15 July 2017

Sheppy’s Vintage Reserve Cider (Waitrose) By @SpectreUK


Not one for drinking cider, you may know, but I've recently found out that it's one of the best drinks to wash down a good packet of pork scratchings. Sheppy's Vintage Reserve seemed a little posh sounding to wash down one of my favourite snacks. However, the drink sounded very traditional as the Sheppy family has been a farmer cider makers since the early 1800s, and we can't get much more of a traditional snack here that isn't pork scratchings! This 7.4% volume cider was made using traditional methods dating back to those times. Using cider apples from their own orchards in a single year, this one being from 2016, they are then aged in oak vats.

So chilled and ready my cider sat proud next to my bag of pork scratchings, but of course, I thought I'd try the cider first on my clean palate. There was the distinguishable smell of cider apples on opening the bottle, a touch of bitterness to start with followed by sweet apply goodness. Lightly sparkling, there was a jolly fizz on pouring this cider into my waiting glass. On taste the balance of the aroma transcended to the flavour. There was an almost nose twisting bitterness to start with, but well before it overpowered my senses the sweetness kicked in smoothing out the drink and making it a moreish treat. It almost seemed a shame to open the packet of pork scratching, but c'est la vie!

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