Hunt’s Sweet

If you take a look at the car or IT industry, you will clearly see that literally every second a new, better, faster or more efficient device, software, etc. is developed. But, it seems that the cider making business doesn’t need such progress. Like the water-hydraulic press to press apple juice, which was installed on the Hunt’s farm over 70 years ago by Robert Hunt’s grandfather, and is still in use. Perhaps a new press would be more efficient in pressing juice, but would their cider taste any better? I don’t think so.Company: Hunt’s Cider
Place of Origin: Grove Orchard, Stoke Gabriel, Totnes, Devon, UK
Ingredients: apples grown on the farm
ABV: 6%
Package type: 500ml clear glass with crown cap
Recommended type of glass: pint glass or white wine glass, eventually snifter

Appearance: pours a clear golden with no head. No signs of carbonation. Body is medium.

Aroma/Nose: the nose is wild with notes of barnyard, wood, fermented apples, and a gentle vinegary flavour. Can’t wait to take the first sip!

Taste: it is advertised as sweet, but I would put it at the less sweet end of that classification, medium dry I think. The sweet taste is accompanied by low lemon-like acidity. Fermented apples, strong tannins, wood, vinegar and a hint of solvent on the mid-palate. The Sweet is highly astringent in the finish with a distant bitter and slightly watery taste.

Overall: the Sweet from Hunts is a very tasty and decent cider. I enjoyed it. It’s rich, complex and definitely made from quality cider apples. However, I would advise drinking this drop when you want to enjoy the end of the day by relaxing in the hammock or on a couch when you don’t plan to chat to anyone. The Sweet is highly astringent and makes your mouth very dry, thus making speaking a very difficult task. Trust me on this. Anyway, I would have it again. 4.5/6 

Availability: Hunts introduced a new range, but the Sweet should be still available locally in Bristol at Bottles & Books (they open only in September 2017).

Price: it came with my cider subscription from Orchard Box.