I haven't intentionally written about tons of French produce on purpose... its just what I have in the cupboards. In fact, this search for good cider has meant popping in to many more shops and off licences to 'see what they have' and could get out of control if I am not careful.
Not this one though. This was a gift from relatives who travel to France pretty much every year these days. "Have a go at this", I was told... though it maybe because I force fed them some of Julian Temperleys excellent Pomona previously that they felt the need to compete. And if its half as nice as Pomona is, it was a very generous gift!
Clearly, at 17%, this must be treated with the respect it deserves... little and often:-) As soon as I poured some out I caught a whiff of alcohol - very strong smell of alcohol. Also, there was a huge apple aroma too. Not sweet apples, like Pomona, but alcohol and apples. Appetising! It is also very brown in colour. This normally occurs with apples where the pomace has been left to macerate for a long time (you will know that apple juice turns brown with contact with air). However, I think this is more to do with its blend with Calvados.
The apples found in the smell are a little lost in the taste. Its not tannic or acidic in any real way, but the taste of calvados and the alcohol really do run right through this drink. In the mouth there is a bit of tannin - mainly found in the aftertaste, but do not expect this to be sweet to any great degree.
The lingering taste is calvados. Clearly its a different blend from the Burrow Hill Pomona, although at a similar ABV it packs as much punch. Its very nice though, and since my first try I have used it to make 'Ochard Mischief'... Julian Temperley's concept of blending a little Pommeau with a dry cider to create something sweeter but with a little more oomph.
A score of 73/100 and a bronze apple goes to the brown stuff... hic!
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