Best apple cider vinegar taste test

What is apple cider vinegar?

Simply put, it’s vinegar made from fermented apple juice. The juice is fermented into cider, after which a vinegar mother (a gelatinous blob of friendly bacteria) is added. This feeds on the alcohol and sugars, creating acetic acid as a by-product. Apple cider vinegar is often advertised as being sold ‘with the mother’ – this means it is unfiltered and will contain more of the enzymes and gut-friendly bacteria.

How we tested

We tasted each vinegar on its own, looking for a pronounced apple flavour, smoothness, balance of sugar and acid, and its ‘length’ – how long the flavour stays on your tongue.

The results of the best apple cider vinegar taste test

Winner: Willy’s organic apple cider vinegar, £6.95 (500ml), Sainsbury's

Score: 9/10

This has a kombucha-like, fermented smell on the nose, with a real roundness. A big punch of apple cider flavour, excellent balance of sweet and sour, and the best length of the bunch. A stand-out winner.

Osu apple cider vinegar, £7 (500ml), Waitrose

Score: 8/10

We juggled with whether to include this or not, as it’s actually apple cider vinegar mixed with juice. But its flavour swayed us: sweet, sour and syrupy like balsamic vinegar but with deep apple flavour. Great with oil for dipping bread into.

Bragg organic apple cider vinegar, £6.99 (473ml), Holland & Barrett

Score: 7/10

A good vinegar. Strong cider aromas on the nose, with a deep, long flavour. A big initial hit of vinegar that then mellows, with a touch of sweetness.

Biona Organic cider vinegar, £2.69 (500ml), Biona

Score: 6/10

This has an aroma and initial flavour of Breton cider – oaky, with farmyard and fermented notes. Sadly, that fades to a very vinegary flavour – almost malt vinegar in its profile.

Aspall organic apple cyder vinegar, £2.60 (500ml), Sainsbury's

Score: 6/10

This has little apple flavour – if we didn’t know otherwise, we wouldn’t have known it was made from the fruit. But it is a smooth, balanced vinegar.

RAW organic apple cider vinegar, £5.75 (1 litre), Superfood Market

Score: 5/10

Very vinegary with little pronounced apple or cider flavour. Not a huge amount of sweetness, either.

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