Orchard Thieves is a brand of cider from New Zealand that D’s aunt introduced in 2013 with their Cider with Mandarin & Lime, a refreshingly sweet cider with bright citrus notes and none of the characteristic bitterness of alcohol. In early 2017, Dan Murphy’s started stocking the more basic Orchard Thieves Apple Cider. We were eager to confirm our positive memories of this brand.
The cider is a golden straw colour, well carbonated and bright with the crisply sweet aroma of fresh apples. Served chilled from the bottle, the apple flavour was sustained throughout each sip with a vibrant fresh apple sweetness that’s well balanced by the crisp apple acidity developing in the body before leaving a mellow and sweet apple flavour in the aftertaste. It recalled the (non-alcoholic) Apple Cider by Bundaberg, but crisper and less sweet, making it very easy to drink on a hot, summer afternoon. Served over ice, the cider takes on a more mellow apple flavour – without being watered down – and makes it even easier to drink.
This Orchard Thieves Apple Cider contained 330 ml. It was bottled in New Zealand and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2017.