Skip to main content

MEMBER LOGIN

Departures Logo Created with Sketch.

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design
Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design

FOLLOW US

LOGIN

NEWSLETTER

More In City Guides

15 Independently Owned Boutique Hotels in the US That Set the Standard for Luxury

One more way to shop small, all year-round.

Manhattan’s Newest Art Deco Tower Is a Glam Nod to the Roaring 1920s
Serena Williams Opens Up About Her New Limited-Edition Collaboration With Away That's Meant to Inspire Your Future Travels
New Superyacht Built for World Travelers Can Withstand Climates From the Caribbean Down to Antarctica

More In Travel

  • Hotels
  • Travel Guides
  • Restaurants

This New Hublot x Takashi Murakami Watch Features More Than 450 Black Diamonds

The Japanese artist incorporated his iconic smiley face motif into the dial of the timepiece.

LVMH Releases Host of New Watches From Bulgari, Hublot, and Zenith—Take a Look
The Luxury Watches That Were Made for Winter Sports
De Bethune’s New Watch Is Like Two Super Luxe Timepieces in One

More In Fashion

  • Style
  • Shopping

Heatherwick Studio Unveils Designs for Twisted Towers in Vancouver

The renowned studio’s first high-rise project in Canada features two nature-inspired towers.

These Minimalist Eco-Chalets Are Bringing Cutting-Edge Design to the Swiss Alps
Architects Design a 278-Foot-Tall Building in Switzerland That’s Made Entirely Out of Wood
Midtown Manhattan Could Look a Lot Different If the Madison Square Garden Redevelopment Were to Take Shape

More In Art + Culture

  • Books
  • Philanthropy
  • Film

Furniture and Décor Pieces That Do Double Duty

This is what happens when form and function meet.

The Best Online Poker Sites for Every Kind of Player
Can’t Travel? Get the Scent of Famous Destinations With These Luxe Candles
How to Turn Your Living Room Into a Luxurious Space to Entertain

More In Home + Design

  • Art + Design
  • Architecture
LOGIN
NEWSLETTER
  • City Guides
  • Travel
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Travel Guides
  • Fashion
    • Style
    • Shopping
  • Art + Culture
    • Books
    • Film
    • Philanthropy
  • Home + Design
    • Art + Design
    • Architecture
  • MEMBER LOGIN
  • JOIN OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
  • Contact Advertise Sitemap
Home / Travel
Travel

Inside Estonia’s Artisan Cider Scene

By Santiago Rodriguez Tarditi on February 28, 2018

This tiny Baltic country has eyes towards the future. In this case, choosing cider over traditional wine and vodka.

© Courtesy Siidri Koda

SHARE:

Strategically located at the crossroads of Scandinavia, Central Europe, and Russia, Estonia is the northern gateway to the Baltic countries. A region that fuses tradition and modernity, it’s known for its technological prowess; Estonia the first to implement online voting in 2005, and now home to tech start-ups ranging from Skype to TransferWise.

The tiny Baltic enclave has also gained a reputation for its quirky character, with a mother-tongue so complex it inspired the Dothraki language. Influenced by the style of its Scandinavian neighbors, a legacy of brutalist and socialist architecture left by prolonged Soviet occupation, and a global perspective fueled by inclusion in the European Union—Estonians are a true European hybrid; Tallinn one of the continent’s most exciting capitals.

When I visited the city recently, I was seduced by its beauty and chicness, not to mention its relative calm (“why isn’t the capital swarmed with tourists?”) and people’s warmth despite subzero temperatures. I was also surprised that most bars and restaurants, in addition to staples of vodka and the traditional Vana Tallinn liqueur, offered a comprehensive assortment of craft ciders; great news for those with gluten allergies or locals merely seeking a fruity, refreshing alternative to heavier beers and spirits.

In the old town and newer districts of Kalamaja and Telliskivi, decaying factories were in recent decades converted into artisanal ateliers (like the excellent Tali design shop). Meanwhile, boho boutiques like Jooks Bikes delight and cultural institutions like the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center are leading a cultural charge. Among this thriving area, there’s a nascent cider scene that’s taking the city by storm.

