From medium-dry sparkling to still and 0.5%, we tried five bottles from the family-run Dorset maker. Here’s what stood out—and which we’d choose for dinner, gifting or a sweeter preference.
Orchard photograph courtesy of Isaac Cider.
Five bottles from one maker can take you in quite different directions. Tasting Isaac’s range, we found crisp sparkle, a smoother still option and a sweeter cider with plenty of character. Rather than pick one winner, we kept coming back to a more useful question: which bottle would we choose, and for what?
Start with where the apples grow
Isaac describes a range rooted in apples grown on its family farm near Beaminster in West Dorset, with Dabinett an important part of its orchard story. The maker’s account puts the fruit at the centre of the business.
Founder Rollo Wood explained the production journey to us: the apples are grown and harvested on the farm, pressed at North Down near Crewkerne, then returned to the farm for fermentation. Bottling takes place with Somerset Cider Solutions near Shepton Mallet.
The family orchard is the starting point for Isaac’s range, with pressing and bottling partners contributing their part to the finished cider.
Calculus: where we would start
Calculus was our approachable all-rounder. Medium-dry and sparkling, it tasted crisp and refreshing, with enough cider character to stay interesting.
If you are choosing a first bottle from the range, this is our starting point: balanced rather than aggressively dry, and easy to enjoy on its own terms.
Anti-Gravity: the still option
Anti-Gravity takes the fizz out of the equation. In our tasting it felt smooth and rounded, a little richer than Calculus, with a lingering finish.
It was the bottle we would most naturally think of alongside food. That is a preference, not a rule about still cider: what appealed was the combination of texture, flavour and a medium-dry style.
Refraction: for a sweeter preference
Refraction was fuller and sweeter than Calculus, but sweetness was not its only feature. We found enough acidity and tannic character to give it shape.
For someone who tends to find dry cider too austere, this would be our first suggestion from the bottles we tried. The appeal is in the balance, rather than sweetness alone.
Alchemy: our gifting choice
Alchemy was the bottle we would choose for a cider-loving friend or take to the table as an alternative to wine. We found its medium sparkling style rounded and particularly suited to that role.
As with any gift, the recipient’s taste matters more than the idea of a “premium” bottle. Someone who loves still cider may be happier with Anti-Gravity; someone who enjoys a sweeter style may prefer Refraction.
Weightless: read the number, not just the name
Weightless surprised us by retaining body and clear apple character alongside the full-strength range. It is labelled 0.5% ABV: lower in alcohol, but not zero.
That distinction matters when choosing for yourself or someone else. Our recommendation is about the flavour we experienced, not a claim that it suits everyone avoiding alcohol.
Our picks
- For a first bottle: Calculus—crisp, medium-dry and sparkling.
- For dinner: Anti-Gravity—the smooth, rounded still option.
- For a sweeter preference: Refraction—fuller, with acidity and tannic character.
- For gifting: Alchemy—our pick for a cider-loving friend.
- For a lower-alcohol option: Weightless—apple character and body at 0.5% ABV, not zero.
For adults aged 18 and over. Please enjoy responsibly.
