Holy basil, Batman! A new Vermont-exclusive release from Burlington’s Citizen Cider, the Tulsi is an herbal apple infusion from the maker’s limited-batch “Origin Series.” The tulsi herb itself, better known as holy basil, is an aromatic perennial revered for its health benefits, from anxiety treatment to acne cures and hair loss prevention. In this particular canning of cider, the herb was harvested last summer at nearby Hallow Herb Farm then steeped in the off-dry fresh cider prior to fermentation. Sweet in baking spices (think clove) yet savory and slightly peppered (of the white variety), the tulsi flavor lends a complementary hand to the semi-sweet apple base, keep the locally sourced fruit as the focal point, just with an herbaceous highlight.
