Bourbon Char

Crispin Bourbon Char

cidersays Crispin , , , , , , ,

Review of Crispin Bourbon Char, a bourbon cask aged cider with smoked maple syrup.  It is my first time trying this, although I have had their Original, Pacific Pear, Blackberry Pear, The Saint, Bohemian, Honeycrisp, Venus Reigns, Steeltown, 15 Men, and Browns Lane.

2017-05-13 19.10.00

Cider:  Bourbon Char
Cidery:  Crispin
Cidery Location:  Colfax CA
ABV:  6.9%
How Supplied:  22oz bottles
Style:  American commercial cider from dessert apples, bourbon cask aged, with smoked maple syrup

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Availability:  wide release

Cider Description:  Rising aroma of bourbon over charred oak with sweet hickory notes. Silky on the Tongue and full of Kentucky character, this cask-aged apple cider is finished with smoked maple syrup, imparting a delicate kiss of smoke and brown sugar.

Cidery Description:  The Crispin Cider Company crafts super premium hard apple and pear ciders using blends of fresh-pressed apples and pears. The Classic Line consists of: Original, Brut, Pacific Pear and Blackberry Pear. The unfiltered Artisanal Reserve® line consists of: Honey Crisp and The Saint. The Crispin Cider Company also imports a classic English dry cider, Browns Lane. The Crispin Cider Company is based in Colfax, California.

Price:  $8.50
Where Bought:  Bushwhacker Cider in Portland OR
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  I had heard of this when it came out in October 2016, but hadn’t been able to find it in Seattle.

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First Impression:  Hazy dark straw yellow hue.  Nearly still (very low carbonation).  Smells of unfiltered apple juice, maple, honey, and a hint of bourbon.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-sweet to semi-dry.  Medium bodied.  Low tartness.  Moderate acidity.  Hints of bitterness and tannins.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of unfiltered apple juice, honey, maple, brown sugar, bourbon, lemon, and oak.  Quick finish.  High sessionability.  Moderate flavor intensity, complexity, and apple flavor.  Low barrel influence and bourbon influence.

My Opinion:  I enjoyed this.  However, I was hoping for a more intense bourbon, oak, and maple profile.  It had more honey than anything else for me.  It was expectedly slightly commercial (not as refined) tasting.

Most Similar to:  Crispin The Saint and Crispin 15 Men

Closing Notes:  This was pretty on par with my expectations.  It is always nice to try new ciders.  I think better quality cider can be had for the money.  However, a lot of folks don’t have access to craft cider, and for them, this would be a good option as a step up from their regular line of ciders.

Have you tried Crispin Bourbon Char?  What did you think?