A rare, one-time small-batch release. 100% Kingston Black cider from our family orchard in Spreyton, aged six months in whisky barrels and bottle conditioned in traditional champagne bottles to 9.8% ABV in authentic Normandy style.
Releasing early July 2026.
The King Returns
After years of patient cultivation, our Kingston Black trees on the family orchard in Spreyton have delivered fruit worthy of something extraordinary.
Pure 100% Kingston Black apple cider, matured for six months in Tasmanian ex-whisky barrels from Hellyers Road, Tasmania, delivering exceptional depth, complexity and character. This slow aging allows the wood to impart layers of warm vanilla, toasted oak, caramel, and a gentle whisky warmth while the cider develops deeper structure and complexity. Finished with traditional bottle conditioning in elegant 750 ml champagne bottles, it reaches a robust yet refined 9.8% ABV in classic Normandy cider style, naturally sparkling, richly textured, and built to be savoured.
This is not our everyday Kingston Black. This is a unique, one-time celebration of our orchard’s very best, shaped by heritage, Tasmanian terroir, in collaboration with Hellyers Road, Tasmania, home of some of Tasmania’s oldest whisky.
“Kingston Black is rare , an apple with enough backbone to carry a cider solo. Six months in whisky barrels, and the fruit never lost its balance. That is when we knew we were onto something.” says Shivam Tandon, Cider and Production Manager, Spreyton Cider Co
The Process: From Tree to Barrel to Bottle
Everything begins with fruit grown on our family orchard, tended with the same care since 1908.
- Pure Kingston Black base – 100% Kingston Black apples are pressed and fermented into a robust, characterful cider. No blending at this stage, the king apple stands alone.
- Six months in whisky barrels – The cider rests in seasoned whisky barrels, slowly absorbing warm oak, vanilla, caramel, and subtle spice notes as its natural tannins and acidity evolve.
- Blending – The barrels are decanted, and the contents blended to allow the different barrel characteristics to mingle. Over a further three months of aging.
- Bottle conditioning – Transferred to traditional champagne bottles with a touch of sugar and allowed to referment naturally. This traditional Normandy method creates fine, persistent bubbles and added layers of complexity.
- The result of a year’s careful work — A distinctive 9.8% ABV cider with remarkable depth, structure, and a luxurious mouthfeel.
“There are no shortcuts in this one. A full year from press to bottle, six months in whisky barrels, three more blending and ageing, then a natural refermentation in the bottle, the old Normandy way. You can taste every month of patience in the glass.” says Grant Langworthy, General Manager, Spreyton .
The Character of This Release
Kingston Black is revered as the “King of Cider Apples” for good reason — one of the rare varieties that delivers an exceptional balance of tannin, acidity, and flavour all on its own.
Barrel aging and bottle conditioning transform it further:
- Aroma: Layers of baked apple, warm spice, vanilla, and toasted oak with delicate floral undertones.
- Flavour: Rich apple character evolves into caramel, toffee, and subtle whisky warmth, supported by a distinctive tannic backbone and bright acidity.
- Texture: Fine, persistent natural bubbles from bottle conditioning give a luxurious, crisp body and a long, satisfying finish.
- Colour: Deep golden-amber with ruby hints from the apple’s signature dark red skin.
Cool Tasmanian climate and our orchard soils bring out the variety’s natural aromatics and elegant balance — now elevated by barrel and bottle
“The first time we tasted it straight from the barrel, the oak and vanilla had folded right into the apple rather than sitting on top of it. That was the moment I knew bottle conditioning would lift it even further.” Shivam Tandon, Cider and Production Manager.
Technical Specifications
- Base: 100% Kingston Black apples from our Spreyton orchard
- Process: Fermented, then aged 6 months in seasoned whisky barrels, followed by bottle conditioning in champagne bottles
- ABV: 9.8%
- Packaging: 750 ml champagne-style bottles
- Style: Traditional Normandy-style cider (bottle conditioned)
- Dietary: Vegan friendly • Gluten free
- Release: Limited small-batch, one-time only
Perfect Serve & Pairings
Serve lightly chilled (8–10°C) to bring out the rich apple character, oak influence and subtle whisky notes. At 9.8% ABV, this is a cider best savoured slowly and enjoyed at your own pace.
Beautiful with: Aged cheeses, charcuterie, roasted meats, duck, pork dishes, or rich desserts. Also stands alone as a special after-dinner drink.
A True One-Time Limited Release
Only 1,440 bottles have been produced.
Each bottle will be $38 and available in boxes of 2 or 6 bottles (plus postage).
Crafted from a small harvest of Kingston Black apples, this is a genuine one-off release and not part of our regular range. Whether you choose a pair to enjoy now or a box to cellar and share, this is a cider made for special occasions and slow appreciation.
Kingston Black Barrel Aged Cider will be released in the first week of July 2026. As a waitlist member, you will receive 48 hours of exclusive early access before it is made available to the public.
Previous limited releases from Spreyton have sold out quickly. Once these 1,400 bottles are gone, there will not be another.
We are delighted to share something truly special with those who appreciate real cider, made with patience, provenance and character.
Experience it at the Cellar Door
Taste this rare release fresh at our cellar door in Spreyton. Open 7 days from 10am to 5pm, and until 8pm on Fridays. Enjoy a glass with lunch or Friday night dinner from our kitchen while you are here.
Bookings are essential, and say that you want an audience with the King!
Our History
Long before there was cider, there were apples. Our family has been growing fruit in the Spreyton valley of North West Tasmania since 1908, five generations on the same land, working the same orchard through everything the seasons and the decades could throw at it. That is where everything we do still starts: with the trees, the soil, and a stubborn belief that great flavour comes from keeping things close to home.
In 1998, we turned those apples into Spreyton Fresh juice, giving many Tasmanians their first real taste of orchard fruit straight from the source. By 2011, our early cider ferments were showing too much promise to ignore, so we committed to making every drop in-house and built our own cidery and cellar door in 2012. From orchard to bottle, we still grow, press, ferment and bottle it all right here in Spreyton and the awards since have been a nice way of confirming what we already knew about our fruit
Jump on the wait list here
