I drank this interesting cider two weeks ago:

Cider:  Venus Reigns
Cidery:  Crispin
Cidery Location:  Colfax CA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied:  22oz brown glass bottle

Description on Bottle:  The gift of the Golden Pear. To distract the gods while he stole fire for mortal man, Prometheus threw a Golden Pear into the courtyard of Olympus with the inscription, “For the most beautiful goddess”. This coveted pear was awarded to Venus, goddess of love, sensuality, and beauty. A goddess of nature, revered at springtime, the bringer of joy to gods and mortals. Venus Reigns caresses your lips with purity and charm. A soaring achievement of elegance and simplicity. Colfax golden pear wine aged to full maturity in specially selected red wine casks, finished with a gentle kiss of honey. Before pouring, give a solid bottoms-up tilt and swirl to disperse sediment evenly and best enjoy the complex aroma and bouquet. Best enjoyed at cellar temperature, 50/55F. With or without 1or 2 ice cubes.

Price:  about $9
Where Bought:  Total Wine
How Found: Hubby actually found this at the supermarket and texted to ask if I wanted it, but I said no because I don’t like red wine.  I’m surprised it was there as this is a limited release.  Later in the week we were browsing Total Wine and I saw it, did some research on my phone about the flavor profile, and thought, why not?
Where Drank:  home

Opinion:  This is the first barrel-aged pear cider I’ve seen, as well as the first wine barrel aged cider I’ve seen.  Quite the interesting combination.  Even though I don’t like red wine, I pushed myself to try it, as it sounded really interesting.  Surprisingly, I enjoyed it.  I really didn’t pick up too much wine flavor, although my wine drinking hubby did.  It did however have a considerable amount of sediment from the wine.  I think a lot of what we pick up in cider flavors is a matter of perception.  I was surprised to read this was aged 26 months–wow!

I picked up a lot of fruit/berry flavor, and could taste that it was a perry (pear cider) and was barrel aged (although I wouldn’t have guessed for so long).  I’d recommend it for wine lovers and folks just wanting something different.  As with many of these special release ciders, I’m glad I tried it, but don’t see a reason to buy it again.  I’ve had quite a number of other Crispin ciders, including their regular release Original, Pear, & Blackberry Pear, and special releases such as Honeycrisp, Bohemian, The Saint, & Steeltown.