 
Courtesy City Cider

City Cider

Most are initially drawn to these bottles thanks to their slick design but stay loyal due to a plethora of flavor options. City Cider’s offerings include ten different bottles that range from semi-dry to semi-sweet, a brut sparkling wine, a few mixed creations (one with strawberry), and a limited edition ‘voodoo’ cider, aged in old Jamaican rum barrels. Opting for the entry-level choice, I tried the semi-dry. Used to sweet British ciders, I was initially shocked by its highly acidic and bitter flavor. Upon sensory recovery, I immensely enjoyed the ensuing gulps. I later learned City Cider is produced with local organic apples, also earning a bronze medal in the International Cider Challenge 2017—yet another reason to be fond of the 2016 MULL variety. citycider.ee

Veronika Roosimaa

Jaanihanso

When it comes to producing high-quality ciders, these brewers cover all the bases. Functioning in an 18th-century farm in Kaelase, one-hour south of Tallinn, this family-run company calls its product “apple wine”—a testament to the elegance of their operation. This is not your average bar cider. Instead, it’s a fruity and smooth brew fermented in-bottle, meant to be served in a chalice and enjoyed plentifully over a lengthy dinner. The complexity of the flavors comes from the different cultivars used—some of these endemic apples unavailable globally, including the Antoonovka, Dolgo, Paide Taliõun and Talvenauding. Overall, they blend to create an elaborate and velvety drink. jaanihanso.ee

Courtesy Siidri Koda

Siidri Koda

Due to its unassuming packaging, if this cider hadn’t been twice awarded the silver medal at the International Cider Challenge, it likely would have flown under my radar. But I’m supremely glad it didn't, as I much enjoyed Siidri Koda’s intricate round of vintage ciders. Produced in limited quantities, according to the year’s yield, the label offers a singular imbibing experience.

Courtesy Nudist

Nudist

Impressed with the robust liquid that swirled in my mouth, I found this label to be refreshing, quite sweet but not overly sugary. For a brewery that’s operated for only two years, I tip my hat. nudistdrink.com

Courtesy Tori Siidritalu

Siidri Talu

A refined choice, this small-scale cidery is run almost entirely by Karmo and Veranika Haas, a young couple who took to farm life in 2014. Priding themselves on growing apples ecologically, the duo personally oversees all production stages—from planting and grafting to the bottling and labeling. The pair also deserves applause for their supreme focus on detail; before commencing operations, the Haas family enlisted the help of researchers at the Polli Horticultural Research Center to select the best variety of apples for their terroir. If you’d like to take a peek at the result, you can always book a tour of the property in Pärny County and learn the secrets behind a good cider. siidritalu.ee

Explore More in Travel

tout-img

Serena Williams Opens Up About Her New Limited-Edition Collaboration With Away That's Meant to Inspire Your Future Travels

tout-img

New Superyacht Built for World Travelers Can Withstand Climates From the Caribbean Down to Antarctica

tout-img

Mix Classic With Cool on Your Next Vacation in Charleston


Marketing Events & Promotions

Become a DEPARTURES VIP

Join our Weekly Newsletter

Privacy Statement
Join our Weekly Newsletter
Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design
FOLLOW US
Other Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group websites: 
  • Travel + Leisure
  • Food & Wine
Related Websites for DEPARTURES International Editions:
  • DEPARTURES-International.com
Learn more about the American Express Platinum Card® benefits

View Terms of Service  and  Privacy Statement.   Ad Choices EU Data Subject Requests All users of our online services subject to Privacy Statement and agree to be bound by Terms of Service. Please review.

© 2021 American Express Company. All rights reserved. Departures® is published by Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group, a subsidiary of Meredith Corporation. Departures is a trademark of
American Express Marketing & Development Corp. and is used under limited license. Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group is not affiliated with American Express Company or its subsidiaries.

  • RSS
  • Advertise
  • Advertise
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Promotions
  • Site Map

Member Login

The current issue of DEPARTURES is available exclusively to American Express Platinum Card® Members.

Cancel