|  According to a report in the Drinks Business, the 285-year old company is now being run by the 8th generation of Chevallier family. It used to supply the cider- spelt as Cyder to India in the early 1900s when Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, the commander-in-chief of India who was also a Baron of Aspall, ordered the cider from his cousin of J B Chevallier, the owner at that time and great grandfather of the current owners The cider was supposedly imported to be served at the officers’ messes all over India and was a staple drink in the Raj before India Pala Ale toppled it.
Three types of ciders will be available initially out of a wide range of Suffolk brands produced by the company- Premier Cru, Perronelle Blush and Imperial Cyder. Premier Cru is the flagship cyder. It’s straw-gold colour with a clean, light aroma of dessert apples, dry and creamy on the palate with a good acid balance, pleasant soft tannins and an elegant, long finish. Premier Cru provides a very harmonious match with curry according to the company.
Salmon coloured Perronelle Blush, named after the Aspall matriarch, also uses blackberries grown around the orchards at Aspall. Imperial Cyder is Dark and golden in colour with 8.2% alcohol.
Cider is usually produced by fermenting apples; the different apples having different characteristics. They are lower in alcohol, usually from 4-8%. However, they would have to compete with wine in that the duties would be similar to wines.
After studying the Indian market for three years, Aspall decided to make a comeback with nature’s Bounty in retail. It is also planning a presence in a number of Mumbai restaurants- including Café Zoo, Barking Deer, Woodside Inn and Busaba, according to DB. Announcing the news, Aspall partner Henry Chevallier Guild talked about the brand’s existing presence in Russia, Japan, Brazil and China. He says, “Indian drinkers are drawn to the combination of Aspall’s rich English heritage and history, and the clean and refreshing taste of the cyder.”
There is an interesting article on food vs wine and food vs cider competition which goes on to claim that cider goes better with food than wine. Check out http://www.aspall.co.uk/news/cider-vs-wine-the-votes-are-in/
Apple cider is being produced in India-mostly in Himachal Pradesh on a commercial scale with HPMC and Minchy's as the two known producers. They are not likely to be affected as they supply only in Himachal Pradesh due to excessive duties outside the State. It would be interesting to see how Aspall Cyder can promote apple cider and get people across India think of apple cider as Aspall Cyder. |