Ross on Wye - Broome Farm Perry

Moving from Somerset up to Herefordshire (happens a lot for cider and perry:-) for this perry from Ross on Wye. Now, these guys have an excellent track record on here for their cider so I guess I am expecting some good things from the perry too. We shall see.

Once again the bottle comes with a llama stuck on it. No, its not a llama - its an alpaca. Is it being offensive to say that this one has a bit of a squished up face??? The description says that their herd of alpaca's graze for part of the year under the pear trees, so perhaps this one was grazing under a very acidic pear tree!!

This perry pours out yellowy gold and with the tiniest 'pfzz'. It looks clear, but I think it is fairly bright for perry (it can be a bugger to get polished and clear). It has quite a lively, citrus smell to it. And although the smell is robust, there is are a few floral notes which takes the edge off. I am looking forward to this;-)

For once, I think Ross on Wye have got the sweetening wrong. Its really much more sweet than the medium dry that it says on the label. It is well into medium. However, working with this, I am getting quite a floral and fruity perry underneath it. Once again, there are some peaches in the mouth - though less so than I am coming to expect (this could just be the sweetness). It is quite juicy too, However, there is a little tannin and I am getting some acidic notes too. It is the floral, pear flavour that wins through though.

A moderate length aftertaste which again is mostly sweet and peary with a juicy tone that competes with the perry.

In all, I do like this but felt that the sweetening let it down a bit. It would have been nice to try this as a proper medium dry - I am sure it would be really good. A score of 77/100 earns a bronze. It is well put together, but not quite hitting the mark.

Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Co. Eddie's Cider

To give this cider its full name - Eddie's Cider with Attitude and Bite. So this is a cider that is going to give me a bit of attitude and also going to have some bite eh. Now, could that be drying bite or acid bite? Only one way to find out eh!

Now, there is not much that I haven't already said about Ross on Wye or their cider. I like their ciders and only once have I had a less then positive experience of buying ciders from them (but then, on that occasion it wasn't Mike Johnson in the shop but some other less friendly guy... and that is now in the past). However, the label on this bottle has reminded me of something. No, not the cat (although Ross' pets are surely among the most celebrated of animals!) but the award on the table in front of it. This comes from winning the Blossomtime Cider Trials at Putley, run by the Big Apple Association. Ross on Wye won this in... 2011 (I think). Well deserved. Nice trophy too:-)

However, the cider isn't a celebration of the award. It's named after the cat! Its a naturally conditioned cider, which means that it should be carbonated through a little in-bottle fermentation. Looking at the small amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle, I am expecting this to be fairly gentle (if you see a heavy crop of yeast at the bottom, you might expect a higher fizz and cloudy cider (although not always). Sure enough, it is a gentle, foaming carbonation with a low carbonation.

The cider itself has a very light smell to it - there are low level tannins in there but these don't seem dominant at all. It also smells a bit farmyard... an earthy smell which often has more to do with maturation and possibly malolactic fermentation (which rounds off a cider and can make it go a little 'smokey').

The first thing I get from this cider is sharp. Its quite harsh but not out of control, although feels quite light and free - possibly a few dessert or culinary apples alongside bittersharp fruit. The tannin itself is gentle and understated. This isn't competing with the acid at all, although compliments it well. Unlike the Tutts Clump Five Counties I tried last, this is a western cider with a sharpness to it as opposed to an eastern cider with a few cider apples in. It is totally different (and probably comes from access to really good sharp apples like Browns or Foxwhelp.

Moving through this glass, the acid does run away with itself a touch, so the bite part is correct. It also has plenty of character and individualism to it. On the aftertaste, the acid is almost sour too, although it is long and striking.

This is a very different cider from Ross on Wye Cider. I don't think its their best by a way although has huge doses of individualism that makes it worth trying. It will certainly offer something different if you are drinking standard western cider!

A score of 77/100 rewards Ross with another bronze apple. Not sure I have many more of their ciders to try!

