Sandford Orchards, a family-owned and independent cidermaker based in Devon, has achieved a remarkable feat at the 2023 International Cider Challenge.
The company won a gold medal and the category trophy for its vintage cider, The General, making it the best tannin led cider in the world for the second consecutive year.
The General is a rich cider with an alcohol content of 8.4%. It is aged for a minimum of six months in an ancient oak vat, giving it flavours of Seville orange, plum and baked apple. The judges praised its bittersweet flavour, dried fruit and spice notes, and its balance of tannin and acid.
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Barny Butterfield, chief cidermaker at Sandford Orchards, which is based in Crediton said: “We are over the moon to have our ciders recognised at such a prestigious competition which judged a huge range of ciders from more than 20 different countries across the globe.
“At 8.4%, The General is the Godfather of our vintage ciders, aged for a minimum of six months in our ancient oak vat. It has already won gold at The World Cider Awards in 2021 so winning another gold and then the category trophy has confirmed that the cider experts really think this is a very special drink.”
He added: “The icing on the cake is the fact that we won the same Tannin Led category trophy last year, with our Sandford Reserve, so we are retaining our status as reigning category champions. We fought off stiff competition from more than 20 ciders from five different countries to win the trophy for the second time in a row. The judges tried ciders from all over the world and then returned to award the prize to the cider that was made in a vat six feet away from the cider that won last year. This is something that no other cidermaker has ever achieved, so we are incredibly proud.”
The International Cider Challenge is the most authoritative, respected and influential cider competition in the world. It is founded on a rigorous and independent judging process, which serves to reward and celebrate the diversity and range of styles of international cider. Ciders entered into the tasting categories are blind tasted by an expert panel of independent judges and assessed according to their taste, appearance and aroma.
Sandford Orchards was founded in 2002 in the oldest working cider mill in the UK. The area has long been known as one of the most fertile parishes in all of Britain, both for its grazing and ability to grow apples. Crediton sits in the lee of the moors, so receives the right amount of rain and the right units of heat in summer.
For further information on Sandford Orchards visit www.sandfordorchards.co.uk or follow Sandford Orchards on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
