: apples from Normandy and pears from the Basque region of Spain. It has a slightly cloudy pale yellow colour and light apple bouquet. Taste is a tart light apple that lingers  finishing with a light dryness. There is some sediment in the bottle. 7/10

 

Dunkertons Organic Perry

From Dunkertons Cider of Herefordshire comes this medium sweet organic perry. Lightly cloudy and a pale white wine colour. Has a light apple bouquet. The medium sweetness appears first then proceeds to nice medium pear taste and finishes a little drier. One of the better perries I have tried. Most perries are on the sweeter side but this is not overly sweet. 7.5% ABV. 9/10

New Forest Dry

From New Forest Cider of Hampshire, this cider is the driest I've had since Hard Way. It has a slightly cloudy light amber colour with a light dry apple bouquet. Taste is very dry initially but on subsequent sips seems less dry and a mature apple taste lingers and not as dry. 7% ABV. 6.5/10

Pilton Carousel

From Pilton Cider, this cider has medium dark colour of fresh apple juice with a nice mature apple bouquet. There is a an initial mature apple taste with a hint of caramel; on following sips the caramel fades and it finishes dry. 5.2% ABV. 7/10

Ascension Pilot

From Ascension Cider company of East Sussex, this sparkling cider is made from Russet, Bramley and Braeburn apples. It is slightly cloudy white a light white wine shade with a fresh apple bouquet. It has a light apple skin taste with a hint of perry. Finishes a little dry. 4.8% ABV. 7.5/10

Sandford's Orchards Devon Mist

From Sandford's Orchards of Devon, this sparkling cider is the colour of Chardonnay with a fresh apple bouquet. Medium sweet with very light fresh a[[;e taste. Would make a good quaff on a hot day. A touch sweeter than I normally like but very nice. 4.5% ABV. 7.5/10

Oliver's Encore Blend

From Oliver's Cider & Perry of Herefordshire, this cider has a cloudy pale orange colour with an apple skin bouquet. Initial tart fruit taste then drier, but on second taste is less tart with an apple skin forward and a dry finish. Overall a rough apple intense flavour. 6.2% ABV. 6.5/10

 

Nightingale Falstaff Bramley

From Nightingales Cider Company of Kent, this cider is slightly cloudy and a very pale burnt orange/yellow colour with a fresh apple bouquet. Old apple flavour (in a good way) that lingers and finishes dry. 6.2% ABV. 7/10

I tried these and the next few British ciders at The Cider House in the Borough Market in London.

Weinkultur Preiss

I tried this pair of Austrian sparkling vintage ciders that I purchased at Hass & Haas in Vienna. Like champagne these ciders have a second fermentation in the bottle. This may account for the large among of foam that forms on pouring. 

Die Apfelkönigin von Viktoria Preiss 2022
Made from the Baya Marisa apple. Pale yellow in colour it has a nice apple skin bouquet. Taste is just off-dry with a delicate apple skin taste. 7.5/10

Die Apfelkönig von Maximilian Preiss 2021
Made from the Ananasrenette apple. Pale yellow in colour it has a fresh apple bouquet. Noy quite as much foam as the Viktoria Preiss above. Initial tartness that lingers. The fresh apple continues and then finishes with some tartness. 8.5/10

 

Die Apfelkönigin
von Viktoria Preiss

 

Die Apfelkönig
von Maximilian Preiss

Goldkehlchen Cassis

Another cider from the excellent Goldkehlchen brand though not as good as their plain or cherry cider. It has a red tint similar to their cherry cider. The taste is tart but with only a hint of cassis unlike the pronounced cherry flavour in their cherry cider. Still a pleasant and refreshing quaff. 7/10

 

Strongbow Rosé Semi-dry

Light red in colour like a light rosé wine with a hint of soft berry bouquet. The taste is light berry and a touch sweet but not overly so. 7/10

 

Georgian ciders

Though a country that grows lots of apples, they are new to cider making—and, unfortunately, it shows. I tried many and none were up to current standards. The first three by NaturAle Brewery of Tbilisi whose retail store and bar I visited.

