Merrydown Dry

Merrydown. I’ve heard all the stories as well. Tramps, people down ‘the park’ - but I think over the years the cider has lost that tag - and that can be only a good thing. The nose has quite a lot throwing itself up in the glass - quite floral in some respects. On the bottle, it says the cider is sharp - and it is to a certain point but fairly smooth at the same time (as it says on the bottle) - but the syrup kicks in and for me it tastes like a UK corner shop cider but in a glass bottle. At 6.8% this just doesn’t have enough to make me ever buy it again - as you want more - more complexity, more depth, more character and more taste - and at 6.8% I’d much rather have something else. This cider is sweet with light fizz and a caramel edge with a hint of vanilla and oak - but most of that is masked by mass production and syrup. I can’t recommended it other than saying if you like a golden cider that’s sweet and 6.8%ABV, then it could be right up your alley.

Although classed as a dry cider this is very much sweet tasting without that sour dry taste, I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it as an alternative to Magners fans.

Almost water colour with a hint of lime, clear with moderate fizz. Made from a combination of eating and culinary apples. Cooking apple and wine aroma. Fresh eating apple aroma.

Comes in a 750ml screw-top bottle. Pale, greenish-yellow, with an aroma of green apples and a cider vinegar edge. Acidic, sour, slight green apple taste, becoming nondescript and chemical in the aftertaste. No depth or character, and lacking any real cider flavour, though not actively unpleasant.