The Bramley apple variety is a rarity in North America. Almost exclusive to the United Kingdom with a storied history of its own (the original tree hails from accidental planting by a young girl), the apple is grown in minuscule counts here — something 1859 Cider Co. in Salem, Oregon, saw as a peerless opportunity to ferment.
Stacked with agricultural business, winemaking and vineyard management degrees, the team at this young yet educated cidery takes the tart, old English apple, beloved for baking, and ages it in rum barrels for full effect. Faint traces of vanilla and golden apple are emphasized with nutmeg, cloves and mandarin on the nose. A heady stroke of rum hits the front of the palate and subsides when the full-bodied apple and honed acid fill out the flavor and texture, with citrus and spice to seal the dry finish.