Naturale Chokeberry No.4
Light musty bouquet. Neutral apple taste with a hint of berry and slightly tannic and slight musty aftertaste. 4.9% ABV. 5.5/10

Naturale Dry No.1
Cloudy with the colour of scrumpy. Light musty, yeasty and very light apple bouquet. No real apple flavour; dry light with almost no aftertaste. 4.7% ABV. 5/10

Naturale Semi Sweet No.6
Very light cloudy pale yellow. Light fresh apple bouquet. Initial fresh apple and lightly sweet but with a light musty aftertaste. Mustiness fades and light apple lingers. 4,8% ABV. 6.5/10

Summer Hugs Grapefruit
By Backyard Brewery of Tbilisi. Contains apple and Grapefruit juice. Light pale yellow and lightly Cloudy. Odd cheesy bouquet. Very dry taste with a hint of bitterness like Grapefruit pith but with a light musty aftertaste. 6.5% ABV. 5/10

Caple Rd (150)

My 150th cider is by Westons Cider Company (who also made Stowford Press). From their notes: "Dark straw/amber colour. Dry, creamy and full bodied, oaky, smoky with subtle notes of leather." Bought on the Eurostar, it has a dry apple bouquet. Taste is initially dry with oaky notes. I don't detect the smokiness (good!). Lingering dry apple finish. Very good. 8.5/10

Sharp's Cold River

Tried this at a great pub at The Veteran Hotel in Ryde, Isle of Wight. Pale yellow with a light bouquet. Taste is off-dry with a light taste that finishes light. 7.5/10

 

Harry's Single Variety Dabinett Medium & Sparkling

Made in Somerset, it has is pale amber with a dry apple skin bouquet. Though called sparkling that disappears right away. Though labelled medium it seems more off-dry with an fresh apple skin taste. 8/10

 

Harry's Original Dry & Sparkling

Made in Somerset, it has a light amber with a distinct apple skin bouquet. Though called sparkling that disappears right away. Just off-dry with an apple skin taste that taste like real apple. That apple skin taste is fresh apple with tannins from the skins and possibly the seeds. 8/10 

 

Long Meadow Berry Blast

The last of the Long Meadow cider sampled at the Armagh Food & Cider Festival. This cider was meant to go with the dessert but was not sweet enough to match the chocolate torte and macaroon. It was just okay by itself. 6.5/10

Long Meadow Oak Aged

Number four of the Long Meadow cider sampled at the Armagh Food & Cider Festival.This very different cider. It is a dark reddish brown colour from the oak and a slightly cloudy appearance. The oak aging adds a depth to the taste with subtle oakiness. It is a dark reddish brown colour from the oak and a slightly cloudy appearance. 6.5/10

Long Meadow Medium

Number three of the Long Meadow ciders sampled at the Armagh Food & Cider Festival.This one has is light in colour and has an apple forward flavour at the start but is quite light and the flavour fades quickly. 7/10

Long Meadow Blossom Burst

Another Long Meadow cider sampled at the Armagh Food & Cider Festival. An off-dry cider with good flavour. 6.5/10

Long Meadow Rhubarb & Honey

I tried this at the Armagh Food & Cider Festival, particularly at the Long Meadow Cider 5 course dinner held on Sept 6, 2024 at their very fine Bramley Barn dining room. The first offering was the Rhubarb & Honey cider that was to go with the starters of a variety of breads with various spreads and a curried cauliflower soup. 

As much as I don't care for rhubarb or sweet ciders this was well done for its type and quite good. It has a pronounced reddish colour and a light sweetness and the rhubarb flavour is not over powering. 7/10

 

Inch's Medium

I wasn't expecting much from this cider given its ingredients list: water, apple juice from concentrate, sugar, malic acid. It does brag that it is made from 100% British apples (well, the juice concentrate anyway!). It has a reddish-brown colour and a light fresh apple bouquet. It tastes like a commercial apple drink you would buy in a convenience store. Quite artificial apple flavour, but not horrible. 5.5/10

Diamond Medium Sweet

It is difficult say where this cider is from; the label says it is produced in the EU for a company in Bedford, UK but import by a company in Valletta, Malta. Colour is light like a ginger ale with a very light indistinguishable bouquet. It has a very light apple taste with a light artificial taste and is actually drier than I expected for a "medium sweet" cider. The labels says "apple cider with sugar and sweetener." That artificial taste may be from an artificial sweetener. 5/10

