Maker: Isastegi, Tolosa, Gipuzkoa, Spain.
Region: Gipuzkoa (Basque country), Spain.
Style: Dry natural apple cider blended in oak casks.
ABV: 6%
Purched for $5/375 ml (Holiday Market)
Appearance: Bright gold, but very cloudy. Yeasty sediment in the bottom of the bottle.
Nose: Crushed crabapple, lemon juice, mild funk.
Palate: Medium-bodied and dry with a little effervescence. Dry baking apple, bitter wood, vinegar shrub.
Finish: Tart, then dry and chewy.
Parting words: This is the first Spanish cider I’ve reviewed and it might be the first Spanish cider I’ve tasted ever. It had a dry funk similar to typical Norman ciders, but balanced with tartness and that weird but pleasant vinegar note. Isastegi is the only Spanish cider I’ve seen on shelves in Michigan. It’s released once a year in March, but barring some explosion in popularity, it should be just as easy/hard to find year round. If you see Isastegi, buy it! Maybe that will lead to more sidura on the shelves. Isastegi Sagardo Naturala is recommended.
Sipology 