Review: Absolut Amber – Oak Aged Vodka
Drink Spirits has an exclusive review of the upcoming Absolut Amber an oak aged vodka.
Whiskey
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The Smirnoff Vodka Challenge
The folks over at Smirnoff Vodka are so confident over the quality of their popular vodka, they sent it along with two other vodkas for a blind head to head challenge. Which one won? Read our article to find out.
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Chambord and Chambord Flavored Vodka Reviewed
We were first introduced to Chambord as a float on top of a Whiskey Sour at a bar in Portland, Oregon. It was one of those “Ah ha!” moments when we experienced one of our favorite drinks completely transformed with just a touch of another spirit. Over the years Chambord has popped up as an ingredient in many drinks we’ve had and each time it’s been the spirit that has really made the drink shine. We realized a few weeks back that we had never really sat down to experience Chambord on its own. It had always been a supporting player in an ensemble cast. When we sipped Chambord straight, we were blown away – of course all of the drinks we had with Chambord were so good, because Chambord is simply amazing. Chambord (33 proof, $32.99 for 750ml) is...
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Smooth Ambler Whitewater Vodka Review
By definition, vodka is a neutral grain spirit which has been distilled and filtered to remove the flavors of the base grain and its fermentation. When we “taste” most vodkas for review, the focus tends to lean more towards smoothness, mouthfeel and quality of distillation than flavor. To make matters more complicated, many vodkas on the market come from the same source – industrial neutral grain alcohol (aka NGS) manufactured by companies like ADM. This base spirit, shipped throughout the country on rail cars, is often redistilled (sometimes not), filtered and then flavored. You’d be surprised just how many of the vodkas at your local liquor store all begin their journey from the very same factory. In this market awash in industrial NGS, it may seem like a luxury for a distiller to ferment their own grain to make vodka....
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Dry Fly Vodka, Gin and Whiskey Reviewed
When it comes to micro-distillers committed to using local, sustainable and quality ingredients and distilling them perfectly, Dry Fly Distilling is blazing trails and making a huge name for itself. The buzz around Dry Fly is warranted. We tried their Vodka, Gin, and Whiskey and found each to be expertly crafted and all delicious. Of the three, our absolute favorite is the Dry Fly Vodka. By definition, vodka is supposed to be a neutral grain spirit, nearly orderless and flavorless. Dry Fly bucks this convention and lets their grain shine through. It’s a bold move that pays off extremely well. Here’s how the Dry Fly spirits fared with our panel: Dry Fly Vodka – (80 proof) For anyone who badmouths vodka as being bland and boring, this is the vodka that will rock your world. With a very sweet nose that...
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Organic Nation Vodka and Gin Review
Organic foods have seen an absolute explosion in popularity over the past few years. More people are caring what goes into what they eat and where it comes from. When it comes to distilled spirits, many of these same environmentally-conscious people drink vodka made from the same industrial neutral grain spirit manufactured by ADM. While not every distillery has the capacity to ferment their grains themselves to make vodka, places like Organic Nation are sourcing their neutral grain base spirits from organic and environmentally-sensitive sources. Based in Ashland, Oregon, Organic Nation is a great example of a mico-distillery doing something unique and blazing a trail for the industry. Organic Nation produces two distilled spirits, Organic Nation Vodka and Organic Nation Gin. Of the two, we really fell in love with the Organic Nation Gin, one of our favorite balanced mixing...
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Bakon Vodka (Bacon Flavored Vodka) Review
I have to admit that when it comes to Vodka I don’t often get all that excited. The notion of brands competing against each other to see which one can make a neutral grain spirit so tasteless and undetectable that it’s nearly invisible really isn’t all that appealing to me. That’s why I was so excited to give Bakon a try, a breath of fresh air in a marketplace that seems to take its self far too seriously. Bakon Vodka is a bacon-flavored vodka from Black Rock Spirits in Washington. It’s something different and unique in the world of spirits, and honestly something that sounded like fun. From a marketing perspective, Black Rock Spirits has hit an absolute home run. Piggy backing on the bacon craze, Bakon is the kind of spirit that gets attention simply for the fact that it exists. Cleverly branded...