Aspall Premier Cru Extra Dry

Another from Aspall, this is one of the driest ciders I have tasted. Pale yellow like a Pinot Grigio with a light wine-y bouquet. It has a very light apple taste with a definite driyness on the finish which is not unpleasant. Very refreshing. 8/10

Knights

From the Aston Manor Cider Mill in Stourport-on-Severn in Worcestershire comes this flavourful cider with a kick at 8.4% alcohol content, it is the strongest cider I have tasted. The note that they use no artificial colours, sweeteners or flavours. A medium amber colour with an apple-skin bouquet, it had almost no apple flavour but more of a dry butterscotch which is quite enjoyable. 8/10

Outcider

Tried this in Northern Ireland but it is an Irish (Republic) cider. This is a standard generic commercial cider with a slightly artificial aftertaste. Nothing special, but not horrible. 6/10

Kilmegan Farmhouse Medium Dry

This cider is pale amber like a light beer but slightly cloudy. This is very much a farm-style cider with a light musty bouquet. It has a very apple forward taste that is lightly musty but follows with a strong apple flavour. Though labelled medium dry it finishes off-dry – not too sweet. 7/10

Stonewell Medium Dry

This second Stonewell is labelled medium dry but is not really that sweet compared to most medium-dry ciders. Very light apple-must bouquet with an excellent apple flavour that finishes a little drier. Again, a first class product. 9/10

Stonewell Dry

Bright yellow with a light bouquet, this award winning cider is a winner. They note that theirs is a pure cider with no additives. Nicely dry and smooth with excellent apple flavour. Probably one of the best I have tasted. 9.5/10

Orchard Thieves Wild

This is supposedly the drier version of the standard Orchard Thieves that I have tried, but it is still off-dry. I tried this at Toner's Pub in Dublin and it was the landlord who said it was the drier version. Light yellow colour like Chardonnay with a slightly floral bouquet. The taste is initially sweet but finishes drier. Considering that this is their "dry" version, I still find it a little sweeter than I like. 6.5/10

Rockshore

A Guinness brand of cider that I had on tap at the King's Head pub in Dublin. It is pale yellow like a chardonnay and the bouquet of apple must (pleasant). Taste is initially off-dry but finishes a little lighter with a very light tannic feel. A hint of pear in the aftertaste though it is made with only apples. Sweeter than I like but quite good. 7/10

KW Wild Cherry Craft Cider

A new offering from KW with the only flavour of cider that I usually try. Of the cherry flavoured ciders I've tried this has the lightest cherry taste. A reddish-burnt-orange colour with a very light cherry bouquet. The taste is initially light cherry and a slight astringency that is lightly sweet, finishing with light cherry and slightly drier.

Ironwood Cider House Classic Dry

From Niagara-on-the-Lake comes this slightly off-dry cider with a pale amber colour and light bouquet. The taste is pleasant with a medium apple taste with a off-dry aftertaste. 7.5/10

Eden Grove Perfect Pear Secco

Another cider from Eden Grove, this one a perry made from Bosc and Bartlett pears. As the name indicates, this is a dry perry which is unusual given that most perry are sweeter than apple cider. It has a lighter taste and I prefer it being less sweet. 8/10

 

Growers Light Black Cherry

Of the many flavoured ciders that Growers make, I thought I would try this black cherry one because I like cherry flavour. I enjoyed the West Avenue Cherriosity and the excellent Loch Mór Sour Cherry and the Goldkehlchen Sauerkirsche.

Even though the ingredient list indicates "natural flavours", the taste is definitely artificial, as is the bouquet. And it finishes with a strange aftertaste which may be from the other ingredient: sodium citrate. And it also has two artificial colours added. 5/10

Local Press Apple & Cherry

From a company called Collective Arts that makes ciders, beer, spirits and energy drinks. This cider is made from with apple cider and Ontario-grown Montmorency cherries. They call it a "tart cherry cider" and it is. It has a deep red colour like a Beaujolais and a faint cherry bouquet. The cherry flavour is intense and dry initially; the cherry lingers slightly and it finishes dry. (They also make a pure cider, their "flagship," made with Ontario-grown northern Spy, Ida Red and Spartan apples, which they describe as "refreshing, crisp, [and] clean.")

