Review: Claim by Brannland Cider
Claim is made by Brannland Cider, but it’s not a traditional cider. It’s a “new generation ice wine,” or ice cider, made from nothing but apples, with a lower sugar level than traditional ciders. I’ll let the Swedish cidermeisters explain:
Every year since its inception the final blend of Brännland Iscider has held a wide variety of juices and fermentations. Different apple varieties, sugar levels, harvest and weather conditions has meant that each barrel and tank ferments differently. Blending is always a conversation with the apples, the raw juice and finally the cider itself on how to best represent a specific year.
A few years ago we discovered that there were always a few tanks in our blend that fermented into a different character, driven by lower sugar levels and floral notes, as opposed to the traditional ice cider which is a power house of bold flavors and characteristics.
Claim is grown out of the respect that we have for the origins of ice cider and at the same time, a step beyond it. We call it Claim because it claims new territory. Like finding a new seam when digging for precious metals. Staking a Claim.
It is still an ice wine made of 100% apples, no additives and, like our traditional ice cider, elevated using the natural winter cold of our landscape and our accumulated artisanal knowledge and experience. Claim by Brännland Cider evokes lightness and light, spring and summer, juicy, sweet and fresh.
Let’s give it a try.
The nose is expressive with fresh apples, veering toward notes of Asian pear. While it may be low in sugar, it’s plenty sweet on the palate, lightly salty with a crisp fruit-forward character. Honestly it tastes like fresh-pressed apple juice, with no booziness or vegetal funk to it at all, despite a healthy 8% alcohol level. The finish is light and acidic, almost lemony at times, with the lightest touches of vanilla and cinnamon. Hard to put down, and definitely recommended if you can track a bottle down.
8% abv.
A / $20 (375ml) / brannlandcider.se
Claim by Brannland Cider
$20
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