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[DMV - Frederick, MD] Willow Oaks Craft Cider and Wine - Organic Cidery Tasting Review

By Meredith
This week, I am going to be featuring small businesses in Frederick, Maryland!

First up is Willow Oaks Craft Cider and Wine.


I really enjoyed our visit. The ciders were excellent and I haven't tasted anything similar in the US.

 Willow Oaks grows all of the ingredients in their ciders and everything is organic. Their ciders are dry, which is rare in the US.

 There was a nice variety of apples and pears. We did a tasting of 7 ciders (the usual tasting includes 6).

The first cider was "Black Twig" made of Black Twig apples that have been grown in the US since the 1830s. Described as "sweet tart and tannic," this cider is dry without being bitter. 
The second was "Russet" which is a combination of Roxbury and Golden Russet apples. It is described as "smooth, silky, crips and balanced." Compared to the first cider, this one is lighter and more refreshing. However, the "Black Twig" cider has a fuller body. 
The third cider, and last solely apple cider, was "Vocare." Described as having a "softer apple tang" with "notes of vanilla," this cider feels more like champagne. This was the lightest of the three ciders and wouldn't hold up to a solid meal. The best of the three apple ciders was "Black Twig"--although all of them were delicious. 


Tied for my favorite cider was "Gloaming" which combines apples and black currents. The natural sweetness of the apples was contrasted by the tartness of black currents. I really enjoyed this cider. It was complex in a way that was distinct from the ciders before and after in the tasting. 
The final three were pear ciders: Juillet, a combination of Asian pears and Turkish cherries, Appearition, simply Asian pears, and Pairing, Asian pears, honey, and ginger. Each cider was good with unique flavors. The cherry flavor in Juillet was evident and tart. The combination of ginger and pear was delicious and was my favorite of the pear ciders.




A slice of a black twig apple.













*FTC Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through the links provided and make a purchase.*

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