Signature Vintage 2024

Nothing under the nose this year. Perhaps the tiniest hint of sesame oil but that’s about it. Struggling to pick up any aroma at all. A shame. Still, its taste just about rescues it. Just. The last I tried was the 2021 & 2023 version, this review is for the 2024 Henry Weston’s Signature Vintage. Has it got sweeter? It seems so - and Judge in his review - he seems to think so - and I would agree. It’s fairly sharp and sweet on the tongue and then mellows and spreads with a shorter length than in previous incarnations. The sesame comes through in the taste and is quickly turned smooth and mellow. The flavour is a light, acidic apple mellowing to a ripened apple peel with a tangy back end and slight kick with an oak aftertaste for sure. At 6.8%ABV, it won’t rip your head off but it does pack a punch so you need to be careful because it’s fairly thin on body so goes down too easily and you could be tempted to delve into another bottle. Overall, it’s an average cider (by Weston’s cider standards) and I hope isn’t pandering to the ‘sweet’ mainstream cider market that’s evolved from Inch’s, Kopparberg, Old Mout and the like - maybe they’re adapting to an adapting market (and what sells, which makes sense) - but this 2024 effort is a disappointment for me. But don’t get me wrong, it’s big terrible either! 3/5. I just think it’s been better in previous incarnations.

Light yellow colour, light fizz and clear. Ripe apple and wood aroma. Oak with hints of vanilla. I’m finding this a bit sweeter than advertised.