I hope you all enjoyed the October stroll through Rob’s beautiful orchard on the edge of the Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire the other week. I take great inspiration from every orchard I visit – there’s always something to discover that you never thought about doing in your own orchard. I loved the Danish apple varieties, happily growing away on Rob’s gentle hillside orchard, it made me ponder on the heartfelt goodwill that comes when a family member or friend passes on some scion wood to you and it’s your turn to help them settle into their new homes in the soil and surroundings of your choice. Similarly, the rogue wild pear tree growing on the edge of an industrial estate, surrounded by brambles, that is now grafted onto 20+ rootstock and given a chance to shine in an orchard setting (not a hint of tarmac to be seen) as Charnwood Perry Pear. It’s like picking a member of the supporting cast, an extra, and elevating them to lead role in the production. These little moments in life bring an honest smile to my face. Some seek aesthetic perfection in the gym. I seek surprise and delight and in orchards!

On to another treat now. As mentioned in the previous article, Rob and I exchanged a bevy of bottles that day. A box of Toye’s Cider (and perry) went his way, and a box of Charnwood Cider (and perry) came my way. It’s one of the total perks of creating drinks: getting to share them with your fellow producers. From the Class of 2010 to the Class of 2020 (producer-wise). Another great privilege is getting to write about these experiences and compare them to reviews in the Cider Review archive. Adam and Chris have both covered Rob’s earlier releases in 500ml bottle. How will my thoughts on a recent Dabinett single variety from Charnwood Cider compare to Adam’s on the 2018 and 2019 vintages? What will stack up from my selection that I can benchmark against Chris’s review of the 2019 Browns svc? We all have unique taste buds, olfactory systems, and abilities to eloquently bring to the (digital) page what it is we think of and experience when we interact with these lovely drinks. It’s an honour to add my name to the list of reviewers that have covered Charnwood Cider on this brilliant online home for cider and perry reviews. I hope in 2026 and beyond, a few of you will come forward too, reach out to Barry and the Cider Review team and offer up your thoughts on some drinks which have illuminated your world in a special way.

Onto the reviews at hand!

Charnwood Cider, Melded 2022 Season – review

1/3 Foxwhelp & 2/3 Ellis Bitter.

How I served: Hurrah I’ve finally found the perfect cellar temperature storage condition – my new garage. Perfectly chilled, but not overly so.

Appearance: A light hiss upon popping the cap showcases the very gentle effervescence at play here, giving a razor-thin, delicate mouse on the edge of the glass. Bright and brilliant copper hue, superb clarity, not a hint of haze about it.

On the nose: Autumnal aromatics abound! Orchard floor, rolling tobacco, sweated apples, a slight herbal hint of rosemary and bay.

In the mouth: Silky softness, far more so than I was expecting with a dual blend of Foxwhelp and Ellis Bitter. At 8% abv, you’d expect it to be big and boozy, but it’s rather refined and mellow – a little more Roger Moore than Daniel Craig if you will. I think time has softened the jagged edges you can sometimes find with these varietals into something altogether more elegant and quaffable. Stewed apple and raspberry crumble notes, a bit mead-like in its mouthfeel, soft astringency on the roof of my mouth.

In a nutshell: The power of a dual blend with a smattering of time to settle in bottle. A delicious drink.

Charnwood Cider, Big Streaky 2022 – review

How I served: From the cellar, sorry…the garage, which in late October serves as similar temperature to a cellar.

Appearance: Irn Bru vibrant orange hue. Slightest effervescence discernible, generous mousse around the rim of the glass which dissipates within 30 seconds. Great clarity again, the racking has worked a treat here.

On the nose: There’s a berry note at play here. Cranberry, raspberry and blueberry on the aroma, with a whisp of incense on the close.

In the mouth: Soft and sharp arrival, pillowy tannins abound, slight creamy vanilla hint, not a particularly long finish, despite the 7.8% abv. Thankfully none of that overly sulphurous delivery that can soften arrive with this particular varietal. Dry to taste, and I think all the better for it.

In a nutshell: A gentle raspberry ripple of a single variety cider. Whilst not my favourite varietal, this is a good expression of it.

Charnwood Cider, Ooh Ya Fighter 2022 Season – review

How I served: A day, or rather, a month in the garage in a box, around 13•c today outside so just above that in there.

Appearance: A tawny marmalade, approaching Ruby from a certain angle. Something slight mystical about its colour, like a block of amber with a light being shone through it. Very light effervescence, no real mousse to speak of after 30 seconds.

On the nose: Buckle up for the Dabinett experience! Incense, treacle, stewed apples, Christingle oranges, cloves, a hugely evocative aroma rising up out of the glass.

In the mouth: 2022 was the last big sunshine year before 2025. This is 8.4% and you can feel it with every sip. It’s big and bold and utterly delicious. It’s like someone’s taken a tray of Dabinett and Oranges, then slow-roasted them for hours till they turn to liquid. Sensational cider from a booming year. A cider like this makes you wonder what we’re going to get from this year’s crop. The tannins are maximum mouthcoating and 100% invite you back for another sip.

In a nutshell: One of the most moreish ciders I’ve had the pleasure of trying all year. Rob has worked wonders here. Seek out as fast as you can.

Charnwood Cider, Pure Charnwood Pet Nat 2024 – review

A mixture of local dessert & culinary fruit, topped up with Somerset Redstreak.

How I served: Time served in the garage.

Appearance: Pale orange hue, medium level of effervescence and the first of the ciders that has a noticeable mousse after pouring the drink in the glass.

