2021 Vintage Reserve

The nose on this is interesting - especially on the back of reviewing this against the Sheppy’s Kingstone Black single variety. You can just about pick out a faint hint of fruit aroma, but not much - it’s more so filled with vanilla and a strong oaky whiff. It’s very pleasant. The taste on the other hand is much more interesting. It’s medium-dry for sure with a strong vanilla and honey depth - with a very slight whisky ‘heat’ - but that’ll be the 7.4%ABV kicking in. The flavour has strong citrus hints, particularly that of tangerine and clementine. There is a watery-syrup taste to this but I’m willing to forgive that because this cider is a belter. The length is decent and medium - the dryness of the cider kicks in with a wonder childhood style candy cane sweetness that adds to this very drinkable and interesting vintage cider. It has a strong caramel texture with lots of brown sugar hints and raisins/currents. The colour is deep orange/bronze and the fizz is light (as it is with most Sheppy ciders). 4/5.

Amber in colour with moderate fizz. A medium dry woody apple flavour making this a mature tasting cider and at 7.4% it packs a punch! Very enjoyable for me and would gladly make this a regular on a weekend!

Really pleasant cider. Variety of flavours come out with a nice after taste. This is a well balanced cider, not sweet or dry even though many would class it as "medium dry". This is my go to cider from tesco which is available in my area but not nationwide.

Sheppy's 2021 Vintage Reserve Cider (7.4% ABV, 500ml). Annual vintage cider made from bittersweet apples such as Chisel Jersey, Yarlington Mill, Stoke Red and Tremlett’s Bitter, matured in used oak barrels after fermentation. Deep clear golden colour. Aroma of ripe farmyard apples, caramel, and a hint of oak. Medium to full body, very low carbonation. Tangy apples, apple cores, mild honey on the palate at first, then tannins and oak bitterness towards the finish. Apple skins, tannins, hints of apple in the aftertaste. Very few hints of the high ABV in this one. Not quite as full and deep as the Thistle Cross Whisky Cask (There is no mention of the kind of oak casks being used for the Sheppy's), but a solid, fruity, oaky cider nonetheless. 7/10.

Golden colour, clear with moderate fizz. Light ripe apple aroma. Fruity rich apple flavour with wood and calvados.