Apple of our eye: the seasonal spirits you need in your life
Autumn is ALL about apples. So here’s our favourite, local apple tipples – from a brand new gin to a spiced winter cider – all hand-picked for you (literally we went to the orchard ourselves)…
The Seasonal Liquors
Turners Apple Gin
Apples in gin? Why did no one think of this before? Winner of Best Local Food/Drink Producer in Kent – as voted by you in the Muddy Stilettos Awards – and loved for their cider, Turners have harnessed the spirit of Kentish apples to create a delicious London dry gin. Distilled in small batches in the Garden of England, this is perfect served on ice with a slice of apple, with a premium tonic water or in a Turners Gin Appletini.
£38
Greensand Ridge Apple Brandy
You’ll probably know this brand’s London Dry Gin, which is distilled from eight local botanicals that grow within a mile of the distillery in the fields, woods and orchards beneath the (you guessed it) Greensand Ridge. But we’ve discovered there’s even more to love in this wonderful selection of gins, fruit brandies and rums, including this delicate and delicious cask-aged Apple Brandy. Not only does it taste great, but (like the rest of the range) it’s entirely carbon-neutral – being created from quality surplus apples from fruit growers in the Weald of Kent and Sussex.
£42.25
The Seasonal Ciders
Kentish Pip Firespice Cider
We’ve got just the thing for when the nights start to draw in and you decide you want to try a new seasonal tipple. Kentish Pip’s new mulled cider is perfect for this upcoming cosy season as it has all the festive feels – being made from a blend of dessert and cider apples combined with their famous Firespice mix of spices, orange, fresh ginger and a hint of chilli. How good does that sound?
£40
Canterbury Cider
Produced by the Maylam family for over two generations, Canterbury Cider is an award winning, authentic, premium cider made in the garden of England. They have 4 flavours known as Basher, Bonagold, The Duke and The Envy, providing a variety of ciders that are sure to tantalise your taste buds. These ciders have won many awards, such as the Taste of Kent awards 2021.
£54
Jake’s Cider, Balfour Winery
A pure, refreshing and crisp cider that sits between dry and sweet and is produced from 100% of the juice from 3 estate-grown Kentish apples. Treated like a sparkling wine, each apple variety is fermented separately using wine yeasts. A balanced blend leads to a clean, wine-like style.
£24
The Seasonal Wines
Yotes Court Pinot Gris
Following the apple theme, it seems fitting to mention Yotes Court’s Loose Rein 2022 which is a plush, silky wine with aromas of spring flowers and dried mango with an apple crumble palate and marzipan finish.
£19
Balfour Winery Skye English White 2017
With predominant tasting notes of citrus, ripe apple and stone fruits, this white wine is perfect for the transitional period between summer and winter (what you and I would call autumn).
£25
And some seasonal sips for the non-alcohol drinkers….
Roughway Farm Sweet Kentish Apple Juice
This sweet juice is born from pressed succulent apples that grow on the loamy and fertile slopes of Roughway, and has a depth of flavour you don’t find very often. All natural and grown with the passion that typifies the local produce we love, it makes a great gift or something to keep stocked up at home for the perfect soft drink option.
From £6
Jake’s Tree Pure Cox Apple Juice, Hush Heath Winery
This juice comes exclusively from Cox apples grown in the environmentally friendly orchards on Hush Heath Estate in Kent’s Garden of England whose apples are tree-ripened and picked late for extra natural sweetness. As you would expect, this bottle contains no concentrates, no nasties, no nonsense, just 100% natural apple juice.
£42 for case of 12