Award-winning cider maker, Sandford Orchards, is celebrating unprecedented success for one of its vintage ciders, Sandford Reserve. Since its release last year, it has won Gold at the International Cider Challenge 2022, Gold at the International Cider Awards 2021, Silver at the World Cider Awards 2021 and Gold at Taste of the West Awards 2021. In addition, it was awarded the category trophy at this year’s International Cider Challenge, making it officially a supreme champion!
Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards comments: “A huge amount of effort went into creating our vintage cider range, which we launched last year. We trialled more than forty different potential winners before whittling them down to just three, each of which boasts their own unique characteristics. It is fantastic to see our efforts being rewarded with not just national but international acclaim. Each of the three ciders in this range has won a number of accolades in their short history but Sandford Reserve has blown us away, winning award after award.”
Barny continues: “Sandford Reserve is a complex and refined barrel-aged vintage cider. We used the pick of the 2019 crop and matured it for six months, first in Spanish wine casks and then in Slovakian oak foudres. It drinks like a smooth, oaky, chardonnay with flavours of honey, Madeira and dried fruits. If you have never experienced a fine vintage cider, I would encourage you to give this one a try. It is completely different to the more familiar session ciders and, as the awards suggest, it is truly world class.”
Founded in 2002, independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards is based in Crediton, Mid Devon 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.
Sandford Orchards takes a fresh, natural and low impact approach to producing cider. Combining tradition and innovation, Sandford Orchards produces an award-winning range of core session, traditional, fine and fruit ciders. Sandford Reserve is one of three ciders in the vintage range launched last year. The other two have also won a string of accolades, making this a truly award-winning range. The General won Silver at the International Cider Challenge 2022, Gold at the World Cider Awards 2021 and Gold at Taste of the West 2021. Apple & Oak cider won Silver at the International Cider Challenge 2022 and Silver at Taste of the West Awards 2021.
For further information on Sandford Orchards please visit www.sandfordorchards.co.uk, follow Sandford Orchards on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