Broome Farm Blossom Cider

 I am still trying to clear the decks of some ciders that I bought last year, so I have no idea whether you can still get this cider, or whether it will be made again for 2013. It was one of a few 'specials' that I found at Broome Farm last summer but which sat on my cider shelf.

Still, if it is never to be seen again I guess I am lucky to try it and record it on here for posterity. Mind you, I'm not sure I would always count myself lucky to have tried 'special' cider's - Last year I could have quite happily missed one or two without losing much (not wishing to be too picky, but the Diamond Jubilee special was among those I could have skipped). Still, this one is from Ross on Wye Cider Co., which have proved very competent cider makers - so I am looking forward to it. I must confess that I had saved this one like some kind of magic remedy should I go through a run of bad ciders.

One thing I find quite fun about these ciders is the printed out labels that are on the bottle. In reality, printing your own labels is never going to be cheaper (per label) than getting them done professionally... well, if you get 500 labels at a time that is. However, printing your own is a lovely idea for small producers or small batch runs as it shows the makers creativity - after all, you can design your own label fairly easily and it can be changed simply (even if you have to sit there and feed the label paper in one at a time for hours on end just to prevent the printer from jamming!) What does this label tell me about Ross on Wye? Well, I think it shows that they like their pets:-) Be it an Alpaca, cats of several descriptions or a headless man (no, not the headless man), each are a novel touch and make the cider somehow more personal.

'Blossom' in this case is another alpaca. She (I assume Blossom is a name you give to a female alpaca) looks like a cheeky brown animal - peeking into the photo on the label. It's all very cute.

This is a medium dry, still cider that appears deeply golden in colour. It is also bright and looks filtered (not a spec of yeast even though it has been sat for a couple of months on my shelf!) Lets just hope that things aren't altered too much as a result!

In the glass it smells, well, beautiful! There is a mild and fruity smell to it which seems really nicely matured and bittersweet. The taste is mild and tannic with little acid going on. It is a very mature cider with aromatic tannins bringing the cider back down to dry from its medium dry start. Again, nicely done and although dry cider isn't for everyone this suits me fine. I have to say that the flavour develops as you progress through the glass and the taste does become a little intense after a while. Its definitely a cider for savouring as opposed to being a session drink.

The aftertaste is long and mild and quite dry too. Very fitting for a cider that grabs your attention right from the smell. And I know this is a little bit twee, but its quite a cheeky cider which seems to be reflected in the animal on the label... nice touch.

I like this cider and am glad to have found it. As with some of the other Ross on Wye specials, I have no idea if this is a cider that will be available in 2013. All I can tell you is that Broome Farm are a set of very safe hands if you are looking for a decent cider!

The score of 84/100 sees another silver apple go to Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Co.

Ross On Wye Harry Masters Jersey Dry Still Cider

To release a review on Christmas day or not? Well, such is the curse of releasing something every three days (though I have wondered if I will run out of ciders to try if I keep this up!) Ah well, its something to worry about next year! So on behalf of Cider Pages, Happy Christmas. And if you don't celebrate Christmas I hope you are having a nice time avoiding it - although I guess that takes some skill!

Given that I am actually writing this on Christmas Eve (you don't really expect me to get away with doing this on the 25th, did you?) what can I select to review? Well, given the distinctly variable nature of ciders I have tried recently, I thought I would go for something that was fairly 'safe hands'. I also am going for something that I may have actually tried before although this is a completely different bottle and style...

Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Co. is one of the foremost producers in the UK. Mike Johnson, the man in charge, has appeared on various TV shows (well, when a TV producer needs to do something on cider its generally going to be between Mike of Ross on Wye and Roger Wilkins in Somerset. OK, its only a guarantee that they have been on telly - their cider needs to speak for itself. After all, not all celebrity chefs can back up their TV persona with great food!

