Henney’s, Herefordshire
In and amongst the sea of rubbish that is supermarket cider, there is a shining beacon of quality in Henney’s, a maker whose ciders are as understated in how they are presented as they are underrated.
Autumn Gold is a low ABV cider, at just 4.5%. The label does not explain how that low strength is achieved other than through blending. Golden in colour as befits the name, with a lightly sparkle, the nose is a lovely rich appley aroma, with both fresh apple and toffee apple notes.
It’s described as medium sweet, and I think that’s pretty fair. Fresh juicy apples dominate the flavour, with some deeper, drier notes in the mix. There is just a hint of those toffee apple notes in the finish. I would not be surprised if this was backsweetened and diluted with fresh juice to get to that low strength of 4.5%.
Much lighter and fruitier than the other ciders I’ve tried from Henney’s, this is a crowd pleaser rather than necessarily something that will appeal to the connosseur, but it certainly fulfills the role of a refreshing but proper cider that could be a good introduction for less adventurous drinkers.
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