What do farm-to-table and your favourite spirit have in common? More than you think. Just as your favourite vegetable tastes better plucked straight from the garden, a spirit crafted with estate-grown ingredients, only a stone’s throw from the distillation room, is more artisanal and flavourful.

The concept isn’t new – origin and provenance have applied to wine for centuries – but a renewed awareness and interest in vertically integrated products is growing the category. So much so that it has its own term: seed-to-spirit.

‘Seed-to-spirit is a natural extension of farm-to-table [as] it brings that same transparency and connection to origin into the world of spirits,’ says Rico Dynan, global brand ambassador for Absolut Vodka.

Absolut’s One Source philosophy was a founding principle of the distillery which is based in Åhus, Sweden, and it’s still implemented today, to showcase the traceability of its core ingredients. The wheat and water are both sourced from the same southern Swedish community where the vodka is distilled.

Seed-to-spirit basics

Also called grain-to-glass or barn-to-barrel, the vertically integrated blueprint is attractive to both consumers and producers. The shorter supply chain is more environmentally responsible, there’s an appeal of quality control and it’s financially beneficial to both parties.

Proof that beyond market trends, seed-to-spirit holds the potential to change the future of how we produce, consume and view spirits.

First and foremost, the ethos of seed-to-spirit ‘reminds people that distillation begins in the soil, not in a factory,’ says Kirsty Black, Master Distiller at Arbikie Distillery in Montrose, Scotland.

Raw ingredients and regional identity

For vodka, this means shifting away from pigeon-holeing the spirit into the ‘neutral’ category – repositioning it from a blank canvas to a spirit with flavour, texture and even terroir. ‘That’s fundamentally changing how vodka is judged and enjoyed,’ says Black.

For gin, tequila and whisky, seed-to-spirit may seem more inherent, but the increased attention to sourcing repositions new opportunities for drinkers to consider every step of production before buying a bottle.

In agave spirits, this is a focus on cultivation and regional identity. In whisky, it applies to grain provenance and long-term agricultural unions. For gin, a pure base spirit allows the botanicals to become the primary focus of storytelling.

‘Because gin is built around layered aromatic ingredients, the seed-to-spirit movement allows distillers to showcase biodiversity and terroir in a uniquely creative way,’ says Guy Brennan, cofounder and CEO of Procera, a gin expressing African terroir. ‘It creates space for regional identity.’

Quality control

Traceability doesn’t just make for a better story, it results in better taste. Whether farming their own land or sourcing from farms within a limited radius, when distilleries are able to oversee every step from seed selection to maturation ‘flavour is considered right from the start, not engineered at the end,’ explains Black.

That control is what attracted Chris Pateman to the Lancaster Spirits Company, a self-titled grain-to-glass distillery in northern England specialising in craft batch single malt English whisky. ‘There’s no automation; we are doing everything by hand on a proper small scale,’ he shares.

Pateman comprises one of two team members who run the entire production process. Part of their quality assurance includes a weekly tracker of grain, water and wash used for resource management. ‘We can quite literally batch check everything we make from start to finish,’ says Pateman.

An important clarification, however, is that quality control doesn’t equate to uniformity. Instead, after decades of distilleries prioritising consistency, seed-to-spirit recognises that variation is part of the story, embracing character, seasonality and authenticity.

Price tag

Vertically integrated spirits are cost effective for producers as they eliminate the middle man; labour and subsequent costs such as gas and transport fees, which are often projected on to the consumer. In England’s Lake District, Grasmere Distillery sources wheat for its single malt whisky directly from farmers. It then passes on those savings to the consumer.

‘In the UK, grain-to-glass is usually the cheaper product – it’s better and more unique for a lower price,’ says Paul Abbott, founder and head distiller.

It’s viable not only for consumers, but also the bar industry. Jared Boller, cocktail specialist at Kilgore Hospitality Group, explains a bartender’s perspective: ‘It’s in our best interest to create tighter sourcing relationships, accepting smaller batch sizes.’ The bar programme may need to be flexible with what’s available, but at least staff and imbiber aren’t overpaying for monotony.

