Revel Cider – Wax On (2023)

Cider Profile:

Name: Revel Cider – Wax On Barrel-aged Resinated Cider (2023)
Sampled January 2025

Cider Crate Tasting Notes:

Smell: Strong aroma. Funky, earthy, sour apples, some vinegar. Mild spruce.
Initial Taste: Medium bite from carbonation and a quick herbiness punch to the senses. Sour, funky apples. Some earthy honeycomb that adds mouthfeel also.
After Taste: Spruce notes become more defined. Apple becomes slightly brighter and body and flavour thins out. More fermentation notes and some dank + woodsy elements. Spruce elements remain a while on the breath, almost like a second after taste.
On ice: Dramatically reduced in carbonation and intensity.

Additional Notes:  Revel Cider’s 2023 iteration of Wax On is inspired by Greek Retsina wines, being made with locally foraged spruce. It definitely has memories of the wine, but also it is a unique cider creation of its own right. At the start, you get a generic herbiness that hits the senses quickly. You get sour, funky and dry apples upfront that do become brighter as they go along. The spruce notes become more defined in the aftertaste and they linger awhile – noticeable on exhales also. Some fermentation and woodsy notes, and a unique earthy honeycomb that adds flavour and body. 

Rated on a scale of 1-5
Sweet – 1.5
Sour – 4.5
Crisp – 2
Dry – 4.5
Fruity – 3

Next recommendations:
More Sweet – East Street – Nature Study
More Sour – 
More Dry – Grey & Gold – Spruce of the Bruce
More Crisp – Slabtown – Honey Habanero

Links to Other Stories
Links to Pairings
Links to Cocktails
Links to Comparisons