Harcourt Valley 

Bress Brut

The benchmark. After many different ciders I stumbled upon this and have not found anything else that competes with it. So much so right in one beverage. If I could afford to I would drink this instead of water. When you read a wank review of this you will hear all these words about acid and palate. Its just good. Simple. Drink it.

When you lever of the cap the first reaction is: “It smells so good”. Then you pour it and it has all these perfect little bubbles and a golden colour that you can’t help but admire.

Then you taste it. Clean fresh glass. No ice. Let it breathe a little. Watch the bubbles. (I get carried away with the bubbles, they are all coming up in the centre of the glass.)

One Bress, one Boot

The first thing you will notice is how balanced it is. It is neither sweet nor dry. Just balanced perfectly. Then the bubbles kick in and it just makes you feel warm as it goes down. Like a really expensive scotch. This is the 10% kick. The kick that you don’t notice at the start of the bottle.

If you are greedy and choose not to share this bottle with someone else then that kick will get you at the end of the first bottle. There is no shame in being greedy with this one either. It is that good that it may turn a cider lover in Smeagle.

• 9.5/10 (Nothing is perfect)
• Balanced flavour
• Expensive but completely worth it (even just for the 10% alcohol content)
• Try its sister Bon Bon, sweet and a little promiscuous
• Vego friendly (to my knowledge)
• Victorian local