Tutts Clump Oldbury Cider

 
"Sourced from a private orchard in South Gloucestershire". You know, I have been looking forward to this - what must be a bit of a departure for Tutts Clump. Every one of their ciders I have tasted so far has been from the Eastern stable of cider - dessert (and culinary) fruit with no tannin and sometimes rather too much acid (and sweetener).

I must say I like the labels - they are very clear and colourful (just look at the photograph!). If the cider inside matches it, then I am on to a winner this evening. To some degree, Tutts Clump is a cider maker after my own heart. They don't appear to filter or pasteurise and, despite my not liking all of them, produce full juice and honest ciders. Given that, this cider ought to be either flat or bottle conditioned with a slight haze from the yeast deposit.

So, as everybody (including me) has better things to be doing just before Christmas than reading my opinion on stuff I will simply get on with the review!

Sure enough this is a slightly hazy cider which is golden and has a good amount of bottle conditioning. I ought to add that this has been sat in the review queue for some 6 months or so - so if its going to condition, then it would have done so in that time!! Its aroma is pleasing. Deep and tannic - I am expecting this to be nothing like other ciders from Tutts Clump.

Oh my word (note, I shall not resort to OMG's and text speak:-) Either it is me or this cider tastes nothing like it smells! There IS tannin in here, but there is also a MASSIVE dose of sharp to it, which dominates anything the tannin has to offer. Wow, rather contradictory and challenging are the two words I would use to describe Oldbury Cider.  As I progress, I am starting to lose sight of the tannin for sake of the acid, which is almost a touch sour in its aftertaste. Trying harder, I can still get it - it seems gentle in this drink (although that is no proof that it is - the acid is so large).

There is a fairly long aftertaste, which is not altogether pleasant in all its parts. On the positive, it is fruity, and there is a bit of tannin. However, the acid is way out of control. Note to Tutts Clump - you don't have to dominate everything with acid...

This cider scored a reasonable 71/100, which earns Tutts Clump a bronze apple from me. Whilst that may look more than the description gives it credit for, my own thinking is that it should have scored much higher!