Each vintage of the Art of Darkness allows us to combine the best of our home orchard fruit with some sensitive barrel maturation.
750ml
After a break in 2020, Art of Darkness returns in style with 2021. It's a blend of four-fifth Ellis Bitter aged in cognac barrels for 12 months with wine-barrel-aged Dabinett.
Sunshine on straw in the glass, there’s a characteristic hint of damp cave on the nose with a big weight of ripe stone buried underneath – all apricot and peach fuzz – along with spice and perfume. In the mouth it balances barrel influence and plum and apricot juiciness with beautiful freshness and silky texture. The tannins have softened over time and have the texture of wet slate.
As gastronomic a cider as you’ll find, pair it with the likes of baked fish in a harissa- or paprika-laced sauce, or a gratin of fresh courgettes or a piece of cave-aged cheese.
Serve at 10°C. Gluten free. Vegan friendly. Contains sulphites
6.9% abv
Magnums
Art of Darkness 2018
This bottling is a blend of Ellis Bitter (98%) and Foxwhelp (2%), spontaneously fermented in tank before being racked into three whisky barrels – one island, one highland and one bourbon – and left for 16 months before bottling, still and dry, without any additions or filtration.
Golden yellow, sweetly aromatic, it’s layered with fruit, embracing the entirety of the apple from skin to core as well as heady scents of barrel, perfume and spice. Ripe tannins, with the feel of wet slate, so typical of the vintage, build and persist through the finish.
This is a classy, bold expression of apple and barrel, brilliant now but likely to be at its peak between 2022–2028.
Drink cool but not cold, with salty blue cheese, rich, earthy lentil dishes or a fine rib eye of beef. 7.7% abv
Art of Darkness 2019
In January 2020 we sent a tannic blend of Ellis Bitter (67%) and Ashton Bitter (33%) from 2019 into ten individual ex-spirit casks to develop on the fine lees for nearly 14 months. In the end just five barrels were selected for the final blend, bottled still without additions.
We are always amazed at how robust these tannic varieties are, emerging bright from barrel, full of gorgeous fruit and glorious aromatics. This golden yellow liquid is pristine with honeyed apricot and tarte tatin vibes, perfumed like incense and warmly spicy. There’s plenty of ripe tannins here too, to give it both beautiful structure and depth of flavour. 7.2% abv