Harry Masters Jersey is a great cider apple. Good tannin, plenty of charisma... very little acid. And, having milled and pressed a few this year I can also tell you they can be a bugger to mill as they tend to be on the fibrous, dry side of things. I have made a gallon of SV Harry Masters this year which I aim to try against the single varieties already reviewed on here. My plan is to do this as a 'true' single variety. No adjustments. This way I can see how others have got the most out of the fruit.

On to this review. At 7.2% its full on and on opening this cider smells deep and earthy. It has a tannic aroma and a pungent smell that is with Harry Masters from juice to cider. I would say it is floral in nature, but it's more earthy than that. It is a lovely golden colour and, as labelled it is still and flat.

OH the taste! Very smooth and intensely bitter sweet. Its a moderate but lasting tannin with very little acid behind it. This is nice as it is true to the variety (as well as being really tasty!) In fact, as far as acid goes the only part it plays is a very slight bite towards the end of the sip - though I am not sure if this isn't just tannin drying my mouth.

The aftertaste is long and fruity, so the drink stays with you a fair amount of time. Very satisfying. In fact, this is a very satisfying drink... even for a single variety! A score of 87/100 gives yet another silver apple to Ross on Wye.

Ross on Wye Cider, Suzie Wong's Cider

Moving from one very trusted pair of hands to another, this is the Ross on Wye's special cider with a photo of a cat on it. I presume this is 'Suzie Wong'. The label says 'soft and fruity' - I wonder if that is the cider or the cat (or both?!)

I got this cider a while ago direct from Ross on Wye. I have no idea if you can get it elsewhere, although its always worth the chat to visit them in person. Just expect some odd labels - a llama (or was it an alpaca) a headless person and now a cat! Unique, I would say that for it.

The cider is flat and golden. I would say it was filtered at there isn't really any yeast in the bottle. I confess when I stick my nose in I am apprehensive about its sweetening (medium sweet could be too far for me). However, it doesn't smell so - it is a clean smell with a mild apple fruitiness and not much tannic aroma. This could be a result of filtering, which tends to knock the aroma's back quite a bit.

The taste is... modest I think describes it well. There is plenty of mild bittersweet going on and little acid to compete (not that it really needs much acid as it is rather gentle. The sweetening is well done. Whilst I would agree with its medium sweet its not as if it leaps out at you and fills your mouth with sugar. Overall, it comes across as a gentle, soft cider - not quite as fruity as I might have expected from the label but very not bad either.

If you are not really into big bold flavours then this is ideal. It is individual enough to stand on its own but is not particularly complex or challenging. The aftertaste is pleasant if a little short. Suzie Wong earns herself a silver apple (just) with a score of 80/100. Probably better than I expected but I took my time over this one so I am happy.

Broome Farm Harry Masters Jersey Cider

Moving on. Harry Masters Jersey is another apple that I am familiar with, and one that I get good results with too in my blends. I have always assumed, however, that it is very similar to Dabinett - it tastes roughly the same, looks similar and both are moderate bitter sweets ripe at around the same time in October. This Broome Farm version should help me to confirm this assumption or put it to rest.

Harry Masters Jersey (for anyone who was paying attention to the last paragraph) is a moderate bitter sweet cider apple that generally gets harvesting mid season - between mid October and early November. Its a fairly generous tree, with moderate to small fruit. It originated in Somerset in the early 20th century (see, not all varieties are that old:-) However, by far the most important thing about this cider apple is that I like it a lot in a blend... after all, that is the best way to make good cider, right???!

Its a lovely looking cider right enough. A very clear cider although a fairly heavy sediment suggests some bottle conditioning (on opening, there is a definite fizz which confirms this). Its a low fizz affair.

As with Dabinett, it smells earthy and deeply of cider - not apple juice at all and the fruit part is fairly dull. I like this, and would suggest that Kingston Black, the eponymous single variety apple, is not a clear winner of the award for most balanced and interesting fruit to use in cider.

