We’ve scooped a top trophy for our much loved, single variety cider, Katy, in a highly acclaimed  international cider tasting competition.

Thatchers Katy, our 7.4% single variety, was awarded the best-in-class trophy for new world style ciders, together with a gold medal, in the 2021 International Cider Challenge.

The competition attracted over 150 ciders from 18 different cider producing nations, with each cider blind tasted by an expert panel of judges, and assessed according to taste, appearance and aroma.

Thatchers Katy is a fine, fresh and fruity bottled cider that has been crafted here at Myrtle Farm for over two decades. Made using West Country Katy apples, a sweet, crisp dessert apple that lends itself perfectly to cider making, this is a cider with a subtle sweetness, a refreshing sparkle and crisp, tangy finish.

“We put our heart and soul into making our ciders, so to receive this amazing recognition from the judges is really appreciated and is testament to absolutely everyone at Thatchers who have helped us craft such a much-loved cider,” says Martin Thatcher, our fourth generation cider maker.

“The Katy apple is grown in our orchards here at Myrtle Farm and by our growers throughout the West Country. It is a very special apple to us, characterised by its beautiful bright red skin.  A dessert apple, it provides the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness for a single variety cider, and is the perfect apple for an expertly crafted, premium cider.”

The Katy apple is one of the first of our apple varieties to come out into blossom, and the first to be harvested. It’s a beautiful, bright red apple – a cross between Worcester Pearmain and James Grieve – that looks magnificent on the trees.

The International Cider Challenge, run by Drinks Retailing magazine, is now in its eleventh year, and judges praised the consistent quality of the entries. The panel of 30 judges comprised supermarket buyers, independent retailers, cider experts, journalists and cidermakers.

Chair of the competition, James Finch, said, “The variety and originality entered this year was tremendous and seems to increase year on year as consumer demand for new tastes to savour grows. Cider really is the most exciting drinks category to be a part of.”

Katy was not our only cider to be recognised in the competition. Two of our speciality Cider Barn ciders, Cox’s and Grenadier, and our first alcohol free cider, Zero, were all awarded medals.