Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Ramblers 'Happy Camper'

From Palatine Hills Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario comes this cider with a very pale yellow colour and a very light apple bouquet. They refer to it as "dryish" and first taste is of a slight astringency that lingers but with hardly any discernible apple flavour. 5.5% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Kingston Black Apple Aperitif

An English apple spirit by The Somerset Cider Brandy Company. The name of this drink comes from the Kingston Black apple from which it is made. Lighter than a brandy but stronger than a cider at 18% alcohol similar to Berentzen Apfelkorn. Taste is heavier than Berentzen and has more of and old apple taste as well. My rating 7.5/10.


 

Armagh Craft Ciders

Armagh Craft Dry
Pale amber colour with an almost French style bouquet of old apple. A nice old apple initial taste, off-dry though they call it dry. 4.5% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

Armagh Craft Medium
Pale amber colour with an almost French style bouquet of old apple. A nice old apple initial taste that is not overly sweet. 4.5% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

For both ciders, Armagh Cider Co. makes these ciders specially for Aldi, where I bought them. They also note that they are made from hand picked apples in the county of Armagh. It is noteworthy that the county of Armagh is in Northern Ireland and I bought this in a Aldi’s in the Republic.

DryMedium

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Loïc Raison Brut Intense

From Brittany comes a cider with a medium amber colour and a dark apple bouquet. Taste is a little lighter than the brut label would suggest. Taste is initially a little dry and finishes drier, and has a nice apple skin light tannin finish. 6% ABV. My rating 7/10.


 

Chouette Organic Blond

From Normandy comes an organic cider that has a light amber colour with a pronounced old apple bouquet. Strong old apple taste with a hint of ripe cheese in the aftertaste. Probably better with food (perhaps cheese) than by itself. Good for its type but not to my taste. 5.0% ABV. My rating 6/10.


 

Appie Brut

Medium amber colour with a medium lightly old apple bouquet. Has that “French” nice old apple taste and body. Just off-dry and continues drier with a lightly tannic finish. 4.7% ABV. My rating 8/10.