Review of Windfall Orchard Ice Cider, made by Eden Specialty Ciders.  Ice cider is made by using apple juice which has been naturally concentrated by cold, creating a very high sugar fuller bodied juice syrup which is then fermented.  It is my first time trying this, but I’ve tried most everything else Eden has made – Sparkling Dry, Cellar Series Cinderella’s Slipper, Heirloom Blend Ice Cider, Sparkling Semi-Dry, Northern Spy (Barrel Aged) Ice Cider, Honeycrisp Ice Cider, Imperial 11 Rosé, and Heirloom Blend Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Ice Cider.

Cider:  Ice Cider
Cidery:  Windfall Orchard (made by Eden Specialty Ciders)
Cidery Location:  Newport VT
ABV:  9.0%
How Supplied:  187 & 375 ml bottles
Style:  American craft ice cider from heirloom apples from Cornwall VT

Availability:  Their ciders are at least sold in AK, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, IL, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, SC, VT, WA, and British Columbia Canada, although this one likely has less distribution.  Eden also offers online sales when allowed by state.

Cider Description:  Ice cider made from a blend of apples grown at Windfall Orchard in Cornwall, Vermont.  This small-batch ice cider is made from apples grown by Chef Brad Koehler on the farm he shares with his wife Amy Trubek, UVM Professor and author of “The Taste of Place”. There are about 200 trees in Brad’s orchard, and among them he has over 80 varieties. Over thirty of them are used to make this light, smooth and extremely elegant ice cider.

Cidery Description:  Eden Orchards and Eden Ice Cider began on a trip to Montreal in 2006 when we first tasted ice cider and wondered why nobody was making it on our side of the border.  We had dreamed for years of working together on a farm in the Northeast Kingdom; it was a dream that had vague outlines including an apple orchard, cider, and fermentation of some sort.  That night we looked at each other and knew ice cider was it.  In April 2007, we bought an abandoned dairy farm in West Charleston, Vermont and got to work.  Since then we have planted over 1,000 apple trees, created 5 vintages of Eden Vermont Ice Ciders, and have introduced a new line of Orleans Apertif Ciders.  Out goals are to create healthy soils and trees in our own orchard, to support out Vermont apple orchard partners who do the same, to minimize our carbon footprint, to contribute to the economic and environmental health of our employees and our Northeast Kingdom community, and most of all to make world-class unique ciders that truly reflect our Vermont terroir.

They have a tasting bar on the main floor of the Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center in downtown Newport VT.

Price:  $17 / 187ml or $27 / 375ml
Where Bought:  Eden’s online store
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing; it was the only ice cider variety from Eden I hadn’t tried

First Impression:  Dark amber hue.  Still (no carbonation).  Smells of caramelized apple syrup.

Tasting Notes:  Very sweet.  Full bodied.  Low to moderate tartness and acidity.  No bitterness, sourness, or funk.  Low tannins.  Concentrated notes of rich ripe baked apple, caramelized sugar, honey, stone fruit, and floral.  Moderate length finish.  High apple flavor and flavor intensity.  Moderate to high complexity.  Low sessionability.

My Opinion:  I really enjoyed it; Eden has never disappointed.  This was a bit more fruity than rich, and slightly less complex than some of their others.  A lovely sipping beverage to have with dessert.

Most Similar to:  All of Eden’s other ice ciders.  It also reminded me a bit of Tieton Frost.

Closing Notes:  My favorite Eden ice cider remains their Heirloom Blend Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Ice Cider, but they are all awesome.

Have you tried ice cider?  What did you think?