Gladiator

One of those rare ciders that gets progressively worse with each mouthful. Sweet... borderline sickly sweet. Heavy burnt caramel and honey. Not a keeper.

Cloudy amber going orange colour with no fizz. Generic cider aroma with a hint of farmy caramel. Starts with kargest caramel hits I've ever taken from a cider, then it goes largest alcohol warmth at the end I've experienced. If you're winning yourself off shots then yippee k yay......... Otherwise give it a miss. It has nothing else to offer. Bought at the 3 tunns Chepstow.

Once he realized that I wasn’t the typical American cider drinker, the chap at Lilley’s poured me some Gladiator. It’s what I bought for an evening treat at the hotel. Decent astringency, no real carbonation and depending on if you cold crash it or let it sit, it will settle out pretty clear, just like a bottle conditioned cider. I like the sweet as it was reasonably balanced with a some acid and tannins.

Slightly hazy, bronze- coloured, with a fruity aroma, carrying tones of caramel and alcohol burn. Sweet edge, with liquorice and honey. Drinkable, but I don't like liquorice, even as a secondary flavour, so not for me!

Another drink to be added to the 8.4% legends club. Very sweet but par the course for Lilley's cider. Recommended if you like your ciders sweet but powerful.

Absolutely beautiful Somerset cider, at 8.4% I was expecting the usual vinegar taste, but no, this was a revelation. Nothing but apples, with a beautiful aroma and taste. Although strong, this could easily drunk all day.

Bronze, rather cloudy, sweet. To be honest Lilley's isn't my sort of cider, often sweet plus I don't hold with 4% so-called fruit ciders they go in for. The strength of Gladiator probably makes it their best one by default.

Sweet,rich,apple

Lilley's Gladiator (8.4% ABV, 500ml). Lilley's strongest cider includes sweeteners (again, no idea which). Pours a medium hazy orange. Ripe, slightly musty apples in the aroma, faint hints of funk, peach. Medium body, no carbonation whatsoever. On the palate, there's a distinct medicinal note from the high ABV on the side of mouldy, candied apples. Quite sweet (certainly not "medium-dry"), with some very moderate bitterness and light oak in the finish. Again, alcohol is noticeable in the aftertaste. Quite boozy and caramelly still cider that would have benefited from at least a bit of fizz. Drink it while cold, otherwise the alcoholic note might become overbearing. 6/10