Like a white wine with complex flavors. The apple character must marry with the botanicals and give a balanced result.
Clear to brilliant. Color should be that of a standard cider unless other ingredients are expected to contribute color.
The cider character must always be present, and must fit with added ingredients. If a spirit barrel was used, the character of the spirit (rum, whiskey, etc.) must be no more than just recognizable; it must not be a substantial element of the flavor.
Average body, may show tannic (astringent) or heavy body as determined by other ingredients.
Additives may include white and brown sugars, molasses, small amounts of honey, and raisins. Additives are intended to raise OG well above that which would be achieved by apples alone. This style is sometimes barrel-aged, in which case there will be oak character as with a barrel-aged wine. If the barrel was formerly used to age spirits, some flavor notes from the spirit (e.g., whisky or rum) may also be present, but must be subtle.