I do like a glass of cider, more so on a hot summer afternoon over ice, but any time of the year will do. There is something quite thirst-quenching about it as a beverage. This year, again, the World's first Cider Advent Calendar is back and I was kindly sent a sample of what you find inside!
The 2020 Ultimate Cider Advent Calendar wants to help you bid goodbye to 2020 and all the trauma it has brought with it, by getting you through December with 24 days of cider - I don't know about you, but I am in!
Our carefully selected cider advent calendar showcases award-winning ciders from passionate producers. All ciders are made by traditional cider makers with real stories from 100% fresh-pressed juice and are not available in supermarkets. All ciders are gluten-free, vegan-friendly and have no nasty additives or flavourings.
The Advent Calendar itself, shown here, has already sold out, but there is still plenty of opportunity to try some of the most amazing ciders I have ever tasted. Included within that calendar was:
- 24 award-winning ciders from the UK’s top craft producers - you can't get these ciders in the supermarkets!
- Free ‘How to Taste Cider’ guide
- Interactive tasting notes & reviews
- 16 of the ciders are brand new and 6 are exclusives
The accompanying guide on 'How To Taste Cider' was quite an eye opener for me, definitely not something I have in mind when I glug down a cold glass over ice in the Summer. Some of the hints and tips includes:
- Appearance - Hold up your glass and have a good look - is it clear, a bit cloudy, sparkling, any bubbles and how are they fierce or fine?
- Aroma - Ciders have a wide range of aromas depending on the style or where it was made. So is it intense, clean, sweet, spicy or is it fruity or more interestingly, does it smell of the Farmyard?
- Mouthful - Have a sip and think about how it feels in the mouth - is it smooth? Velvety? Bold and bolshy? Or clean?. How are the bubbles - do they explode on your tongue?
- Taste - Does the cider smell like it tastes? Are those caramel notes detectable that you could smell earlier? Is it more bitter or sweet?
Just a few things to sit down and think about when tasting your next bottle or glass of cider.
Within my sample box of ciders, I have gifted 4 bottles and two cans from different companies. Starting with Crafty Nectar with their brightly coloured bottles, I have options 7,8 and 9.
Within my sample box of ciders, I have gifted 4 bottles and two cans from different companies. Starting with Crafty Nectar with their brightly coloured bottles, I have options 7,8 and 9.
Made by Ed and James, the masters behind the Advent Calendar, No.7 is described as being a medium cider which is mellow and sparkling and is made up of with a mix of Dabinett, Harry Masters Jersey, Michelin and Yarlington Mill apples. No.8 which is my favourite of the three is a Rhubarb Cider and it is as zingy and tangy as you would expect it to be whilst at the same time slightly refreshing too, perfect for a Sunday afternoon! Then we have the latest addition to the range with No.9 and this I also adore, Blackberry and Hibiscus is never the sort of flavour I would expect to find with Cider, it is more Gin sounding, but it is so fresh tasting with a hint of vanilla, it is hard not to like it.
The second brand within this box was Freya by Beard & Sabre and another brand I have never come across, so another welcomed chance to try something new.
This is a dry cider and one which is, as the description read "infused with Summit hops for a month after its standard maturation; applying natural citrus fruit flavours and a bitter mouthfeel". I really liked how this one tasted, I'm not an huge fan of sweet drinks, I like them to be sharp and something I can definitely taste and for me this ticks both of those boxes.
Then, finally within this box are two cans, both bright and colourful! Starting with the Cider Nightingale Company and their can of Wild Disco.
This is a sparkling medium-dry cider which is made from 100% wild-fermented Kentish Discovery apple juice. It has floral, red apple and rose aromas which come together to create a fresh and zingy cider. What I liked about this Cider is the aftertaste, it didn't leave that rusty-like taste you get with some ciders, it was more of a clean apple taste but you could still taste the apples. Definitely one I would order more of.
The second can and final item within my box comes from Third Batch with Luke's Cider, it is packaged in a can that wouldn't feel out of place amongst some of the more artisan offerings you find in Waitrose.
A medium-dry lightly sparkling cider, this one is made from a carefully selected blend of cider apples which are allowed to ferment slowly over winter and matured for more than a year. As you can imagine it is quite the sharp and punchy taste and one which again, I really enjoyed and would happily purchase more of.
So, the Advent Calendar might have sold out, but Crafty Nectar have a whole host of gifts and subscriptions available to purchase and of course, if you like the sound of any or all of these products, they too are available to purchase! Find out more right here.
*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.