Review of Strongbow’s Limited Edition Minis. I’ve previously tried their British Dry (original version), Gold (U.S. version), and Red Berries, Ginger, and Honey Apple.
Cider: Limited Edition Minis
Cidery: Strongbow
ABV: 4.5-6.0%
How Supplied: four pack of 5.1oz cans
Style: American commercial cider (with color and flavor)
Availability: wide release, in the U.S. (see here)
Gold Apple Description: Crisp, refreshing taste with a hint of golden apple and a smooth, elegant finish.
Orange Blossom Description: Spring-like fresh orange blossom aroma with a touch of sweetness and a juicy apple finish.
Cherry Blossom Description: A cherry blossom aroma with a subtle sweetness and a ripe apple finish.
Artisanal Blend Description: Crafted with semi-sweet, cold-pressed heirloom apples.
Price: $0.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had read about these online, but only saw them at Total Wine, several months after other folks talked about it.
Artisanal Blend Notes: Hazy hue. Low carbonation. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness and acid. Apple-forward but mildly flavored, with hints of honey and citrus. I didn’t get any sort of heirloom apple flavor or complexity out of this.
Cherry Blossom Notes: Light pink/red hue. On the sweeter side of semi-sweet. Slightly cherry cough syrupy, with a moderate flavor intensity, and little to no apple flavor.
Orange Blossom Notes: Light orange hue. Semi-sweet. Reminiscent of orange soda, with a moderate flavor intensity, and little to no apple flavor.
Gold Apple Notes: Light gold hue. Sweet. Medium bodied. Overly apple juice like, with a moderate to strong flavor intensity.
My Opinion: The Artisanal was my favorite by far, and something I actually wouldn’t mind drinking again, unlike everything else Strongbow makes. However, it wouldn’t be anywhere near my first choice.
Most Similar to: The overall style/flavor and sweetness of Strongbow Artisanal reminded me of Angry Orchard Easy Apple, but Easy Apple was significantly more complex.
Closing Notes: I’d recommend these for folks who typically drink sweet commercial cider, like Angry Orchard or Woodchuck.
Have you tried the U.S. version of Strongbow? What did you think?
Cider Says 
Cherry Blossom? So glad you wrote about this! I like “syrupy” so it looks like I’m headed to Total Wine tomorrow 🙂
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Carrie – I hope you find them! Its been a few months since I picked up this pack of minis. Note that Total Wine has online inventory, so you can check before you go. Strongbow has a cider locator too ( https://www.strongbow.com/en-us/store-locator ).I’ve even seen some 6 packs of the Cherry Blossom, at Total Wine and Fred Meyer.
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These are great and honestly I wish I had these as a kid to sneak into movie theaters because they are perfect for that plus I got 2 packs for $3
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Not a cider fan, but I tried your mini variety ok. Fell in love, and I’m broken hearted that I can’t find them anymore. For me the mini can is the perfect size.
If it’s still a ailable anywhere, please let me k ow where.
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Hi Audrey – This is just a cider review blog I run independently, not associated with any cidery such as Strongbow. I recommend contacting the cidery directly, or trying their cider search on their website (https://www.strongbow.com/en-us , then scroll down to the bottom of the page). I am in the Seattle area and have spotted the mini can packs still available at Total Wine, so if you happen to have a Total Wine near you, check their online inventory and see if they have any in stock (http://www.totalwine.com/). Good Luck!
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