Environmental bonus

Not only does seed-to-spirit production decrease transport emissions, but when distilleries are in charge of their own crops, they have a vested interest in their land’s longevity. In Kentucky, Maker’s Mark is transitioning its corn and wheat to Regenified certification for regenerative agriculture to encourage long-term soil health.

At its Star Hill Farm, Maker’s Mark focuses on treating the wheat types grown with regenerative farming practices ‘as a primary driver of complexity, not just an ingredient’, says Rob Samuels, managing director. The quality of flavour is a subsequent result of healthy soil.

In Scotland, Arbikie uses alternative home-grown crops, such as peas, in its Nàdar Gin. The crop requires little or no nitrogen, which can result in a climate-positive spirit. The distillery itself was born from the need to find a home for its potatoes that didn’t meet retail specifications; Tattie Bogle Potato Vodka was its first release, ensuring a continuous process and less waste on the farm.

Back to nature

The shift in consumer preferences towards the priority of integrity, not only in flavour, but also in sourcing and impact, makes room in the market for more unique spirits that are ‘less about imitation and more about identity’, says Brennan. Ultimately, that identity reflects a specific destination’s ecosystem, ethos and culture that consumers can taste.

The shift ‘feels less like embracing a trend and more like returning to something fundamental’, he adds. Just as society did with the farm-to-table movement, we’ve realised things actually taste better when they are grown, harvested and treated as an agricultural product, not an industrial one.

Seed‑to‑spirit applies that mentality to what we’re drinking. Ultimately, it resonates because it ‘reconnects distillation with nature’, concludes Black.

Six tasty seed-to-spirit bottles to try

Absolut Vodka

Smooth and full-bodied with a fruity finish, Absolut brings a velvet-like texture to an Espresso Martini. Alcohol 40%

Arbikie 1794 Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky

Spiced pear aromas evolve into a dried fruit and nut cake in the mouth. Lighter-bodied yet ripe with flavour, try this single estate Scotch in a Rob Roy. Alc 48%

Oxbow Estate Rhum Louisiane

Layers of lemongrass, ripe plantain and dried mango define this single-barrel agricole rum that’s exclusively distilled once a year from the Louisiana-based Oxbow Distillery’s estate-grown sugarcane. It’s a strong base for a classic Daiquiri. Alc 45%

Procera Blue Dot Gin

A clean juniper backbone with notes of lime zest and fresh herbs, finishing with a lingering note of pink peppercorn. Incredibly smooth and medium-bodied, it’s the ideal Martini gin. Alc 44%

Solento Organic Tequila Extra Añejo

This single-estate tequila is aged for 40 months in American oak barrels for a sip that’s toffee-forward with hints of roasted almonds and candied-orange peel. Enjoy neat with an expressed orange peel. Alc 40%

Star Hill Farm Whisky

A nose that mimics freshly baked banana bread opens to a spiced honeycomb palate with warm cinnamon and a subtle oak finish. Crafted from three different types of wheat, the rich yet silky texture lends itself to a unique Manhattan. Alc 58.2%

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As botanically flavoured spirits go, gin is undoubtedly the most ubiquitous of recent times. But another is nipping at its heels: botanical vodka.

Botanical vodkas are flavoured via distillation with plant-based botanicals including fruits, herbs, flowers and spices. These could be distilled with the spirit itself, or used to create botanical essences that are blended with it.

It’s important to note the distinction between botanical vodkas and the broader category of flavoured vodkas; the latter are generally flavoured after distillation through maceration, infusion, or by adding extracts and sweeteners.

While botanical vodkas are very similar to gin, one crucial requirement separates them: gin must have a primary flavour of juniper. Without this stipulation, botanical vodka producers can spotlight other elements, be it locally sourced ingredients or delicate flavours that would struggle against juniper’s piney might.

Freedom of expression

William Lowe MW, a Master Distiller and co-founder of Cambridge Distillery, says its Meadow Mist botanical vodkas provide a ‘different framework for expression’ compared with its gins. ‘Without juniper as the structural backbone, it allows a single ingredient or idea to sit completely at the forefront.’

Sloemotion’s Hedgerow Botanical Vodka is designed as an expression of the Yorkshire countryside that surrounds the distillery. Founder Joff Curtoys (below) sought a ‘purer taste of the hedgerows’, using botanicals including crab apple, elderflower, rosehip and nettle leaf.

