Willie Smith’s 18 Varieties limited edition cider took out the Best in Show award at this year’s Australian Cider Awards along with Best Cider and Best Australian Cider.
Sourced from 18 different apple varieties across Tasmania’s Huon Valley, Judges described the beverage – a medium cider in the traditional style – as “lifted… with a lingering fruit flavor and an attractive bitterness on finish.”
Willie Smith’s co-owner, Sam Ried said that the award represented the culmination of hard work from the entire team at the brewery.
“We couldn’t be happier with this product because it showcases what is great about Willie Smith's – we are small enough to make really interesting cider but large enough to get it out to enough people to educate and influence the category,” he said.
Cider Australia Vice President Warwick Billings said judges were highly impressed with the standard of entrants across the competition.
“This year there were almost double the number of medals awarded resulting from a significant increase in bronzes, which indicates that Australian producers are refining their cider making skills,” he said.
“With such rapid improvement in the overall quality of our local ciders since the Awards began five years ago, we expect to see even more exceptional Australian ciders in future years."
Winners' List
2015 Cider Australia Awards trophy winners
- Best in Show: Willie Smith's Organic Cider (18 Varieties)
- Best Cider: Willie Smith's Organic Cider (18 Varieties)
- Best Australian Cider or Perry: Willie Smith's Organic Cider (18 Varieties)
Best in Class
- 1A New World Dry Cider: Jachmann Apple Co, Lady William Apple Cider 500ml
- 1B Traditional Dry Cider: Borrodell Vineyard, Borrodell Vineyard's Heritage Apple Cider
- 2A New World Medium Cider: The Hills Cider Company, Apple Cider
- 2B Traditional Medium Cider: Willie Smith's Organic Cider (18 Varieties)
- 3A New World Sweet Cider: Flying Brick Cider Co, Flying Brick Original Cider
- 3B Traditional Sweet Cider: Seven Oaks Farmhouse Cider, Kingston Black
- 4A/B Method Traditional Cider: 321 Cider, 321 Cider Methode Traditionelle Cuvee
- 5A New World Dry Perry: Core Cider Company, Perry
- 6A New World Medium Perry: The Hills Cider Company, Pear Cider
- 7A New World Sweet Perry: The Barossa Valley Cider Company, Squashed Pear Cider
- 8A/B Method Traditional Perry: Frank's Cider, Frank's Perry (Methode Champenoise)
- 9 Cider or Perry with Fruit: Cheeky Rascal Cider, Passion Fruit Pink Lady
- 10 Specialty/Experimental Cider or Perry: Batlow Cider, Batlow OPA Cider
- 11 Ice Cider or Perry: Small Acres Cyder, Small Acres Cyder Pomona Ice 2015
- 12 Pommeau, Henry of Harcourt, G Del