The Easterton – 2022

Retail synopsis:

The first commercial release from the orchard here at Easterton, and many years in the making. Back in 2013 the first tranche of trees was planted, and in the years that’ve followed many subsequent plantings have taken place. The first trees are now fully productive, and the later plantings are rapidly gathering pace. We’re been getting a genuinely useful quantity of apples off them for the last few years, with 2022 being the first of the big batches, big enough to be commercially viable, in our own little way. Grown on our free-draining acid soil within sight of Bennachie, this is our single-orchard expression of terroir, seasonality and locality.

Over 20 varieties of apple comprise the 2022 vintage. Pressing took place in early winter 2022. After a small dose of sulphite was added to kill off any nasties, the wild yeast took over and did their thing. It was bottled in the spring of 2023 and disgorged of yeast in the spring of 2025, leaving a crystal-clear and well-matured cider.

It’s acid-led, bright and tangy under which lies a breadth and depth of flavour which create a nectar-like finish

We’re quite please with it.