The Monnow Valley is littered with small farm full standard tree orchards. I harvest from five separate orchards (differing landowners). All of them have a good range of cider apples and perry pears and small amounts of dessert and culinary fruit too. 90% of the fruit I use comes from these orchards both for cider and perry, with the exception of dessert and culinary fruit I use in my apple juice products.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
BIAB at Nottingham Beer and Cider Festival 2023. Pinkish tinged pale golden colour, some bubbles on top and aroma of biscuit, perry pear, caramel. Taste is tangy, tart, biscuity fruity perry pear, with some tannin. Medium bodied, low carbonation, medium sweetish peary finish. Quite drinkable
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
BIAB at Nottingham Beer and Cider Festival 2023. Pale gold colour, no head and aroma of mellow perry pear. Taste is sweet, perry pear, fruity, wiith some biscuit, sharp funk and drying tannin. Medium bodied, low carbonation, dry peary tannic finish. Quite drinkable.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle from The Cat in the Glass, Manchester. Bright yellow/ gold pour. Nose is dessert pear, white grape, lychee, kiwifruit. Taste is pear, grapefruit, kiwifruit. Bitter pear & bitter citrus linger. Crisp clean finish. .
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
750ml bottle from Scrattings Ukraine Appeal Box. Orange gold colour, bubbly white foam head that quickly dissipates away and aroma of juicy apple, fruity, light funk. Taste is fruity apple, fleshy, some core, and caramel, orchardy notes with drying tannins. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, dry tannic finish. Nicely drinkable.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
750ml bottle from Cat in the Glass. Slightly hazy orangey gold colour, big fizzy white bubbly foam head that quickly dissipates away and aroma of apple, mucky funk. Taste is sweet, apple, tangy, leathery with some barnyard funk and light tannins. Medium bodied, spritzy carbonation, medium tannic finish. Quite drinkable.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
750ml bottle from Cat in the Glass. Hazy orangey gold colour, white foam head that quickly dissipates away and aroma of tangy apple, fruity, funk hints. Taste is sweetish, apple, fruity, fleshy, some peachy hints, light funk and woody tannins. Medium bodied, light carbonation, medium-sweet drying tannic finish. Nicely drinkable.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
750ml bottle. Orangey golden amber colour, afew short-lived bubbles on top and aroma of apple, mucky funk. Taste is tangy, apple, funky, lots of leather & wood, orchardy, with drying tannins. Medium bodied, low carbonation, medium dry tannic finish. nicely drinkable.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
750ml bottle. Golden colour, short-lived bubbly white foam head and aroma of juicy apple, some funk. Taste is sweet, zingy apple, fleshy, some core, with citric acidity. Medium bodied, low carbonation, medium-sweet finish. Quite drinkable.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
750ml bottle from Orchard Explorers. Sparkling, reddish orangey gold colour, short-lived white foam head and aroma of apple, fruity, light funk. Taste is tangy, tart, apple, fruity, cooked apple, bittersweet, some funk and tannin. Medium bodied, spritzy carbonation, medium-dry finish. Nicely drinkable.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
750ml bottle from Orchard Explorers. Pale yellow gold colour, short-lived bubbly white head and aroma of fruity pear, fleshy, pineapple, some funk. Taste is sweetish, perry pear, mellow fruity, musty, alittle funk and earthy, some tannin. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, medium dry finish. Nicely drinkable.