Gwynt y Ddraig, Gold Medal Cider

Gwynt y Ddraig Gold Medal Cider is a 7% ABV Welsh cider produced by Gwynt y Ddraig, a cider maker based in Llantwit Fardre in South Wales. Made from a blend of bittersweet and true sharp apple varieties and matured in oak, it is one of the brand's flagship ciders and takes its name from the CAMRA Gold Medal the cider won in 2004, when Gwynt y Ddraig became the first Welsh cider producer to receive the award.

Gwynt y Ddraig, whose name translates from Welsh as "wind of the dragon", has built a reputation as one of Wales's leading traditional cider producers, working with orchards across South Wales to source the bittersweet and sharp apple varieties used in its range. The company favours traditional production methods, including oak maturation, which is intended to give its ciders a rounder, more complex character than simpler, single-variety ciders. Since the 2004 CAMRA award, Gwynt y Ddraig has continued to pick up recognition within the cider industry and has expanded its range considerably while keeping this Gold Medal cider as one of its best known products.

As a medium-dry cider, Gold Medal sits between the sharper, more astringent traditional scrumpy styles and the sweeter, more commercial ciders on the market. The blend of bittersweet and sharp apples gives it a rich apple character with noticeable acidity and tannin structure, the latter coming through from both the apple varieties used and the oak maturation process. Expect a lightly sharp finish with a degree of sourness balancing the sweetness, and an aroma of ripe, rich apples typical of a well made bittersweet blend. At 7% ABV, it is stronger than most mainstream commercial ciders, reflecting its traditional, farmhouse-style production.

Serve Gwynt y Ddraig Gold Medal Cider chilled in a straight glass to let its colour and aroma come through. Its fuller, more tannic character makes it a good match for richer foods such as roast pork, strong Cheddar or other mature cheeses, and traditional pub food like a ploughman's lunch. Given its higher strength, it is worth treating more as a considered drink than a session cider, particularly for those less familiar with traditional Welsh cider styles.

Gwynt y Ddraig Gold Medal Cider remains a benchmark product for Welsh cider, carrying both a genuine award pedigree and a traditional oak-matured production method behind it. For drinkers seeking an authentic, characterful cider from an established Welsh producer, it offers a well balanced example of the bittersweet, medium-dry style at a proper cider strength.