Review of Tieton’s Spice Route.  It is my first time trying it, but I’ve had most of their ciders:  Cidermaker’s Reserve, Sparkling Perry, Cranberry, Bourbon Peach, Frost (ice cider), Apricot, Smoked Pumpkin, Wind (Pommeau), Wild Washington, Cherry, and Blossom Nectar.

Cider:  Spice Route
Cidery:  Tieton Cider Works
Cidery Location:  Yakima WA
ABV:  6.9%
How Supplied:  500ml bottles
Style:  American craft spiced cider

  

Availability:  Year round, since July 2015.  Tieton ciders are available in WA, OR, AK, HI, B.C., ID, CA, NV, MT, WY, UT, CO, AZ, NM, TX, FL, MI, IL, and OH (per their website).  They also take orders by phone to be shipped in WA (info here) and have a tasting room (info here).

Cider Description:  An exotic and fresh cider. Expect a medium straw with hints of cinnamon, vanilla, clove and allspice. Reminiscent of a fresh baked apple pie.

Cidery Description:  From branch to bottle, Tieton Cider Works controls every aspect of the growing and cidermaking process. Tieton Cider Works boasts the largest orchard of cider varieties in Washington state and the largest Perry pear orchard in the United States. We blend our gnarly, inedible cider fruit with our organically grown dessert fruit. We’ve been growing apples, apricots, cherries and pears on Harmony Orchards – our family farm – since the 1930’s and are thrilled to be involved in Re:interpreting the tradition of cider making.

Price:  $8
Where Bought:  Schilling Cider House
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing.  Its one of the few ciders from them I hadn’t tried.

First Impression:  Dark straw yellow hue.  Very low carbonation.  Smells of hints of spices and vanilla.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry to semi-sweet.  Light bodied.  Low to moderate tartness.  Moderate acidity.  Hints of bitterness and tannins.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of cinnamon, allspice, clove, vanilla, oak, grapefruit, and honey.  Moderate to long spiced finish.  Low to moderate apple flavor.  Low flavor intensity.  Moderate complexity.  Moderate to high sessionability.

My Opinion:  I’m usually not a fan of spiced cider, but I really enjoyed this one.  It wasn’t overly spiced or sweet.  The complexity (especially the vanilla and oak notes) was nice too.

Most Similar to:  2 Towns Nice & Naughty Imperial Spiced Cider, Elemental Seasonal Spiced Apple, AEppelTreow Sparrow Spiced, Sea Cider Witch’s Broom, and Reverend Nat’s Winter Abbey Spice, Schilling Vanilla Clove

Closing Notes:   This is one of my favorites from Tieton.  My absolute favorite was Bourbon Peach, which was a tap-only special release.

Have you tried Tieton Spice Route?  What did you think?