The taste is full of tannin and there is definite 'farmyard' about this cider. For those who don't know that phrase, its not a bad thing; earthy and orchardy it gives the profile of the fruit roundness and complexity. Hmmm, there really is a lot of tannin here. In fact, its much more tannic than I remember Dabinett being (and the fruit is less tangy).

I reckon this is quite an individually variety to use - although I am not sure it has anything that I would call hugely distinctive. And obviously the one thing that lacks from this cider is acidity. The aftertaste is pretty long and cidery with the tannin lingering.

Overall, I like this drink - and I definitely like this apple too. But I do think its one to add to a blend - and it would add ton's to a blend. This cider scored a bronze award with 70/100.

Broome Farm Major Cider

And another one from Mike Johnson's blending range of ciders.

From the perspective of a small scale cider maker, having the ability to try this kind of 'naked single variety' is invaluable. Varieties of apples that I have never tried before giving up their pro's and con's without having to go through the rigmarole of pressing, fermenting and bottling. OK, that's a little lazy, but it does open ones eyes up to other types of fruit.

From the perspective of the drinker, I doubt this range is either easy to get hold of (as already mentioned) and in the greater scheme of things if you are searching for the best cider in the world, these almost certainly aren't going to be it.

However, if you are truly interested in the finer art of blending and basically making your own cider, then Ross on Wye's single variety range are put together to be the cider equivalent of 'salt and shake' (note - anyone not old enough to remember 'salt n'shake', it was an interesting take of crisps where you have plain crisps and a sachet of salt that you poured over said crisps).

From my perspective, well, it gives a new dimension to this blog (if only my descrpitive language was up to the task!)

Major is another 'vintage' classified apple variety which is a full bittersweet. This means that it has plenty of sugar and tannin, but little acid. Its a mid season variety, which fits with many other really good cider fruit (Yarlington Mill, for example) and is a Somerset Jersey. Jersey apples cover a whole raft of varieties - Chisel Jersey, Harry Masters Jersey, Dabinett... etc. etc. These neither all come from Jersey (or Somerset for that matter), however, I am unsure as to what makes a Jersey a Jersey... perhaps someone could enlighten me!

Whilst I have marked this cider as being bright, there is an amount of sediment at the bottom, so I am not sure if it's been filtered or not. Not that it matters, it could have been filtered prior to it finishing
fermentation. It is a beautiful golden colour too - a very attractive cider.

When it is opened, there is a positive 'psft', followed by a medium carbonation. This leaves more questions - with the others being flat ciders, this is positively bottle conditioned... The overwhelming aroma to this cider is 'floral'. Some ciders do have a flowery character to them; aromatic dessert apples especially (mind you, its not exclusive to these!). In fact, it is quite a pungent floral smell.

What do I have to say about single varietel 'Major' cider then? Well, it is fairly one dimensional in its character. Although the tannin is definitely there, it is soft and light. There really is no acid at all in this cider, which I think it needs - mind you, as a single variety it definitely doesn't seem to have been fiddled with, and that is much to Ross on Wye Cider's credit.

This is definitely an apple to blend as it is interesting, and yet it needs something to give it a bit of backbone. Well, I would blend it anyway! The aftertaste is short - medium in length and retains the floral character. A score of 74/100 demonstrates that this is a quality apple and a quality cider - and I appreciate an SV that hasn't been played with. It is also an apple variety I haven't used before, so my knowledge has been expanded.

Broome Farm Tremletts Bitter Cider

Staying with Broome Farm for this next cider. Once again, it;s an apple variety that I am familiar with. Tremletts - not nice to eat but a fantastic addition to a blend of weak dessert apple juice. And before I even start this review I have to say I have learnt something new over the last couple of reviews. Why not - this isn't just about reviewing ciders, is it? Sure, I would like people to be much more familiar with traditionally produced ciders, although even the mass produced ciders have some merit,

This is another of the 'Broome Farm' range of ciders to be tasted and blended - I doubt if it is Ross on Wye's intention for this bottle to hit mass market... I certainly hope it hasn;t been adjusted as for this one its the true taste that I want.

