Hint of oak in the aroma, caramel, earth and a hint of vanilla with a nice apple whiff.
It’s a near-still cider this one with minimum carbonation - but it works. It’s very nice and very drinkable.
It’s quite watery so lacks a bit of complexity in the taste, with a stark tartness in the aftertaste (which is welcome rather than rebuked).
It’s golden bronze in colour and looks great in the glass. This cider would go really well with a 5+ strength cheddar and I’m tempted next time to accompany the two.
The length is medium to short (and medium to light bodied) and the taste lingers the the back of the mouth willing on the next sip! There’s nothing artificial in this cider, it’s all natural with a blend of three apple varieties (Three Counties, Fiona and Dabinett) across the Herefordshire and Worcestershire border.
It’s the Dabinett that really shines through and keeps this cider on track. It has a terrific mix of dryness and sweetness and I’d say is bang on the middle of the see-saw in being a medium cider (perhaps medium-sweet?!). It’s got a caramel hue that hits enough to give it a 4/5 but with a bit more complexity this could well be heading for a 5/5.
This is Malvern Gold (Malvern Cider Company, not to be confused with Knight’s version) has got mixed reviews on here but I for one would say give it a go and see how you get on.
Reviewed on 26 Jan 2025