Finding flavour

For Hugh Lambert at Shanty Spirit, the style offered a blank canvas for the coastally inspired vodka he wanted to produce. His Seaweed Botanical Vodka contains five native varieties of its namesake plant. ‘The flavour we wanted [was] crisp and fresh, like jumping in the sea,’ he says.

Hepple Spirits also heroes one botanical in its Douglas Fir Vodka, but uses three methods to capture its aromatic character. There’s traditional pot distillation; a lower-temperature rotary evaporator; and a supercritical fluid extractor, a machine normally found in perfume houses.

A conscious choice

While botanical vodka doesn’t command the public profile of gin, it is gaining traction amid the trend toward more conscious consumption. Sebastian Bunford-Jones, global marketing manager at The Glasgow Distillery Co, believes both drinkers and bartenders are becoming more receptive to spirits that ‘prioritise provenance, natural ingredients and production transparency’. Those values sit at the heart of the distillery’s G52 Botanical Vodkas.

Gemma Standeven, founder and director at Gattertop Drinks Company, which makes Gattertop No7 Botanical Vodka, feels they are a natural next step for gin drinkers. ‘Gin has educated consumers to expect botanical complexity, and some drinkers want that flavour but in a smoother, less juniper-forward format,’ she says.

How to drink botanical vodkas

The nature and flavours of botanical vodkas make them ideal for mixing. For a simpler serve, pair with tonic or soda water or stir down in a Martini.

When using in more highly flavoured cocktails, let the botanicals guide your choice. Use a more savoury vodka for a Bloody Mary, a citrussy spirit for a Cosmopolitan, or a richer one for an Espresso Martini.

Silver Circle’s Black Garlic Vodka was developed with a particular cocktail in mind. ‘As Bloody Mary fans, we were excited to explore a botanical vodka which would complement tomato juice and spice,’ explains distillery co-founder Nina Howden. ‘The black garlic deepens the drink, adding richness and savoury sweetness.’

Whatever your preference, there’s sure to be a botanical vodka that ticks the right flavour boxes.

Botanical vodkas: 10 to try

Assaranca Vodka

Made by Sliabh Liag Distillers in Donegal, Ireland using native botanicals gorse flower and rowan berry. Creamy cereal aromas alongside gentle grassiness and citrussy herbs. Plump mouthfeel, with additional red berry flavours. Its gentleness wants a minimal serve: with soda or in a Martini. Alcohiol 41%

Blackwoods Botanical Vodka

Heroes botanicals that reflect its home in Inverkip, Scotland, including sea buckthorn, sea mint and kelp. Sweet cereal, citrus peel and washed mint aromas lead to a balanced citrussy, sweet and herbal palate. Try it in a Cosmopolitan for added zing. Alc 40%

Cambridge Distillery Meadow Mist Verbena Vodka

Produced via vacuum distillation to preserve the delicate flavours of its hero botanical, lemon verbena. Tart, citrussy aroma with accompanying sweet cereal notes. Superbly round texture. The botanical profile crescendoes into the finish, clear and crisp. One for a Martini. Alc 40%

Dunnet Bay Distillers Holy Grass Vodka

Distilled with native holy grass, which has a vanilla-like aroma, alongside cinnamon and Scottish apple juice. Aromas and flavours of crisp raw apple, creamy vanilla and powdered cinnamon, with gentle grassy notes. Serve long with apple juice or ginger ale. Alc 41.5%

Gattertop No7 Botanical Vodka

An English vodka created with a concentrated distillate of elderflower, rosemary, nettle, basil, damson leaves, apple blossom and coriander. Fragrant and softly herbaceous with citrussy coriander, plummy fruits and sweet florals. Keep the serve classic with a Martini or Vodka Tonic. Alc 38%

G52 Fresh Citrus Botanical Vodka

Distilled with fresh lemons, limes, ginger and lemongrass, alongside vapour-infused orange and pink grapefruit. Big, bright citrussy character – the flesh, juice and oils – accompanied by notes of fresh ginger and creamy sweetness on the palate. Mix long with soda or tonic. Alc 40%

