Northern Spy — often called the “Northern Pie” apple for its affability in baked desserts courtesy of its crisp sweetness and relative sharpness — gets a third moniker in the Intrepid by Halifax, Nova Scotia, cidery Chain Yard. 100 percent Nova Scotia-grown “Northend” Spy, the apple is spotlighted in all its purity here, in a slow-ferment that produces a bright, dry cider of traditional mindset. Once sprung from the can, the cidery’s froth in the glass expels aromas of fresh-pressed apples that dissipate into tart, juicy, slightly heady apple aromas with an earthy twinge of tomato leaf. After the bubbles die down, yellow apple, apricot and pineapple notes pop from the nose over to the palate, finishing full-bodied, big-bubbled and off-dry.
