Ramborn Original

My first thought about Ramborn cider? I thought it was a cider made by Rambo 😉 The origin of the name is indeed related to Rambo, not the action hero, but the apple variety mostly grown in Luxembourg and, also, used to make Ramborn cider. The ‘Born’ part of ‘Ramborn’ comes from the city of Born, where the cidery is located. Ramborn Cider Co have recently added two more ciders to their cider range featuring now the Original, Farmhouse, Avalon, Somerset Blend and Perry. Today I’m reviewing the Original, which picked up the Bronze medal for this year’s International Cider Awards.Company: Ramborn Cider Co.
Place of Origin: Born, Luxembourg
Apples: Rambo apple blended with other varieties such as Boskoop, Bohnapfel, Porzenapfel, Luxemburger Triumpf and Luxemburger Renette.
Sweetness as per label: medium dry
ABV: 5.8%
Package type: 330ml clear glass bottle with crown cap
Recommended type of glass: pint glass, white wine glass or snifter

Appearance: pours a clear golden with a fizzy short-lived white head. Carbonation is artificial but long-lasting. Body is light to medium.

Aroma/Nose: once I’ve opened the bottle pleasant scents of apple pie with caramel, and overripe apples appeared. Subsequently, when I poured the Original into a glass I could additionally smell fresh red and green apples with a touch of wood and something slightly sweet.

Taste: it begins slightly sweet with very low acidity. I would describe the sweetness level as medium than medium dry. The mid-palate has flavours of red ripe apples and apple juice with a touch of champagne/white wine and smoky ham. The finish is dry with gentle bitter notes and lingering red apple skins flavour with a delicate astringency.  

Overall: The Original combines, in an interesting way, flavours typical for English cider with notes characteristic for German Apfelwein. On one hand, low acidity with notes of ripe apples and a smoky ham. But on the other hand white wine flavour, which doesn’t let you forget about the heritage of apples used for this cider (I don’t mean in a bad way). I enjoyed the complexity and richness of the Original. Well, it was a bit too sweet for my liking but still pleasant. Judging by a rather low acidity of the Original I think that Rambo apple, which is not considered a sharp apple, dominates in the blend. Anyway, I think that the Original is a cider that will appeal to everyone. The Original is crisp, not overly sweet and has no funky notes. Also, tannins are gentle and don’t dry your mouth. Additionally, I think it could pair well with food. I can only hope that the availability of the Original will expand and reach Berlin soon. 4.5/6

Availability: online from Ewald Wolter or Luxcaddy. Fabrik. Locally everywhere in Luxembourg, e.g. at a supermarket chain called Coral and other supermarkets or bars. Even at the airport! In Germany available from The Hop Shop Trier and online from Ciderei. In the Netherlands from CiderCider. In Switzerland from Ciderhouse.ch. In Italy from Sidro & Cider.

Price: it was sent to me by Ramborn Cider Co for testing. I know there is always a risk of bias when you receive a free sample. But what can I do, I liked their cider 🙂