The cider itself pours out deep and golden - old gold I think it could be called. Again it's a flat cider but pretty clear, so some filtering may have been done to it. And the smell - deep and tannic. Mildly fruity but not quite as much as the Stoke Red. Tremletts isn't exactly a fruity apple - all its power is in the harsh tannins that go with it.

I guess that tannin is both its strength and its weakness all at the same time. That and the fact that it is an early cider variety, harvesting in September or (like last year) early October. This makes it an obvious blending partner for weak dessert fruit - stuff that needs a kick in order to bring it from thin and poor to reasonable and with a decent body. Later in the year, there are varieties with more charisma - Yarlington Mill, Dabinett and (if it works for you) Kingston Black. I think that is why Tremletts is generally an 'also ran' amongst cider varieties.

Tremletts Bitter is a small, brightly red/burgandy apple that, as mentioned is an early harvested fruit (often). It originates from the Exe Valley (Devon) around the early 19th century. This period was a boom for new apple varieties. Because of its 'bang for your buck' factor, my understanding is that this variety is commonly used in large commercial ciders (well, you can dilute it more than other varieties I guess).

So, lets drink this thing then. Firstly, I think this cider has been sweetened a little. Never mind, I can easily get beyond a little sweetening (which is all this is). There is absolutely no acid in here at all, its all tannin. The filtering has limited it a bit, although it really is a rather large tannin - and more fruity than I first gave it credit for. Its a deep cider though. My guess is that in its absolute natural state this would be pretty harsh - but as a part of a blend its just going to give a huge tannin boost.

The aftertaste is very long. The tannic fruit lingering for what seems like ages. I like it. Maybe I like it more because I can think of what I can do with it, and I can lots of it... we shall see. As a cider its far from balanced - but that isn't the point. A score of 74/100, and another bronze apple for the SV's.

Broome Farm Stoke Red Cider

My plan for this exercise was to learn something new. I confess that I have played with both Michelin and Bramley, and (certainly for Bramley) there is nothing new to say about it and I don't feel that I have wandered into any new territory. This next cider will change this. Stoke Red is a variety that I have not used... well, not knowingly used in any case.

This range of ciders from Broome Farm (Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Company must be a bit of a mouthful from time to time!) seems designed to be played with. I do know that Mike Johnson of Ross on Wye likes punters to play at blending (an absolutely first class idea!) but when I came across this range of single varieties I figured that is what its all about.


Confession number 2 - its this range of ciders (which I think you can only get by visiting Ross on Wye themselves) that inspired me to do this little exercise. So its not a new concept. In fact, in an attempt to 'repay' the idea, if you feel like getting hands on at blends and apple variety profiles then get yourself to Ross on Wye Cider and Perry (just outside of Ross on Wye). I am sure they would be happy to see you!

Now, Stoke Red is a cider variety that is classed as a moderate bitter sharp. In other words, it has both tannin and a full acid. I doubt you would enjoy eating it too much, although bitter sharps work very well in cider. This particular variety is also classed as a vintage variety. This simply means that it has the potential to make a vintage cider - basically an excellent cider (although I am sure this means that it will contribute a lot to an excellent blend of cider rather than make one on its own!).

In terms of provenance, Stoke Red hails from Somerset and is recorded from the early 20th century. It is quite a small apple (as many cider varieties tend to be).

This cider has an almost orangy golden glow about it, though it is fairly bright in appearance. It is also a flat cider (all the better for reading the variety as well as possible). It actually looks pretty appetising and smells deliciously fruity (belying the fact that I suspect it has lots of acid to it).

Sure enough, there is plenty of acid. This is a really good acid though - lots of it, but with lots of flavour too. Its not a thin cider, as with the acid comes a moderate tannin that holds all the fruit together. The acid wins out though by quite a way (this seems like a true single variety - not one that has been modified). Its a very interesting taste - the acid is clean, like a lime juice almost but with the apple and tannin underlying it.

