Hecks Kingston Black Cider

Wandering back to my recent Hecks 'stash' I find myself drawn to their version of the Kingston Black single variety cider. I do find their simple design and use of colour on the labels attractive... although as a cider, this is a medium and so I am going to have to adjust my tastebuds accordingly:-)

So, opening this very smart bottle of cider, it gives of nothing more than a 'pfst' and pours with a low carbonation. As you will see from the photograph, it is pure golden brightness - obviously filtered and highly polished.

It has a rather nice smell - the Kingston Black seems understated. It isn't reaching out and grabbing me by the throat like some other versions I have tried. It is gentle and pleasant - mature and inviting.

I am not known as one who thinks single varieties are all that they may be for wine. A complete cider is a blended cider as far as I am concerned. With nearly 400 ciders under my belt on this blog alone, I am still of that opinion (mind you, us cider makers can be a belligerent bunch!!) Kingston Black is meant to be the 'perfect' single variety apple... actually, I rather prefer a Yarlington SV being more funky - but I still quite like the good ol' KB.

The Kingston Black in this cider is somewhat sidelined by the sweetening. It is dulled quite a bit, and I understand why it is understated. Don't get me wrong, the flavour is rich and smokey - well matured with a tannin and a sharpness to underline it. However, over the top of this is a sweetness that is all of it's medium description.

There are so many factors in liking a cider to take into account: do you like dry or sweet? Tannin? Acid? Do you like a 'thick' scrumpy like cider or a clear, vineous cider? All are valid and there are excellent examples of all of these. I am very glad that we do not require our cider makers to conform too much... well, I guess they wouldn't if asked!

The aftertaste is fairly short - a consequence (I think) of the filtering. However, it is a nice cider and I enjoyed it.

A good cider with a good score of 71/100 and a bronze apple for Hecks. If you like sweet ciders you may score it more.

Hecks Perry

Back on to the perries then. This one is from Hecks; a producer of renown based in the heart of Somerset. I got this bottle direct (and no, I didn't have to use a boat to get there - though it was rather wet!). Coming in a 750ml bottle, it was enough to share. Just don't ask if I shared it!

I am very glad that I have a few Heck's to review now. One of the features of craft cider and perry is that it is unlikely to get a national availability... and I am, so far, lucky to get out to the West Country every now and again. Having a few to try, I am a little mystified as to why I started with the perry... not exactly my strong point! I am rather enjoying the learning curve though (so perhaps it isn't such a bad thing that it goes first!)

In the bottle, it is clear and golden - perhaps with a touch of sediment at the bottom - so if it has been filtered (and I think this is likely) it has been done so sensitively. Without wishing to pre-judge this perry - that word could describe all the really good cider makers: sensitive. Sensitive to the drink itself, its sweetness, the best way to present it...

In the glass there is no fizz whatsoever - lovely and still. It has a classic perry smell to it as well. I think I am getting some sweetness though - well, it is a medium sweet, so it is going to be right at the upper end of my sweetness scale. I am getting some mellow cidery smell as well - I think there are going to be tannins...

The taste is everything I have described - it is very sweet, but to be fair that is how it is described so it isn't too sweet. It is the medium sweet that is described. Beneath the sweetness, which I guess must be sugar as I am not getting juiciness or any aftertaste, I am getting some peach (pears don't taste of peaches, so I have some work to do to truly understand this). Back this up with a woody tone and even ice-cream notes this is rather a nice perry... even if it is too sweet for my own palate.

I am getting a mellow tannin undertone to this drink, although cannot detect much acid - that is not to say that there isn't enough going on already!!

The aftertaste is long and develops in the mouth (although the sweetness stays with you). I ought to reiterate - this perry is a medium sweet, so please don't expect it to be dry!

Hecks perry scores 78/100 for me, which is a bronze apple. I suspect that if you like sweeter perries you would score it more.

Hecks Medium Cider

Okay, this really is the last of the medium ciders I bought from the cider shop. The lesson I have learned... make sure you read the bottles properly before the red cider mist descends! Anyway, as its a Hecks its worth trying anywa, right? Well, after the medium Port Wine of Glastonbury I have to say when hecks make something sweet - it is S.W.E.E.T.!

So, lets get on with it before I change my mind. It has a nice low carbonation to it and is lightly gold (you can tell this from the photo though eh! I do like clear bottles - and I love the label and style of this bottle. Very clear and to the point, whilst simple. Hey, don't shoot me, I like things like this:-)

There is a real bittersweet smell to this cider, and I hope its less sweet than the last Hecks I tried as I am really looking forward to it. It actually is very quickly a still cider - must have been a soupson of carbonation to keep it in its lovely fresh form.
Oh my. This cider has got great fruit. Lots of sweetness though:-( Despite its big and promising aroma its actually got a very mild body to it. Not that this is a bad thing in its own right - it is well balanced with some nice acid notes too. However, its all been a little tamed by the sweetening, which is, again, overdone (to my mind).

Taking things into account, this is a great cider though - good flavours going on with a nice fruity aftertaste. Good blend of apples!

Shame about the level of sweetness - I guess one mans medium is another mans sweet. However, the shocker for this cider is the score - a silver apple. So it cannot be all that bad eh. Just think what it would be as a medium dry or dry!!

Hecks Port Wine of Glastonbury Cider

Time for something special. No, I am not judging this one before I have tried it - although I have tried it before. I have only ever heard good things about both Hecks and about this particular product. I must admit that I am sure it was dry the last time I tried it though... this one is labelled as medium sweet. Oh, I do hope that the sweetness doesn't ruin it!!!

Hecks are a Somerset cider producer, found in Street, who make the real deal - heritage English cider through and through. No, not in the street - the place is called Street. And boy do they make some ciders. I don't think that they can really be compared to Thatchers in terms of volume, but certainly in terms of the number of potential ciders they produce. Just visit their website and see how many single varieties they have... I am sure they can't always all be available! I have to say that it also includes a Bramley cider... so Hecks are not afraid of trying stuff out!!

Port Wine of Glastonbury is not a wine. Nor is it port. Its a cider apple variety that has a reddish colour to its flesh (which makes the cider an odd colour). I don't know a huge amount about this apple, but would guess that by the end of the review I will know more - whether its a bittersweet or sharp etc.

Now, this pours out with  low carbonation and you can smell it from about a foot away. Fruity, cidery and a little bittersharp. Remember that this is a single variety - It is brightly orange and I have to say I am looking forward to it.

OK. The taste. Sweet:-( Very sweet. There is a stack of flavour as well though. It just leaps out of the glass at you. A moderate and fruity tannin - its really a fruity cider! There is an acid as well which is nicely balanced against the tannin. Not knowing how the variety performs for acid, I cannot tell if its been adjusted... I expect its been 'tweaked' a little. Saying that, it is really good. The only down side is that it is far, far too sweet. It doesn't overpower the flavour, so its either sensitively done or else the flavour is just huge! For the sweetness of the drink it is still very good. However, it would be better a little more dry (and I knew it was a medium sweet when I opened it... although I would say its maybe more than just medium sweet).

The aftertaste is moderately tannic, although there is always that undertone of sweet. The acid dies away fairly quickly. Overall, this is a very interesting cider. Superbly produced and delicious (although I have had to leave some gaps between sips so as not to overdo the sweetness.

A score of 83/100 Hecks earn their first silver apple from me. If it had been dry or medium dry, I am sure it would have been a gold!