Maker: Amandi, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain.
Style: Natural, still, Asturian sidra.
Vinatage: 2014
ABV: 6%
Purchased for $9/750 ml (Vine & Table)
Appearance: Cloudy, pale gold with floaties and slight effervescence.
Nose: Lemon meringue, honeyed dessert apples, good cider vinegar.
Palate: Light bodied. Tangy and a little chewy. Apple wood, lemon peel, Lemonheads.
Finish: Tangy, and cheek-filling, with a little burn in the throat.
Parting words: Mayador is produced by the large, family-owned Manuel Busto Amandi cidery in the Spanish autonomous region of Asturias in northwestern Spain, east of the more famous region of Galicia. The region has a long history, going back to the seventh century when an exiled Visigothic aristocrat named Pelagius rebelled against his Umayyad rulers and founded the Kingdom of Asturias , which would become the first independent Christian kingdom in Iberia after the Muslim conquest. Going even further back, the region is also home to many caves containing paleolithic art. At any rate, the Amandi family has been producing cider since 1939. They make a large line of natural and sparkling ciders, as well as vinegar and juice.
My experience with Spanish ciders is not extensive, but I have tasted a few from the Basque regions and this is in a different style from those. Mayador has the same dryness the Basque ciders have but lacks their tannin and funk. Acid is what drives this cider, and it runs the gamut from lemon juice to apple cider vinegar. As a result, it’s a little more accessible than its Basque neighbors but still a far cry from Woodchuck. It’s also more food-friendly than those, at least to my palate. Pair it as you would a dry Riesling or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
$9 is a great price for a cider of this quality and this much interest. Mayador Natural Cider is recommended.
Sipology 