Made by: Cidre Le Brun Bigoud

Made in: Plovan, Brittany

Style: Dry

ABV: 5.5%

Carbonation: Lightly Sparkling

Bought: N/a

Price: N/a (750ml bottle)

Producer’s website: Cidre Le Brun Bigoud

Established in 1955, the EARL Cider Le Brun farm has an orchard of around 120 hectares and is one of the best known producers in Brittany. In 1996, the company also got involved in Cidre Bigoud, a co-operative of sorts to produce and market a range of ciders under the Le Brun name using fruit bought from other local producers.

The Le Brun is an off-trade specific range that is produced in more or less the traditional style of the region although the fermentation does take place in a thermo-regulated tank. The ciders are non-pasteurised to fully keep their flavour profile and a “slight filtration” is carried out before bottling. Obviously, being French, they are all made from 100% fresh pressed juice.

TASTING NOTES, AFTER A FASHION:

It pours a soft yellow gold with more of a haze than a cloudiness.

There’s a big waft of sharp, crisp red apple at the outset on the nose that quickly develops into a full-on farmyard funk. We’re not messing about here. This is old school farmhouse cider with a rich, deep mustiness and what can only be described as the distinct whiff of mature Camembert.

In the mouth it’s very dry with big, bold savoury notes and not much acid which would have given it some shape and definition and crispness. Leaves it a bit aimless and vague for me. The fruit is there but it’s overwhelmed by the curious savouriness that reminds me of smoked ham, something I’ve noticed in a few ciders. It’s slightly sour too with some spiciness and an unusual tannic structure that doesn’t really manage to elbow its way onto the scene until quite late in the day. As a result the finish is limp and just sort of fades away.

I’m sure this is one of those farmhouse ciders that connoisseurs adore but it’s going to take me a little longer to fully appreciate a cider that smells like cheese and tastes like ham. It’s more of an experience to drink than a joy, but life’s all about experiences, right?

2️⃣/5️⃣