Raven Ridge Fuji Iced Cider

Brewed by Raven Ridge Cidery
Style: Ice Cider
Kelowna, Canada

Pours a nearly perfectly crystalline, copper. Thick and viscous, the glycerin legs coat the glass walls. The aroma is a whirlwind of apples, brown sugar, spice, honey, vanilla. The flavor is stunning. An unusual strawberry note at the beginning quickly yields to flavors of honey, fresh apples, some pears, a touch of spices. This is an amazing cider.

Bottle: Poured a deep copper color cider with some great notes of sweet tender apple. I thought the sweetness was very well balance with the apple taste while alcohol was very well hidden. The only negative thing I can say about this ice cider is that it was lacking some of the apple pie character tat I usually very much love in those ciders.

2002 Vintage: Sweet apple sauce, leafy, woody aroma with plenty of pastry dough offset by a tangy underlying character. Clear, deep copper coloured body with excellent legs that coat the sides of the glass. Brown sugar, apple sauce, woody, leafy, herbal notes, some alcohol and a musty overripe apple character that prevents the sweetness from overwhelming. Mild alcohol warming. Syrupy, sweet and sticky, thick rich and luxurious texture without ever becoming cloying or heavy. Thanks to Oakes for sending me back to Montreal with this after Grey Cup 2005. As promised I shared it with a gang, though it had to wait until the last tasting before I moved out to Vancouver! Going Away Party.

[956-20071212] 375mL (w/ blankboy, GregClow, HogTownHarry, jerc, tupalev; Vintage 2005). Apple sauce and sweet sweaty wood aroma. Clear, amber orange body with no head but nice legs. Super sweet baked apple skin flavour has a hint of spice in the finish. Smooth medium body. Lovely cider, plus it hides the alcohol really well.

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, blankboy, jerc, mabel and tupalev - jerc & mabel’s bottle. Bright golden colour with a reddish tinge. Aroma of ripe apples, not too sweet & not too tart, very nice. Smooth, syrupy body. Flavour is just fantastic, like baked spiced apples with a touch of dry wine. Yum!

Aroma:liquorice apple,light cherry,caramel nose... Appearance:clear orange-cooper... Flavor:strong caramel apple,light cherry...

2002 vintage, thanks TiggMtl for opening this rare find at your farewell tasting.

Caramel gold, great legs that had little tiny bubbles that almost fooled me for a second as being little sugary residues.
Very fruity nose, bing cherries, raspberries and a full, rich tapestry of alcoholic aromas that coats things off well with an almost spicy tang to it.
Round and sweet, but at very acceptable levels, it had a slightly cooked flavor and a bit of brown sugar notes, like an apple crumbler. Perfect amount of acidity to smooth out the sweet, and a hint of booze in the end.
Well, Québec’s cideries have procrastinated too long with getting a controlled appelation for ice ciders, so it was only a matter of time before others get on the bandwagon and start making excellent products. This is one of them.

2002 vintage. Dark caramel colored, large lasting legs, clear. The typical concentrated apples feel sharp and aptly pointy, while decent tartness ensures its coherence. The sweetness level feels quite reasonable bringing potent emanations of strudel and pastry, spicy cinnamon and french toast, an interesting registry. Comfortable ABV level, sticky palate. Greatly accomplished caramelly cider. A nice apple brand which I was experimenting for the first time.