Iford Cider: Drink It In The Bath, A Barn, At The Kitchen Table…Etc

Cider of the Week: Iford Cider – Bradford on Avon – Rushwood
(5.5% ABV)

This week we’re in Wiltshire, in the quaint town of Bradford on Avon, a short distance from Beautiful Bath. I don’t know about you, but when I think about Bath, I don’t think Jane Austen, even though I do love a bit of Pride and Prejudice as much as the next bloke; No! I think Romans and Roman baths!

The Romans knew a thing or two about alcohol and how to have a right jolly…refer to Spartacus if you don’t know what I’m dribbling on about; And I’m pretty sure if Ifords cider was available back in 100 AD, then they would have been smitten with it…claiming it’s Nectar of the gods, or something along those lines, while taking their regular dip in the hot baths.

Fast forward about 2000 years and Iford Cider has been born through 2 blokes that love their cider. 

Joe was looking to get his hands on some apples to make some cider and Will was looking for a cidermaker, with a load of apples going to waste in his orchards – The End.

Long story cut short, the partnership was formed and apple juice has been happily bubbling away for the last 2 years, they have been busy bees with their third harvest this year as their cider goes from strength to strength!

They source their fruit from right around the Iford estate, from Farleigh Hungerford to Freshford, across the borders of Somerset, Wiltshire and Bath. They only use wild yeasts, which come from the apples themselves. Those clever little apples…It basically sounds like the apples do all the work but that’s not entirely true and credit should be given to the cidermaker as it’s not as easy as I make it sound. Give yourself a pat on the back Joe.

So now on to the final chapter of this post, the tasting notes.

First up, appearance. Just about as seductive as I believe it can get, a golden sweet honeyed wine look about it, which already makes you think that you’re in for something special.

On the nose, it has a very elegant presence of ripe apple, nothing else, very clear and concise so far.  Finally the palette, texture is soft but the effervescence just gives you that little tingle of bubbles which adds freshness and brings it down to the lighter end of medium body.

The flavour profile follows suit with the nose, with a nice intensity of ripe apple and finishes dry, but not overly dry. All in all, a very well balanced and elegant cider with good fruit.

A truly versatile cider which ticks all the boxes!

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