It was way more watery. This made it drinkable, but for the wrong reasons. Don’t get me wrong, there was a traditional apple quality to the taste but it felt diluted. The smell of ethanol choked me out. If I had some warning, it would have been fine and I’ve certainly smelt some worse Ciders. Thatchers Vintage has been a much-loved part of the Thatchers range for many years, and with this 2022 harvest, we’ve increased the ABV to 8.3% to further appeal to shoppers in the growing premium bottled cider category.

Henry’s is lightly sparkling with delicate bubbles floating up and gently sitting on the surface of the Golden Lake. It’s a lovely Golden colour. Like other Ciders I’ve reviewed, I liken it to a urine sample where you haven’t had a water since 9am and now it’s 7pm. As I lead the aroma down my nose hole once again, I’m met with apples, rather obviously. Not quite fresh, crisp apples, but perhaps older ones. Older in a good way. Mature apples that carry a few stories with them. The mouth has a similar tale to the waft intake. Because it smelt less strong, it tasted less strong. What lies at the very heart of every cider are the apples. Non-vintage ciders are typically made using a blend of multiple apple types and harvest years. Mixing the juice from several different apple varieties ensures a broadly consistent flavour profile of non-vintage cider throughout the years. On the other hand, vintage cider is made from a single year's harvest.

Vintage Medium Sweet

A new label featuring our founder, William Thatcher, highlights the provenance and heritage of the brand. This is a very special, timeless cider and we’ve taken great care to make sure it maintains its depth of character. It’s a premium cider with a medium dry, crisp flavour, rounded aroma and gentle sparkle. Festivals, especially wet ones, are a fester of smells. Usually mud, body odour, terrible open-roof trough toilets and always Cider. Festivals are always memorable and usually pleasant to remember – almost nostalgic. This is how Henry Westons makes me feel. It’s an okay smell, it’s nothing groundbreaking, or nose-breaking (almost), but it’s nostalgic to me – and I like feeling nostalgic by the way. As most of us know, smell plays a big part in the overall flavour of what we eat and drink. The tasting experience of this Cider follows suit from the smell.

It’s definitely a clean, better second half to the palate and if I had any historical football (Soccer) knowledge, I’d use the help of a famous match to get this metaphor to across. Overall vintage ciders are of higher quality and value than non-vintage. But what exactly does it mean for cider to be 'vintage'? This will help clarify any confusion and reveal what constitutes a ‘vintage’ cider. What makes a cider vintage? And the new look for Vintage includes a higher ABV at 8.3% to reflect its premium positioning and stronger appeal to vintage cider connoisseurs.It’s quite a sharp, medium-dry start. You can definitely taste the alcohol in this one. This is followed by quite a pleasant fruity finish. It’s quite interesting. The Cider almost changes personality. It goes from being somthing that’ll put hairs on your chest, to something pretty juicy. KNOW YOUR LIMITS The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend adults do not regularly drink more than 14 units a week. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY For more information visit bedrinkaware.co.uk or in the Republic of Ireland, visit www.drinkaware.ie To conclude, Henry Westons just feels like there’s more love and care put into it, and that’s what I had hoped. If Lidl, or any supermarket was able to pull off the exact same taste as Henry Westons, I would have been disappointed.

While there may be brands with higher or lower ABVs, to be classified as cider in the UK, the ABV must exceed 1.2% but be below 8.5%. Why you should choose vintage cider? Vintage cider primarily differs from non-vintage cider in the type of apples used, the ripening and fermentation process, and the ageing time. What types of apple are used for vintage cider?Vintage cider allows not only for an enhanced tasting experience but also for an appreciation of the traditional art of cider making. Ageing allows natural aromas and flavours to unfold with great intensity. While vintage ciders can come in a range of sweetness levels, the lengthy ageing method typically results in a very fine dry cider that is full-bodied and rich in flavour. What percentage is vintage cider?

Pressed, blended, matured and bottled at Myrtle Farm, Thatchers Vintage uses traditional bittersweet apples including Tremlett’s Bitter and Somerset Redstreak, as well as lighter more modern varieties including Three Counties and Prince William, to create a premium cider that is deep in flavour, yet light in colour, its richness rounded off with a satisfyingly crisp sparkle.Thatchers Vintage Cider sits alongside Thatchers Katy (7.4% abv) in our premium bottled cider range. Henry Westons has a classic look to it. If you asked someone to describe Cider, they’d probably give you a description similar to Henry’s. The type of cider you enjoy most comes down to personal taste and preference. However, there are reasons why you may prefer vintage cider over non-vintage cider.