International Cider Challenge 2013 results
A private dining room with large sash windows that sits above the White Horse pub in west London has become a microcosm for the global cider industry in recent years.
Until 2010, cider was an afterthought, tagged on to the end of the International Beer Challenge.
But in recent years its popularity has exploded – fuelled by the Magners over-ice revolution and heavy marketing investment from emerging brands – and the shelf space it is afforded has shot up.
Four years ago the decision was taken to make the International Cider Challenge a competition in its own right and judges tasted 100 of the best ciders the world had to offer.
Every year the standard has improved, as producers invest more and more in a category that has broken beer’s stranglehold on the market, and the number of entries has steadily risen.
This year judges were dazzled by the consistent quality of the 149 entries we received.
Many came from cider’s spiritual home, the West Country, and persistent pretenders to the throne, Ireland and France, but entries also arrived from as far afield as Australia, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden.
The blind tasting judging panel was made up of independent retailers, supermarket buyers, producers, flavour experts and journalists, and the high-ceilinged room above the Victorian pub became a hive of activity as they pushed their palates to the limit to tease out the greatest ciders in the world.
“The standard has really gone up since last year and I was impressed by the consistent quality of the ciders,” said Louise Smith, owner of The Jug and Bottle in Yorkshire.
Last year a solitary gold medal was handed out, to Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference French sparkling cider, along with 11 silvers.
This time around, the equally demanding judges gave out 13 golds and 30 silvers.
The West Country was upstaged by France as Cidre Bigoud’s Artisanal Le Brun Organic, and La Face Cachee De La Pomme’s Neige Premiere 2010 joined Danish supplier Cold Hand Winery’s Malus X in winning trophies for ciders of exceptional quality.
But traditional producers enjoyed a good showing in the gold medal category, notably Westons picking up golds for its Wyld Wood organic cider and the English vintage cider it produces for Sainsbury’s.
For the first time a fruit cider – Rekorderlig strawberry-lime – scooped a gold, reflecting the phenomenal improvement the category has seen since it became one of the fastest-growing markets in the UK off-trade.
Gareth Roots, cider buyer at Sainsbury’s, said: “It’s amazing the amount of variants there are of fruit cider. There are really good ones now. There’s innovation in fruit cider and Rekorderlig has done well. There are so many flavours and it’s still in its infancy.”
Oliver W, Waitrose buyer, added: “Some of the super-premium and organic ciders were outstanding.
“It’s great to have such a strong mix of people judging things – all bases were covered. It was a great opportunity to try the whole spectrum of ciders.”
Rosie Norwood, owner of Favourite Beers in Cheltenham, joined the panel for her first-ever competition after scooping Independent Cider Retailer at the Drinks Retailing Awards 2013.
She said: “There were some outstanding ciders. I tasted many that I would like to add to our range.”
The judges agreed that cider sales will pick up now that the spring’s bad weather is behind us, and that the quality of the bottles on shelves will improve as the market grows and becomes increasingly competitive.
Next year the challenge will celebrate its fifth anniversary, and we can rest assured that cider producers from Sweden to Somerset are fighting tooth and nail to impress our exacting panel of industry legends, opinion-formers and leading retailers with another round of sensational ciders.
Full list of winners:
Trophy:
Cidre Bigoud |
Cidre Artisanal Le Brun Organic |
Cold Hand Winery |
Malus X - Feminam |
La Face Cachee De La Pomme |
Neige Premiere 2010, Apple Ice Wine |
Gold:
Bulmer Harvest Ltd |
Scrumpy Apple |
Chilli Marketing |
Rekordeling Apple Cider |
Chilli Marketing |
Rekordeling Strawberry - Lime Cider |
Dunkertons Cider Co |
Dunkertons Black Fox |
Dunkertons Cider Co |
Dunkertons Premium |
Fynsbury's Rutland Cider |
Fynsbury's Rutland Cider (Still) |
Les Celliers Associes |
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference |
Sheppys Cider Ltd |
Oak Matured Vintage |
Westons Cider |
Sainsbury's English Vintage Cider |
Westons Cider |
Wyld Wood Organic Cider |
Silver:
Aspall |
2012 Vintage Imperial Cyder |
Aspall |
Organic Suffolk Cyder |
Biddenden Vineyards |
Biddenden Sparkling Cider |
Brands Direct |
Devon Farmhouse Cider |
Brands Direct |
Hazerdine Orchard Herefordshire Vintage Cider |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Bulmers Original |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Dirty Granny |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Strongbow Raspberry and Strawberry |
Cidre Bigoud |
Cidre Fermier or et Ange |
Cold Hand Winery |
Malus Danica |
Cold Hand Winery |
Malus X - Masculine |
County Cider Company |
Waupoos Premium Cider |
Ets Guillet Freres |
Kerisac Cuvee Special - Brut |
Ets Guillet Freres |
Kerisac Cuvee Special -Doux |
Ets Guillet Freres |
Kerisac Poire |
Healey's Cider |
