Kangaroo Island Cider, As the name suggests is based on Kangaroo Island a short drive and ferry ride south of Adelaide, South Australia. The Colony Cove Original Cider is part of their Colony Cove Cider range.

Kangaroo Island Cider planted their orchards back in 2004. Today the orchard has over 600 trees, many of them cider specific trees with a small patch of dessert apples. Their first release was The Colony Cove Original Cider in 2011. Since then it has been featured in the recent Australian Cider Awards and been mentioned in The World’s Best Ciders by Peter Brown and Bill Bradshaw.

Let’s talk a little bit more about the island itself. The next stop south of Kangaroo Island is Antarctica you’d think that this would mean that it is cold and wet down there but the island doesn’t get a whole lot of rain and the summers can get pretty toasty. All that sunshine means there is plenty of sugar in the apples, perfect for cider making.

Kangaroo Island Cider Colony Cove Original Cider review

The Nose

Raspberry cordial from your 10th birthday party and stewed apple. It has a bit of earthy orchard floor scent, the smell of late autumn with the leaves and the windfall apples nourishing next year’s vintage.

The Taste

Straight out of the gate the slightly cloudy cider gives you a nice thick texture.  Just like the smell, the taste has plenty of the raspberry cordial flavours without being too sweet.  The Colony Cove Orginal Cider has plenty of chunky bubbles to carry the raspberry lemon and overripe apples around your mouth. The finish is reasonably crisp, this is when it gets to show off some proper cider apple tannins late in the game.

Final Thoughts on the Colony Cove Original Cider

This is a very easy to drink cider by itself and doesn’t need the food as a support act. The cider apples give it plenty of depth and character. I’m a big fan of that thick texture coupled with the larger bubbles. It’s going to be a hard cider to track down but if you’re in the area it’s well worth a go.

Product Colony Cove Original Cider
Company Kangaroo Island Cider
Sweetness Medium Dry
Alc/Vol 6.5%
Website kangarooislandciders.com.au/
Country of Origin Australia
Region Kangaroo Island, South Australia

 

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