This is on par with the West Avenue Cherriosity though not as good as the exceptional Loch Mór Sour Cherry or the Goldkehlchen Sauerkirsche. 7/10

Dragon's Gold Dry Craft

From Heritage Cider in Barrie, Ontario this is an interesting cider. Unlike most commercial cider it is cloudy like a scrumpy with a pale yellow-gold colour and a light old-apple bouquet. Taste is lighter than expected but is a pleasant off-dry old apple taste with a good after taste. 8/10 

Thornbury Craft Strong (125)

For my 125th cider comes this is very strong cider from Thornsbury at 7.1%. It has a very faint yellow colour like a white wine and a very faint apple bouquet. They state on their website that this cider has a "bright, crisp apple flavor, just like biting into a fresh apple." Well, not quite. The taste is off-dry to lightly sweet and the taste is quite light. This is sweeter than any apple I've ever eaten and sweeter than I like. 6.5/10

Duxbury Heritage 1650

This is a pure apple cider made on an longstanding family farm near Meaford, Ontario. Their description for this cider: "Heritage 1650 honours the first North American cider by including some of the very apple varieties from that inaugural batch, crafted over 365 years ago"

Light champagne colour with a light dry apple bouquet. Taste is light apple and just off dry. It has a good sweet/tart balance, and finishes with a drier aftertaste. Very good. 8/10

Bumper Crop Crisp Apple

From B.C. is a new offering from Vancouver. They call it a "flavoured cider," and their ingredient list refers to added "natural" flavour. But it a strange that of all the ciders I've tried that add "natural" flavour, they invariably have an artificial apple bouquet and flavour. The taste is similar to cheap apple candy. The other ingredients are carbonated water and cider (in that order), so the flavouring is to make up for the cider being diluted. Also, it is called "crisp" but is a sweet cider! 4/10

Coffin Ridge Forbidden Hopped Dry

From Coffin Ridge Winery is the second of their ciders that I've tried. It has a mild apple bouquet and a light yellow-amber colour. The taste is a just off-dry and mild apple taste. It has a slight additional taste that I can't identify but is familiar. The ingredients are fermented apple juice, sugar, hops and sulphites (though I'm not sure what the difference is between "fermented apple juice" and cider). 7/10

Liberty Village Extra Dry

This Liberty Village offering is labelled "extra dry" and it is. It has a light amber colour and light apple bouquet. The taste is dry but quite light as is the alcohol content at 4.5%. It is made from 100% apples with no additives. I like the dryness but the taste is too light. 6.5/10

Growers Light Extra Dry

Growers has joined the field of cider makers introducing a light cider. This one boasts 4% alcohol, 4 grams of sugar and 110 calories per 355ml can. It has a very pale amber colour and a light slightly artificial apple bouquet despite it having added "natural flavours." The taste is very light and slightly artificial but still not too bad. Certainly the best light cider I've had. 6/10

West Avenue Cherriosity

Another West Avenue cider though not quite up to the Mac edition. This is a cider with added cherry juice. The colour is burnt red/orange and has a very light dry cherry bouquet. The taste is much like their heritage dry with a very subtle initial cherry flavour that seems lighter on later tasting. Not as good as the exceptional Loch Nór Sour Cherry or even the Goldkehlchen Sauerkirsche, but it is still a nice drink. 7/10

Shiny

From Niagara-on-the-Lake comes this light cider. It has very light amber colour and light fresh apple bouquet. A light of-dry fresh apple taste that finishes slightly drier. 6.5% alcohol. 8/10

Okanagan Harvest Pear

From Delta, B.C. comes this perry with a very pale almost clear colour with a pronounced artificial pear bouquet. The initial taste is quite sweet that finishes a little drier. Altogether it is too sweet and has too much of an artificial pear flavour like a commercial candy (similar to Okanagan Crisp Apple and Growers Honeycrisp). It has 11 ingredients, and cider is fourth on the list after water, vodka and sugar! 4.5/10