The aftertaste is fairly short, and the acid gives way to a mildly tannic sense - the fruit remains too.I must say that, as a cider, its not quite all there; too much acid going on and not sufficient fruity texture. However, I would love to work with this apple in a blend!

In all, and rather surprisingly, it scores 78/100. A testament (once again) to the skill of Broome Farm.

Ross on Wye Dry, Still Cider

And so back on to the artisan ciders. Or craft cider. Or real ciders... however you want to call it I am now back on to it:-) This is another cider from the Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Company - and what looks like the first really professional label from them. I love the way it says 'Whole Juice' on the front of the label too. This is a concept that has been much pilfered and abused by less that straight shareholder driven companies. Remember that Pear Cider' who claimed to have 100% pears? The one that turned out to be that 100% of the juice content was pears and even got by advertising standards on that basis - even though the juice content is somewhere around the 35% mark?!?!. Yeah, well Ross on Wye are not like that - if it says whole juice, as ambiguous as that sounds, its almost certainly going to be whole juice.

Ross on Wye have scored quite well out of me at the moment - two gold apples. I guess that is why I turn to this bottle now. I quite fancy something that is really good tonight. And, as a 75cl version, there is plenty to enjoy! If you aren't falling over Hairy Bikers (pun intended) then Broome Farm is a cracking place to visit too - although careful of that last turning in at the farm - if there is anything coming the other way it can be a touch tricky!

Getting back to their labelling, the thing I notice on their label is a wonderful ingredients list. Sure, I may not have sugar on my own list personally, but this can cover all sorts of things - sweetening for example. Apart from that its just juice and a little bit of sulphite. OK, so its been shown an oak barrel (I am not known for my true understanding of what an oak barrel brings to a cider apart from a bit of authenticity on the label. Oh, and I have just noticed; this cider is a 7.4% big hitter, so maybe I should just go a little more carefully!

I have put the tasting off for long enough. It is beautifully clear and golden... perhaps a little too beautifully clear - although if it has been filtered then its not been harshly done. It is also dead flat, which is a nice sign and, well, given its name was to be expected. It has a bittersweet smell, with a warmth to it that is either in the smell or in the anticipation of drinking a strong cider. In all, this smell is what I have come to expect of many Herefordshire makers and it is delicious.

The taste of this cider probably could do with a little explanation. I do think that there is a bit more bitter sharp than bittersweet in this cider - the sharpness more than competes against the moderate to strong tannin. It has a stack load of apples in there too - just what you should expect from a cider made of apples. Its not an apple taste as such, but the result of  great apples fermented and looked after. I ought to point out that I do feel that this cider has been sweetened a bit - perhaps to combat the tannin a little. However, its still quite a dry cider.

Oak... well, its lost on me and I cannot help thinking that it might be just a little redundant these days. I know there are one or two reasons for using oak, but the benefit of an malolactic fermentation to round off the tannin and acids is not only achieved in wooden barrels. Still, I do confess that this cider is nicely rounded and matured so perhaps a tiny bit of slack can be cut.

87/100 gives Ross on Wye another great score from me. It is very different from the others I have tried so far and if I am honest its their weakest runner so far. However, with a silver apple in my personal rankings that's not exactly a bad result! The bods at Broome Farm certainly know what to do with an apple!

Ross on Wye Cider & Perry Co. Headless Man

When you buy a few ciders that you haven't tried before, there is always one or two that are 'saved' - not sure why, but I get the feeling that they might be special or something. There is, of course, no sense in this behaviour. I hadn't tried any of them before so any one could have been special.

