Cidrerie Léo Boutin Pomelle

Brewed by Cidrerie Léo Boutin
Style: Cider
Mont-St-Gregoire, Canada

2005 bottle provided by and shared with clarkvv 4/29/05: This was the star of the weekend in Boston. Clear golden yellow with a light copper tint, produces nice lasting thick legs when swirled. Aroma is exactly as clark noted, "homemade apple sauce", fresh apple juice, vanilla, and a bit of peppery alcohol. I can’t belive this is 16% abv from the aroma. Flavor is juicy freshly picked apples, sugary sweet, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, anise seed?), apple skin, and again I’m surprised by how well the alcohol flavors are blended in with everything else. The alcohol and flavor seem to explode in your mouth, but are never overwhelming. The body is just fantastic as well - thick & slippery, smooth and sticky without ever getting syrupy and unpleasant. I would really like to get my hands on another bottle of this.

Faded copper. Still body with lethargic legs oozing down the glass. Extravagant aroma of bandage and fresh pressed apples. Only a trace of alcohol. Ultra soft and slippery, but fairly viscous. Initially palate-clasping with tannins and apple skins. Touch of dryness complements the remarkably-fresh juicy apple foundation, effortlessly piercing the viscosity while deterring the sweetness. Subtle apple must grittiness fuses with a faint candied apple sweetness. Thoroughly clean and polished, but with musty-oak accents which augment the grainy dryness. Alcohol shows some spiciness, but despite its strength, remains mostly a non-factor. A welcomingly-new take on the style (minimal dryness due to its being “still,” less wild yeast derivatives, and simply more focus on the core apple elements). The alcohol is magically concealed, particularly in the aroma, and the flavor brightness is through the roof. Superb cider. Thx, cquiroga.

2005 bottle from Marche des Saveurs. Shared with bucknaked on 4/29/2005. Having had a small sample from Rastacouere prior to this bottle, I was eagerly awaiting getting the chance to try half a bottle.
Thick legs all stand down the side of the glass, and the liquid is a clear golden-yellow with slight copper tinges. Quite still and viscous looking. Aroma is of warm, homemade apple sauce, fresh and unsweetened, with just a touch of vanilla and a bit of alcohol. Light red apple sugars. Before I even note the flavor, the first thing I get is the thick, coating, magnificent body on this. Just perfectly coating and smooth without being syrupy. The flavor is rich red apples, notes of cinnamon and even a touch of dry smokiness in the background (maybe smoked nutmeg would be the closest I can describe it). Sugars, light alcohol apparency and just a fantastic, warming, fresh mushy apples finish.

Pours a translucent coppery yellow, no head, no fizz. Swirl it around the glass and the slick oily legs show nicely. Nose is apples, alcohol, syrupy sweetness. Flavor is great...I’m not a big cider fan, but this is nice. It’s not just appley--there’s something else tasty going on here...honeyish, almost mead-like. Very full-bodied with a smooth syrupy mouthfeel. Very different for me, but very good. Thanks David for this special treat.

smells like sweet apples and alcohol. nice legs on the glass. like an apple icewine. flavour has acomplex apple flavour with notes of fresh, baked, and stewed. would be nice with foie or dessert.

This beer was sampled at the 12 Hour Belgian Beer Festival 2005 in Pizza Port Carlsbad and comes courtesy of Cquiroga. This cider pours a clear golden color with no head and no lacing as to be expected. The nose is heavy apples..it smells sticky and alcoholic with grapes, olive oil and sour pearishness eminating as well... a total complexity of the nose and apples out the ying yang. The mouthfeel is unbelievably full and round...alcoholic and long-developing...an absolute explosion in your mouth. Alcohol and apples, grape skin and apple syrup... with a dash of cinammon spices in the finish. Tart and sweet, sour and fruity....unbelievable balance and flavor.

3/6/05. Poured out of 375 mL bottle, obtained in a trade with Rastacouere on RateBeer 2/5/05. Crisp, clear golden color like a cooking oil. Decent alcohol legs but not much else to it. Stiff and stately appearance in the glass, prepares well for the first taste. Delicious fresh, rustic applesauce aroma-- cinnamon and wood-pressed apples. A touch of acidity. Faintly musty aroma with some Scotch-like earthy shadows lurking and touches of Irish whiskey in a deep inhalation. Medium-full body, cool and slick. Buttery and weighty in the mouth-- almost like a mercury droplet gliding along your tongue. Somewhat prickly alcohol creepin in on the oily and round texture, but everything falls off a bit in the finish-- a bit underwhelming at first. One great thing-- this drink really teaches you how to enjoy it if you give it time. Surprising dryness and a glow of apple skin. A small miracle that there’s so little alcohol presence in this. The flash of alcohol burn that IS there matches with the sour apple tannins to beautiful effect. Sweet and sour at the same time, warming with soft elegance and beautiful apple sweetness. Transports me back to my days of childlike innocence and humility, and reminds me to appreciate the halcyon days of my alcohol-drinking adulthood. I love this stuff.

hmmm...well, a complicated rate here..I’m just not sure what i would expect this to be...Its not a funky cider..its more of a dessertish liqour..and of course, i would prefer the funky to the liqour..but anyway. It gave out an apple and burning alcohol aroma, though not really overly burning unless you really sniffed hard..which i did. it sat in the glass very still but a swirl created a thick coating of the glass which slowly dripped. Flavors were sweet and thick apple syrup..very warming. It surely does not taste like 16%..mainly because of the big sweetness. However, though it is a nice sipper and all, I don’t find it to be the most complex of beverages.