Crispin Honey Crisp Artisanal Reserve

This week Hawke and I tasted a cider that I have been very pumped about. For this variety, Crispin uses apple wine smoothed with organic honey. Honestly, they had Bailey at apple wine, the honey did make her eyes gleam with excitement though. It says on the website that wine can be a mix of 3 to 5 different apple varieties. You can check out their full line at : http://www.crispincider.com/cider/

Color:

After pouring a glass, Bailey remarked that it resembled a light Chardonnay. Hawke agreed, adding that it also is close to the color of a light Champagne. It is a bit cloudy, but from reading up on this particular cider, it's supposed to be that way because of the unfiltered apple wine used to make it.

Bailey:  4/5 Apples

Hawke: 4/5 Apples

Smell:

The aroma of this cider is quite delightful. Bailey was very happy with the boldness of sweet apples and a slight white wine smell. She didn't detect any of the honey, but Hawke said he could. He also commented that it smelled very crisp and fresh, but he felt it was lacking something.

Bailey:  5/5 Apples

Hawke: 3/5 Apples

Complexity / Flavor: 

Bailey took a hefty swig and got a surprise. This cider seemed to have a very overpowering flower, or blossom taste. There was almost a slight berry taste that couldn't quite be pinpointed. She was a bit disappointed in this. This means that the honey used came from the pollen of different flower strains and not clover, which is her favorite. Hawke picked up the apple wine flavor right away, and did not pick up any honey or sweetness. He thought the flavor was definitely lacking and not strong enough to impress him. 

Bailey: 2/5 Apples

Hawke: 3/5 Apples

Aftertaste: 

For Bailey, the very pungent flower and berry flavor gets stronger in the aftertaste. It completely voids any of the apple taste that she detected before. Hawke didn't get much of an aftertaste in this one, but did pick up a slight sweet fruit flavor.

Bailey: 2/5 Apples 

Hawke: 3/5 Apples

Price: $6-8

The alcohol is 6.5% abv. The price is fair, and if you like a more flowery bouquet (no pun intended) you will like this cider. Hawke thinks there is definitely room for improvement on this one.

Bailey:  4/5 Apples

Hawke:  4/5 Apples

Overall:

This one was a bit of a let down, however we would like to mention some determining factors. Obviously everyone's taste buds work a little differently. Where Bailey picked up flowers right away, Hawke did not taste them as much. So, just because we aren't over the moon for one of the ciders doesn't mean it's not worth trying. Also, because they are using honey as an ingredient, this means that each batch may not taste exactly the same. Since honey is made from pollen picked up by bees, each batch is going to be made from a different mixture of plants and flowers every time. It could be that this batch was not the best year for the honey they used. 

Bailey :  17/25 or a Yellow Apple

Hawke: 17/25 or a Yellow Apple:

Dupont Reserve

Hawke and Bailey came across this bottle of French hard cider at a local store and were immediately intrigued. The Dupont Reserve is just one of many products from Domaine Dupont. You may find all of their products including Ciders, Givre, and Calvados (an intriguing alcohol) on their website: http://www.calvados-dupont.com/
This particular hard cider has been aged 6 months in Oak Casks that were previously used to store Calvados.

Color:

Bailey was intrigued by the color of this cider. Pouring out the cider into a glass revealed a slightly cloudy, almost golden color. Hawke was curious about the the bright color. 

Bailey: 5/5

Hawke: 5/5

Smell:
 Hawke eagerly smelled the cider. Detecting a slight vinegary smell, but also gathering hints of apple, and possibly some wine. Bailey also detecting the apple smell, but also got a smell best described as blossom smelling. She also got a faint smell of alcohol. 

Bailey: 4/5

Hawke: 4/5

Taste:
 Wasting little time both had curious sips of the beverage. Bailey initially had a sour taste, filled with apples and again more blossom flavor. Hawke savored his drink, tasting a slightly bitter taste that was filled with a strong apple flavor. 

Bailey: 4/5

Hawke 4/5

Aftertaste:
Replacing the initial taste of the cider was the aftertaste. Hawke noted the taste turned to that of sweet taste, reminiscent of brandy. This makes sense as the cider was aged in Calvados casks. Bailey also got the sweet flavor, but detected more of a butter scotch taste. 

Bailey: 4/5

Hawke: 5/5 

Price:
 Both Hawke and Bailey are concerned about the price tag regarding this cider. At ~18-22 dollars a bottle, it is fairly pricey. Similarly, the bottle only fills about 4 glasses before being empty. Though at 6.9% ABV, Bailey feels that it is worth the price. 

Bailey: 3/5

Hawke: 2/5

Conclusion: Hawke and Bailey were both delighted by this cider. It is an excellent cider, though the price has some drawbacks. However, the Dupont Reserve is a recommended Cider. 

Bailey: 20/25 or a Green Apple

Hawke: 20/25 or a Green Apple

As always thanks for reading and Happy Valentines Day!