Spirit Tree – Spanish Sidra (2021)

Cider Profile:

Name: Spirit Tree – Spanish Sidra (2021)
Sampled July 2025

Brand:  Spirit Tree Estate Cider Type: Apple – Sidra Location of Brewing: Caledon, On ABV: 8.5% Website Link: spirittreecider.com Ingredients: N/A Gluten Free: N/A Sugar Content: N/A Size(s) Available: 750ml (bottle) Availability: Spirit Tree Estate retail and online stores Flavour: Apple Colour: Hazy, straw yellow Carbonation: Lots of foam when poured, frequently streaming.

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Cider Crate Tasting Notes:

Smell: Strong aroma. Pungent, dank apple with lots of fermentation
Initial Taste: Medium bite from carbonation. Semi-funky and dry apples that have tannic elements. Acidity and astringency. Woody and oak element from barreling. Semi-creamy and bright apples – but not too crisp or juicy here.
After Taste: Becomes even more dry and musty in the aftertaste, and an almost sand-paper like mouthfeel. Fermentation and oak notes linger.
On ice: Dramatically reduced and thinned out. 

Additional Notes:  Spirit Tree’s 2021 Spanish Sidra is a very foamy and is a very dry offering, both sugar and mouthfeel-wise (almost sandpaper like). Lots of funk, trub (particles) and elements in this intense offering.  More about the bold notes than a standard apple flavour – which is typical with the Spanish style.  Funk remains in the mouth along with some barreling elements.  Without the label, you would say this is an import. Tastes 8% – boozy and astringent. Fermentation and heavy cellaring/musty aspects. Pour slowly, maybe from a distance like the Basque do.

Rated on a scale of 1-5
Sweet – 1
Sour – 4
Crisp – 2
Dry – 5
Fruity – 2

Next recommendations:
More Sweet – 1818 – All Together
More Sour – West Avenue – Legend of the Fall
More Dry – 
More Crisp – Cold Creek – Niles Corner Scrumpy (2023)

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