On the nose: Getting a raspberry and strawberry aroma here, a hint of lime rind.

In the mouth: Those bubbles are lifting this cider up, up and away in my mouth. The strongest showcase of the top notes that acidity can bring in a cider so far with Rob’s selection. It’s a full-on dance show on the front of the tongue, followed by a little bit of tannin at play too. 6.2% abv, but you’d never guess if. It’s quite intriguing to try after the relatively still presentations of the other drinks.

In a nutshell: A fun and frisky example of Charnwood Cider for those that require a bit of malic acid in their life.

Charnwood Cider, Perry No.1 2024 Season – review

How I served: Garage time in November, aka Cellar temp.

Appearance: Pale egg yolk yellow, light effervescence and a mousse that sits quite happily around the top of the glass for minutes after pouring. Good clarity. Inside the bottle I see some perry diamonds waiting to glob out into the glass if I don’t pour carefully.

On the nose: Stewed pear, ripe yellow dessert pear skin. This is reminding me a lot of Marshland Cider’s perry who uses a similar blend of Comice with a small proportion of sharp culinary apples to balance the drink. Honey, tinned pear, blossom – it’s a floral affair.

In the mouth: A lot more body than I was expecting, there’s some rather grippy tannins at play on the finish of each sip, alongside quite a citric sharpness (Foxwhelp, is that you?). A bolder mouthfeel than belies the 6% abv, and the very wet, overcast harvest that was 2024. It presents as near still. This flavour combination is reminding me a bit of some Green Horse perries I’ve tried.

In a nutshell: A bold first entry into the commercial world of perry for Rob. Comice treated right.

Charnwood Cider, Ashton Bitter 2024 Season – review

How I served: Garage temp as Cellar temp.

Appearance: Deep Irn Bru tones, light effervescence, thin mousse around the rim of the glass. There’s a light sediment in the bottle of the bottle, as befits the signs of a good bottle conditioned cider at work. Great clarity when poured carefully into the glass.

On the nose: Such a different aroma to this single variety cider compared to everything else tried so far. Pine floorboards, sawdust, it’s a very sawmill aroma, amazing that comes from a humble apple. As it sits in the glass for a few minutes more, it’s all incense and high Roman Catholic Church services.

In the mouth: Total savoury notes at play, I’m getting a bit of chip shop scraps, ready salted crisps (I’m not eating these right now at the time of review I should say). Bone dry, which really allows you examine what the variety has to offer. A bit like those dehydrated strawberries and cranberries you get in Special K cereal. It’s fruity, but not sweet. The tannins are ever present on the palate, and that, with a variety like Ashton Bitter, at 6.5% abv, is a great thing.

In a nutshell: A dry, bittersweet, single variety that will really refresh your palate and get the synapses flowing.

Charnwood Cider, Stoke Red 2024 Season – review

How I served: Checked-in to the Hotel Garage Cellar.

Appearance: Super gentle effervescence, no discernible mousse after 30 seconds in the glass. Orange streetlight glow (we’re talking pre-LED here).

On the nose: There’s that raspberry leaf/raspberry fruit note that has been present in a few of Charnwood’s sharper leaning ciders. It’s also the smell of the fruit laying under the trees in the grass, waiting to be picked. Absolutely evocative of the orchard in Autumn.

In the mouth: Quite a sherbety arrival, apple fruit wraps and sour apple chewit sweets. It’s 6% abv, but I want to say a perception of sweetness on each sip. The sharpness is making my tongue prickle. Soft tannins reside on the roof of the mouth, as you would expect from a Bittersharp like Stoke Red.

In a nutshell: A Bittersharp cider apple to give Kingston Black a run for its top spot position.

Conclusions

It’s not often throughout the course of each year’s 12 months that you can pinpoint the moment you’ve tried one of your drinks of the year. One of these bottlings reviewed here has firmly ensconced itself it that category. I didn’t necessarily think there was anything new or different you could do with this cider apple variety, but handled right, from the right season, magic happens. I’ll leave this thread dangling a little longer till our annual summation of the year in cider and perry next month, where a wide assortment of Cider Review contributors gather our collective thoughts together and list our favourite drinks.

If it falls to me to summarise where Rob is at with Charnwood Cider right now, it’s someone very confident in the fruit and the properties of said fruit he works with. With 20 years of experience under his belt, he knows what liquid works in what format and for which particular audience. 750ml bottle release are therefore a very welcome addition to his repertoire. He hasn’t stopped releasing drinks in BIB or 500ml, heck, after the amount of publicity that has come his way this harvest, I imagine he’s selling more than ever. The 750ml bottlings review here compliment and expand the output of Charnwood Cider on the market. And whether you’re buying those bottles directly from Rob at a literal market, or online through indie bottle shops like Cat In The Glass, you’re in for a treat.

Writing these reviews as the nights draw in across the UK, with dusk settling around 4pm, and now living further out in the countryside where we’re blessed with actual bona fide dark skies and starry nights, I can’t help but think of the different drinks we’re drawn to as the seasons or our moods evolve throughout the year.  There is no real light from outside the window I write beside this evening. I imagine in Rob’s orchard, the Barn Owls are gliding above, the voles are scurrying around below the undergrowth, and a sense of slumber and hibernation is descending upon flora and fauna as we approach the second half of November. Winter is coming, but the fruit of previous harvests lives on for us all in the ciders and perries we choose to consume in these darker months. Wassail!