Review of Wandering Aengus’ Wanderlust.  I previously tried this at Port Townsend’s Summer Cider Day (see here), although I haven’t done a full review.  I’ve had a number of their other ciders (see here).

Cider:  Wanderlust
Cidery:  Wandering Aengus
Cidery Location:  Salem OR
ABV:  6.7%
How Supplied:  500ml bottle
Style:  American craft cider from heirloom apples

Availability:  At least in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description:  Wanderlust is a semi-dry cider with a rich body and a long spicy finish.  Enjoy slightly chilled with BBQ, pork, turkey, or aged cheddar.  2015 Oregon Harvest of Organically Grown Golden Russet (45%), Roxbury Russet (21%), Ashmead’s Kernel (16%), Ribston Pippin (12%), and Cox Orange Pippin (6%).  Bottled June 30, 2016.

Cidery Description:  At Wandering Aengus Ciderworks we press and blend over 20 cider apple varietals to craft our ciders. Our cider specific apples originate from France, England, and pre-prohibition America, but are grown now in Oregon. These heirloom varieties are essential for the depth of flavor, excellent body, and delightful aromatics of our distinctive ciders. All our ciders are always GLUTEN FREE.

They have a tasting room in Salem Oregon.

Price:  $4.75
Where Bought:  PCC (a local natural food store chain)
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing.  I remembered liking this at Port Townsend’s Summer Cider Day (see my tasting notes here), and for $4.75, I thought it was worth another try.  At my next trip to PCC I found their ciders were on sale for $4, so I picked up a bottle of Bloom, which I haven’t had in awhile.

First Impression:  Light straw yellow hue.  Very low carbonation upon pouring.  Smells acidic, slightly tannic, and of citrus, honey, and oak.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry.  Low to moderate carbonation.  Light to medium bodied.  Moderate tartness.  High acidity.  Low to moderate bitterness.  Low tannins.  No sourness or funk.  Sharp flavor.  Notes of lemon, honey, green apple, mineral, and oak.  Moderate to long finish length.  Moderate apple flavor, sessionability, flavor intensity, and complexity.

My Opinion:  I liked it, but it was slightly more bitter, sharp, and acidic than I prefer.  However, it mellowed a bit as it warmed some from fridge temperature.  I have found all of the Wandering Aengus ciders I’ve tried so far to have more bitterness than other similar ciders.

Most Similar to:  Wandering Aengus Golden Russet, Dragon’s Head Columbia Crabapple, and Eve’s Beckhorn Hollow

Closing Notes:   I liked this better when I tried it at Summer Cider Day (where I picked up some bittersweet cider apple flavor, vs. this time there was more sharpness & acidity).  As its a relatively small batch craft product, I imagine it changes batch to batch and year to year.  However, it was still enjoyable and a good value.

Have you tried Wandering Aengus Wanderlust?  What did you think?