This is a Ross on Wye cider, this time fermented in run casks. So in some ways it ought to be special... I am not generally a big fan of enhanced cider be it by whisky/rum/port casks or by adding something extra like berries or rhubarb. However, I have to be willing to try stuff eh. It is a hard job:-)

Now, for me some 'cask' flavoured ciders are not bad; an understated flavour added to the cider is usually due to the cask having been used for a few years and can add to a cider. However, a new cask - especially a new cask which is not rinsed out - can overpower the cider and just kill it for me. It is curious to note that in competitions 'cask' flavoured ciders often score badly - the added flavour or texture being taken for a fault. Its just a very hard thing to get right.

Mind you, this cider is strong enough! At 7.4% the caption on the label "It might blow your head off" is probably sensible warning. Still, its a fun label and makes a change from the alpaca's:-)

It is labelled as a still cider, so its low fizz is just a touch of carbonation to keep things fresh. Very soon after pouring it is flat and still - and very clear. Hopefully some of the rum will have gone with the filtering. There is a good dose of that earthy west country cider smell about it (and I can detect no rum in the aroma. Perhaps my nose is just too untrained.

There is a stack of fruit in the taste and whilst the first hit is sweet, this gives way to a pleasant tannic cider - almost a bubbly flavour (not champagne 'bubbly', a playful fruitiness to it that is really rather gorgeous. There is little acid in this drink, but it does feel balanced and incredibly more-ish. I have to say, this is going to hit my desert island choice of ciders!!

As for the rum. Well, I should never have questioned Mike Johnson and his team. It is very understated and actually comes in more with the aftertaste than in the taste at all. Now that is either very lucky or very, very well done. The sweetness has died off in the mouthful and all you are left at the end is a warm glow, which could either be down to its strength or the rum 'kick'... its not so much as kick as a friendly nudge.

I am so impressed with this cider. There is so much going on with it and yet it is very easy to drink. All I can say is get a bottle and try it for yourself... a visit to Broome Farm is probably the best thing, but I got this bottle from the Bristol Cider Shop so that is a good alternative.

A score of 96/100 makes this another gold apple for Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Company. 2 out of 2 for them so far! And, this is currently the highest scoring cider of all my reviews. What can I say? Better get a crate of it:-)

Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Co. - Broome Farm Cyder

I now move on to a cyder with an Alpaca on the label. For those who are familiar with the Ross on Wye Cider an Perry Company it is of course the Broome Farm Cyder. This is another Cider Shop (Bristol) purchase, and I think it was probably the first one that I picked up from the shelf. Mind you, that could just be because Mike Johnson, the guy who runs Ross Cider, is just such a thoroughly nice bloke.

Well, its got it all going for it before its poured out of the bottle - its a golden, dry cider with a gentle sparkle that is almost certainly a tiny bit of finishing fermentation after bottling. Its not a deep colour though, and is surprisingly clear. I am not a cloudy cider person though - I don't mind a haze - but I am equally not a crystal clear cider drinker either.

The smell is strong and cidery. I had small concerns that there was whisky in the smell, although to be honest, its the alcoholic aroma that I am catching. Mind you. Coming back and re-smelling it a few times, I am not 100% sure that there isn't whisky in there. Maybe it was fermented in a whisky barrel. If it affects the taste I may not be so happy...

To drink, it is realy, really smooth. The taste is pretty light and my concerns about whisky seem to clearly be unfounded. There are some tangy tannins in here that bring the drink to life - and a decent measure of acid too that counters the tannins and even wins over through the aftertaste.

I think tangy is probably the best word to describe this cider. It is different from most of the other ciders I have tried so far - and it w
ill stick out as a result. I really like it, and could probably go on drinking it all night (well, I could have another one anyway).

In conclusion, I am still not 100% convinced that whisky hasn't entered the process somewhere, but I cannot place it in the taste. And if it is whisky, then it is perfection. I say that because so many ciders that have seen rum, whisky or other type of cask are tainted through the process. And often its not pleasant. To do it and to retain the ciders integrity is no mean feat. Next time I see him, I shall ask Mr Johnson about this:-)

A score of 93 and a big fat gold apple for Ross Cider.