Mac Ivors Plum & Ginger Cider

Launched in 2016, Plum & Ginger is basically Mac Ivor’s Medium cider (for the past review click here) combined with plum and ginger juice. Interestingly, a combination of plum with ginger seems to be getting more and more popular in the UK & Ireland as Mac Ivor’s is not the only cider maker offering plum and ginger flavoured cider. The Garden Cider Company released a similar cider a while ago as well. 
Company: Mac Ivors Cider
Place of Origin: Ardress, Portadown, Armagh County, Northern Ireland, UK
Ingredients: a blend of ten apple varieties incl. Armagh Bramley and cider apples such as Michelin, Dabinett and Harry Master’s Jersey and plum and ginger juice
Sweetness as per label: medium
ABV: 4%
Package type: 500ml clear glass with crown cap
Recommended type of glass: pint glass, white wine glass or snifter

Appearance: pours a clear raspberry red with a white short-lived foam. Low to medium carbonation. Body is low.

Aroma/Nose: the nose is rather sweet, fruity and spicy of ginger. The aroma exhibits notes of red fruits, strawberries, raspberries and plums.

Taste: it begins moderately sweet with low acidity. On the mid-palate, a watery note, ginger and plum juice. The finish is dry and short with a lightly spicy with a note of ginger.

Overall: Plum & Ginger Cider is an offering for those who are looking for a refreshing combination of flavours. Admittedly, flavours of plum & ginger go well together. I enjoyed the gently spicy aftertaste to it. However, I wouldn’t call it cider. Rather an easy drinkable fortified plum and ginger juice. Plum & Ginger has no depth, no tannins, no apple flavours, thus I wouldn’t classify it as cider. Which doesn’t mean that Plum & Ginger is not drinkable or tastes somehow commercial? Not at all, it tastes natural and goes down easily, doesn’t taste too sweet and it’s pleasant for a juice. I just wouldn’t call it cider though. 3/6

Availability: widely available within the UK and Ireland, e.g. from Wines & Spirits or Emersons. In Germany from Bierkontor in Nuremberg, Bierothek Leipzig, Getränkefeinkost, Dr. Hops, Uptown Coffee Bar and Olea in Leipzig, Getränkehandel Köthen  and The Shamrock – Irish Pub in Köthen, Fliese, Die Bierkanzlei and Rosis’s in Halle, Hopfenspeicher in Chemnitz, Der Shop am Hassel and Flowerpower in Magdeburg, Schankwirtschaft “Zur schwarzen Kunst” in Görlitz, Altes Handelshaus in Plauen, Landgasthof Dehnitz in Wurzen-Dehnitz, Getränkehandel Mierisch in Freital, Quedlinburger Wein- und Tabakhaus Trense in Quedlinburg. In Italy from Sidro & Cider. In France through Craft Cider Selection.

Price: Mac Ivors Plum & Ginger Cider was a sample provided by Greg from MacIvors Cider.