Gwynt y Ddraig Gold Medal Cider

Gwynt y Ddraig is Welsh for the Dragons Wind. A small cider maker in southern Wales. It started out as a hobby and grew into a business. This cider is the one that got them on the map. Gwynt y Ddraig’s Gold Medal Cider as the name suggests, was their first cider to get a gong.CAMRA (CAMpaign of Real Ale), you know the British beer fans with beards, no not the hipsters, the ones who like their beer warm and are sticklers for the rules. There rules are a little odd. In general I agree with CAMRA’s foray into cider pushing for ciders to be made with real apples. On the other hand, they say ciders should not be carbonated. Um what? Carbonation is natural part or fermentation.

Anyway these lads know a good cider when they see one. Back in 2004 CAMRA awarded this the gold medal. 2 points on this win. CAMRA can’t be that fussy about their carbonation rule because this certainly has some fizz. Secondly did Gwynt y Ddraig call it “Gold Medal Cider” before the win?

Gwynt y Ddraig do pretty well everything by hand, everything from picking the apples to pressing them. Most of the Apples are Welsh but to keep up with demand some apples are from the nearby counties of Hereford and Somerset. In the production shed, the Gold Medal Cider spends plenty of time in oak barrels maturing.

The Nose

The smells coming out of the pint are very subtle you’ll need to stick your nose in deep to get a few of those sweet apple and autumn leaves, chased by the oak barrels it was matured in.

The Taste

Bitter sweet apple juice springs forward inviting you for another sip. Sprightly bubble promote a bit of a mineral kick. I’m beginning to think of this as the Welsh classy version of the Scottish Irn Bru, expect you know, made from an identifiable fruit. Suddenly, slow tannins that sneak in with the long sweet finish. Overall the time in the oak has kept the cider pretty smooth.

Final Thoughts on Gold Medal Cider

Some ciders are made in marketing departments then there are ciders like the Gold Medal Cider. A hobby that developed into a business that develop into an award-winning cider that is available around the world. While I can’t say if the quality has change over the last 14 years since they won the gold but today it is a fine cider that is extremely drinkable.

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