Has a vodka ever generated
as much buzz as this recent release from Absolut? A big-brand entry into the
“handcrafted” spirits category, this vodka is copper-pot-distilled from winter wheat
grown on a single estate in southern Sweden, with an equally impressive flavor
profile to match. It’s soft and subtly sweet up front, with a bit of black
pepper spice and toasted grain mid-palate, followed by a clean, mellow finish.
A vodka worth sipping and savoring? Definitely. ($50/1 liter SRP)
Texas is grapefruit
territory, and perhaps no one knows that better than Austin-based distiller
Deep Eddy. Fusing fresh-squeezed flavors of ruby reds with their supremely
smooth classic vodka, this citrus-spiked sipper is plump and juicy from start
to finish—we’re seriously impressed by how well they’ve preserved the freshness
of the fruit flavor. A splash of soda and a squeeze of lime and our summertime
porch sipping is set. ($18 SRP)
The Michigan-based spirits
company beloved for its freshly flavored liqueurs (think blood orange, cucumber
and even yumberry) recently launched its first plain vodka. Distilled from
organic grains, it’s sweet and creamy (we found it reminiscent of ice cream and
sweetened condensed milk) and left us with a hankering for a White Russian.
($20 SRP)
Bloody Mary, meet your
vodka match. Made from distilled grains and soaked with a bouquet of bay
seasonings (think crushed bay leaves, celery, paprika and loads of red pepper
spice), each sip starts out salty as the sea, before the hit of mouthwatering
spice. ($26 SRP)
What do you get when you
combine potatoes, water and yeast? If you’re Colorado-based Woody Creek
Distilleries, you end up with some delicious vodka. Three varieties of potatoes
get washed and mashed at the distillery before a single fermentation, leaving
lots of subtle nuances in tact. It’s sweet and creamy with a balance of fresh
fruit flavors and a backbone of earthy spice. ($40 SRP)