Tillington Hills Premium Cider

Ah, another supermarket cider - smaller supermarket this time and a cider that I have heard is actually pretty good. Never having tried it myself, I am keen to remain as open minded as possible.

I do like to read the blurb on the label when I try a cider. For many large scale commerical ciders and supermarket brands this is often created by marketing types. I am often left wondering whether said marketing types have ever actually tried the cider themselves or whether they think certain terms will just suck the drinkers in. Also, sometimes, with the more thoughtful descriptions it is interesting to compare what I think of the cider to what the maker themselves think.

Why am I mentioning this for this review? Well, because the Co-op have got some good information (including the type of apples they grow and, one presumes, should be found in the cider).

It is deep gold in colour, with a fizz that is barely noticable when the bottle is opened. It looks earthy and cidery - and has a deep cider smell to go with it. Once in the glass, there is a reasonable fizz - although nothing that gets in the way or needs settling out first.

It tastes delicious too - its fruity with a nice amount of bitter sharp to it that unseats the full on tannins and offers some balance to it. This cider has stacks of character as well. Judging by the colour there are plenty of Yarlington Mill in there - and this gives a medium body to the cider (although I am sure the other apple varieties are adding to it as well as balancing it out.

It says it has been filtered - I guess I can tell this as the aftertaste dies fairly quickly - but its bitter and its sharp and there is no fuss or fizz or background sweetening to ruin the taste. Filtering in itself is not the devil to cider - its filtering a cider to within an inch of its life that ruins a good cider... in an exactly converse way, I have tried some ciders that clearly need filtering - I think its having the judgement to know when something should be filtered and doing it with respect for the cider itself that seem to be what I would like... What do I know though eh!

Getting back to Tillington Hills, it is very yum!  It has scored a very impressive 84/100. Which is a silver apple and proclaims it current king of the supermarket ciders. I will definitely be buying this one again!