De Pura Madre
A limited edition of the first batch of cider of each year, and available only for a month or two, De Pura Madre is JR’s homage to the old ways of cider making.
Once upon a time in Asturias everyone made cider at home. That cider was not as refined and filtered as what most people now think of as sidra natural. Homemade cider in Asturias was (and for those who still make it, is) an unfiltered product, fermented at higher temperatures, and stored in the barrel pretty much until consumption. That creates a different flavor profile and experience. A few llagares, JR among them, have begun bottling their first run of the year sin trasegar – without filtering. The result is a rougher, more homestyle cider.
Appearance
Asturians put great stock in the proper appearance and presentation of the cider. Perhaps more so than anywhere else I’ve ever drunk cider. For that reason, there is a well-developed vocabulary in Asturias for describing the visual aspects of sidra natural.
| Color | Yellow (05 SRM) |
| Clarity | Hazy |
| Espalme | Panizal: lively carbon dioxide, well balanced |
| Pegue | Slick and sticky bubbles last a long time. |
Mouthfeel
Mouthfeel refers to the physical sensations (as opposed to the aromas and flavors) of the cider. It refers to textures that touch the tongue, roof of the mouth, teeth, throat, and to some extent, the aftertaste sensations.
| Body | Full |
| Sensation | A powerful apple attack and a long semi-dry finish |
| Finish | Medium (15-30 Seconds) |
| Balance | Fechu: A full bodied cider with high alcohol content and a strong flavor |
Aromas & Flavors
Sidra natural has a set of basic aromas and flavors that, to one degree or another, all examples exhibit. Here I rate the relative strength of those basic flavors, and afterwards discuss any additional flavor or aroma components that are noteworthy.
| Alcohol | Alma: Balanced alcohol |
| Apple Flavors | Apple forward |
| Acetic Flavors | Machu: A very full bodied cider with much more acetic notes and very little sweetness. |
| Astringent Flavors | Secante: refreshingly dry and stimulating to the palate. |
Tasting Notes
Big bold cider flavors. Nothing refined or elegant about this. I very much enjoy the tension of the apple flavors with the wine-y aspects of the still developing alcohol. Slightly more bitterness than expected.
About Cider Tasting
This evaluation standard is my own. It is not created or endorsed by any official body in Asturias or elsewhere. I designed it based on the work of the Brewer’s Association and the work of Travis Robert Alexander & Brianna L. Ewing Valliere of the Washington State University Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources. It is also informed by the traditional vocabulary used to describe cider in Asturias. You can read more about my methodology, my standard for evaluating Asturian cider, and the descriptive lexicon I use.