Healey's Classic Rum Reserved |
Henney's Cider Co |
Henney's Dry Cider |
Hogan's Cider Ltd |
Hogan's Medium Cider |
Hogan's Cider Ltd |
Hogan's Vintage Perry 2010 |
Les Celliers Associes |
Val de Rance Cidre Traditionnel Brut |
McCashins Brewery |
Rochdale Traditional Apple |
McCashins Brewery |
Saxton Apple Cider |
Orchard Pig |
Truffler |
Sandford Orchards |
Devon Red |
SHS Drinks |
Merrydown Vintage Cider + Black |
SHS Drinks |
Merrydown Vintage Medium |
The Cooperative Food |
Tillington Hills Premium Cider |
Waitrose |
Waitrose Herefordshire Cider |
Westons Cider |
Asda Extra Special Vintage |
Westons Cider |
Henry Westons Vintage |
Westons Cider |
Old Rosie |
Bronze:
Ampleforth Abbey |
Ampleforth Abbey Cider |
Ampleforth Abbey |
Ampleforth Abbey Premium Cider |
Armagh Cider Company |
Carsons Crisp Cider |
Armagh Cider Company |
Maddens - Orchard Bramble |
Aspall |
Cuvee Chevallier |
Aspall |
Pipsqueak Best Cider |
Aspall |
Premier Cru Suffolk Cyder |
Aspall |
Taste the Difference Elderflower Cyder |
Aspall |
Taste the Difference Suffolk Cyder |
Bulmer Harvest Ltd |
Harvest Apple |
Bulmer Harvest Ltd |
Harvest Pear |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Bulmers Ginger |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Bulmers Pear |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Mercury Draught |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Strongbow Clear |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Strongbow Mango and Passionfruit |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Strongbow Original |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Strongbow Pear |
C.U.B. (Carlton United Breweries Ltd) |
Strongbow Strawberry and Kiwi |
CCLF |
Ecusson Cidre Rose |
Chilli Marketing |
Rekordeling Passionfruit Cider |
Chilli Marketing |
Rekordeling Pear Cider |
Chilli Marketing |
Rekordeling Winter Cider |
Cidre Bigoud |
Cidre Artisanal Le Brun Brut |
Cidre Bigoud |
Cidre Artisanal Le Brun DemiSec |
Cidre Bigoud |
Cidre Artisanal Le Brun Doux |
Cold Hand Winery |
Malus Unica |
CSR |
Cidraie |
Elixir Signature Pty Ltd |
Apple Head |
Elixir Signature Pty Ltd |
Apple Head |
Fynsbury's Rutland Cider |
Fynsbury's Rutland Cider (Naturally Sparkling) |
Healey's Cider |
Healey's Classic Oak - Matured |
Healey's Cider |
Rattler Original |
Les Celliers Associes |
Bolee Celte Brut |
Lidl |
Churchwards Original Cider |
Lidl |
Churchwards Pear Cider |
Lidl |
Woodgate Dry Amber Cider |
Lidl |
Woodgate Dry Amber Cider |
Lidl |
Woodgate Pear Cider |
Lidl |
Woodgate Pear Cider |
McCashins Brewery |
Rochdale Ginger Lime Cider |
McCashins Brewery |
Rochdale Perry Cider |
McCashins Brewery |
Saxton Pear Cider |
Orchard Pig |
Charmer |
Real Ale Ltd |
M&S Breton Cider |
Redwood Cider Co |
Old Mout Boysen Cider |
Redwood Cider Co |
Old Mout Cranberry & Cider |
Sandford Orchards |
Fanny's Bramble |
Sheppys Cider Ltd |
Kingston Black |
Thatchers Cider Co |
Tesco Finest Single Orchard |
Thatchers Cider Co |
Thatchers Gold |
Thatchers Cider Co |
Thatchers Katy |
Thatchers Cider Co |
Thatchers Mixed Fruit |
Thatchers Cider Co |
Thatchers Pear |
Thatchers Cider Co |
Thatchers Prince William |
Thatchers Cider Co |
Thatchers Vintage 2011 |
VOK Beverages |
Three Oaks Cider Dry |
VOK Beverages |
Three Oaks Cider Original |
VOK Beverages |
Three Oaks Cider Sweet |
Waitrose |
Waitrose Cidre de Normandie |
Westons Cider |
Henry Westons |
Westons Cider |
Henry Westons Vintage Perry |
Westons Cider |
Sainsbury's Low Alcohol English Cider |
Shoppers first enticed to cider by the likes of Magners are becoming increasingly experimental and producers’ NPD departments have gone into overdrive in an effort to keep up.
This has led to shelves packed with an overwhelming range of bottles and cans from around the world, meaning design and packaging is now more important than ever to capture a busy shopper’s imagination.
Our expert panel of judges felt suppliers truly went the extra mile this year and handed out four gold medals, eight silvers and 11 bronze awards.
Those that scooped the top award featured bold, elegant and eye-catching packaging that clearly communicated the message behind the brand.
Judges agreed the overall standard had greatly improved, as leading producers continued to innovate and smaller suppliers invested in order to compete, pointing to a healthy future for cider.
Design and packaging winners:
Gold
Cold Hand Winery |
Malus Danica |
Ampleforth Abbey |
Ampleforth Abbey Premium Cider |
B1 - Marct D.O.O |
Big Shot |
Aspall |
Harry Sparrow Cyder |
Silver:
McCashins Brewery |
Rochdale Traditional Apple |
Cold Hand Winery |
Malus X - Feminam |
County Cider Company |
A Tortured Path Cider |
Thatchers Cider Co. |
Thatchers Mixed Fruit |
Cidre Bigoud |
Cidre or et Ange |
Sheppys Cider Ltd |
Oak Matured Vintage |
Waitrose |
Waitrose Herefordshire Cider |
Waitrose |
Waitrose Cidre de Normandie |
Bronze:
McCashins Brewery |
Saxton Apple Cider |
Thatchers Cider Co. |
Thatchers Vintage 2011 |
Hogan's Cider Ltd |
Hogan's Medium Cider |
Cold Hand Winery |
Malus Unica |
Sandford Orchards |
Devon Red |
Dunkertons Cider Co |
Dunkertons Black Fox |
Chilli Marketing |
Rekordeling Passionfruit Cider |
Elixir Signature Pty Ltd |
Apple Head |
Elixir Signature Pty Ltd |
Apple Head |
Hogan's Cider Ltd |
Hogan's Vintage Perry 2010 |
Healey's Cider |
Rattler Original |