My last cider at the Euston Cider Tap was a medium, from a producer I have heard a bit about and know/trust to be producing full juice ciders. In fact, I believe their medium cider has won several accolades over the last few years, so to some degree it was a safe pair of hands to redeem the evening and leave the Tap with a pleasant cider taste in my mouth.
The choice in the Tap is very ecclectic, ranging from many counties and including overseas ciders. They have a Normandy cidre that I intend to try next time I am there, and an American cider which, if it hadn't been for the £8 price tag I would have tried.
Dorset Nectar are a fairly new producer hailing from the Bridport area of Dorset. They make cider from fruit that used to head to Gaymers (or Bulmers... can't remember which) and they have regularly won things - from Bath and West Show cider competition to 'Powerstock' (the Dorset cider showcase).
Now, this cider falls into the still cider category at the Tap, and it comes out golden, hazy and slightly fizzy. This isn't that much of a problem, although I do wonder how it is stored in order to come out as fizzy!
The smell on this is tannic and interesting. Some fruit is in there, and it comes across as a typical west country smell. To taste, it is very interesting. There is a lovely fruity tannin running through it with distinctive acid tones that cut through the tannin and fruit to give this cider some really nice character. Don't ask me how I know this, but I suspect the acid is coming from Porters Perfection, a bittersharp apple which is gives a medium to full sharp juice. There is plenty of that going on, but not so much that the rest of the profile doesn't come through in buckets.
I like this cider. It does have a slightly oily/petroleum note in it that must come from the Porters, although its not off-putting and I have experienced this before with west country ciders.The sweetening is definitely medium, and there is a faint artificial hint to it which suggests that it could be sucralose (it isn't that noticeable and is not bitter or funky). However, the cider does bear it well... I wouldn't want to try the sweet version though!
With a long, tannic aftertaste, this cider lasts and stay's as a fruity, cidery taste... I think I even got to the train with the taste in my mouth... so it definitely stays with you:-)
A really good cider, and I recommend visitors to the Euston Cider Tap to give this one a go. It scored 83/100, which is a silver apple for Dorset Nectar.
I tasted this cider in Edinburgh at a festival, medium, fairly dry, when I asked the barman if he knew how it was sweetened he said they pasteurize large amounts of apple juice and sweeten their cider with that throughout the year until it runs out. Somerset ciders have got to catch up cause this cider in my opinion is by far the best I`ve tasted.
ReplyDeleteIt is very good - although there are some excellent Somerset (and Herefordshire) ciders too!
ReplyDeleteI get the point about pasteurised apple juice (to keep it), but they have to then pasteurise both cider and juice in order to make the product stable. That can result in a bit of a cooked taste (although I cannot remember getting that) - especially if they are 'double' pasteurising the juice.
Cheers