Vacation, all I ever wanted. Vacation, had to get away. Some of us need it more than others. And some of us are craving the tropical flavors of guava and passionfruit. Abandoned Cider, out of New York’s Hudson Valley area, brings us a fun tastes-like-summer cider in Vacation. If one thing is true, Abandoned Cider doesn’t take a vacation when making killer cider. Abandoned Craft ciders are made with apples from wild, abandoned, and backyard orchards in the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley of New York. But they won’t abandon you for this trip. Hop on the bus and let’s get this review train a-rollin’. We are about to take a trip!
Quick Cider Information
Flavor Profiles: Apple, Guava, Passionfruit, Tropical
ABV: 6%
Size: 12oz cans
Production: New York
Where to Purchase: https://www.abandonedcider.com/shop
Their Description: Our classic blend of wild and heirloom apples is brightened up by passionfruit juice and guava puree. We’ve brought the tropics to you. With a big nose of elderflower, jasmine, and berries, this juicy tropical cider evokes the vacation we all wish we were on.
What You See
On the pour, this offering was almost clear in color. Upon further inspection while holding this up to the light, you can see a subtle haziness. Within the haze, a very mild yellow hue resides. Once the cider settled into our glass for a few moments, we were able to see slight residue on the bottom and the cider clear up slightly. There is sediment, but it wasn’t overwhelming by any means. As for carbonation, this was not overdone. It was light, crisp, but not too heavy on the eye.
What You Smell
You are greeted on the nose by lighter apple juice flavors with some spices and flowers, namely elderflower. It has a crispness with elements of tropical fruit and citrus. The leading fruit is the very distinguished scent of guava. Oddly enough, I get hints of watermelon, too. If I had to say what the scent reminded me of, in the sense of food memory, I would say either a tiki drink or a Hi-Chew. A lot of fruit and summer to go around for those nostrils.
What You Taste
Wonder where this one gets its name? Probably from the first sip alone. This one is tropical and fruity, first and foremost. An avalanche of guava, passionfruit, and other tropical flavors. It presents drier, not too sweet. There is some very bright tartness prowling on the palate. If you think that the apple flavor wouldn’t be present, you’d be wrong. The apple is still alive and well, marked by dry and tart notes. The lasting taste on the tongue is crisp and clean – lingering guava and tannic dry apples. While I am not a very huge fan of guava, generally, this one was much more enjoyable for me. Dry apples, passionfruit, and guava, with some of the other tropical elements, make this more of a cocktail in my eyes than a simple cider.
Final Notes
All in all, this was a well-balanced cider that is not overly sweet, even if you guava and passionfruit turn your eyes in that direction. This is highly drinkable and perfect as a cocktail or as a base for a cider cocktail, too. Somehow through all of the added fruit flavors, apples are still at the core of this offering due to the dryness on the palate. We are giving this cider 4 out of 5 apples.