Hepple Douglas Fir Vodka

Three distillation methods are used to capture the flavour of its lead botanical, Douglas fir shoots. Refreshing aroma with pine needles, lemon peel and saline hints. Oily palate with citrus and herbaceous notes. Made for Martinis, however you have them. Alc 41%

Shanty Seaweed Botanical Vodka

The botanicals include five hand-foraged British seaweeds alongside galangal, wasabi, yuzu and bergamot. Balanced maritime aroma combining oily, herbaceous, citrus and vegetal notes. Mouthfilling, with sweet salinity and herbal flavours. Mix long in a Mule, or use it to supercharge a Dirty Martini. Alc 40%

Sloemotion Hedgerow Botanical Vodka

Featuring botanicals from its Yorkshire home including rosehip, nettle leaf and elderflower. Sweet, concentrated hedgerow fruit aromas with rosy florals and underlying spice. Herbaceous nettles on the palate with elderflower sweetness and lingering rose. Try it in a Martini or Vodka Tonic. Alc 40%

Silver Circle Black Garlic Vodka

Featuring Isle of Wight black garlic, toasted bread and lapsang souchong tea. Potent garlicky aromas, from deep umami to sweet cooked cloves, with gentle smokiness. Silky palate with underlying sweetness and spice. A savoury serve calls: maybe a Bloody Mary or Dirty Martini. Alc 40%

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Finding the perfect gift is never an easy task – especially if you’re celebrating a special occasion like an anniversary or big birthday.

But drinks lovers will always welcome a new bottle to add to their collection; something that can be opened and enjoyed for months to come.

A matter of taste

The perfect present is something that looks the part but also tastes great. While vodka is often thought of as a neutral spirit, it can be distilled from a range of raw materials that greatly influence the texture and flavour of the spirit in the bottle.

Grains and potatoes are the most common base ingredients for vodkas. But a vodka can actually be distilled from almost anything, from grapes and apples to rice and milk – even oyster shells.

Something different

These more unusual vodkas can make an original gift. Try Black Cow Vodka, a zero-waste product made from milk of cows that graze by the distillery in south-west Dorset. Gift packed in a milk carton, it makes a fun present – and it’s a cracking choice for mixing up a White Russian cocktail too (£31/70cl, Sainsburys).

If you’d prefer to play it safe, grain-based vodkas are a classic choice. Wheat vodkas, like Absolut (see below) are smooth and usually have a slight sweetness to their flavour. Potato-based spirits, such as Polish vodka Chopin, will be creamier and often have a slightly nutty taste (£38.50/70cl, The Whisky Exchange).

Hey good looking…

So much for taste, what about appearance? When super-premium vodkas started to hit the shelves in the 1990s, their sleek, minimalist bottles, often frosted or artfully sculpted, immediately set them apart.

Stylish brands such as Belvedere (see below) and Grey Goose are now iconic – and will always make a great choice for a gift. But there are various bottle designs to suit every personality and style in the vodka market.

Grand designs

Swedish vodka brand Absolut releases highly collectible limited-edition bottles each year. There’s even a global collector’s club for these exclusive and rare bottles. Its current limited release is a homage to late pop artist and activist Keith Haring, whose vibrant street designs were part of the influential New York art scene of the 1980s.

Or what about a vodka bottle that looks like a perfume bottle? Scent creator Jo Malone CBE launched her Jo Vodka range earlier this year. The three signature expressions are presented in tall Art Deco-style bottles, with red glass stoppers that echo the design of perfume bottles.

Need more shopping inspiration? Try these suggestions below – all delicious bottles that I have in my own home bar…

Best vodkas to give as a gift: 10 expert ideas

06 Vodka Rosé

A perfect choice for wine lovers, this French winter wheat vodka from the Comte de Grasse distillery captures the essence of Provençal rosé. It was created by aromatician and Master Distiller Marie-Anne Contamin, using a technique based on methods used in the fragrance industry to extract flavour molecules and colour pigments from a Côte de Provence organic wine. The result is an aromatic and taste profile that will be very familiar to rosé drinkers, with delicate strawberry notes, subtle florality, peach and a beautifully creamy texture. Alcohol 37.5%

Absolut Haring Artist-Edition

Swedish vodka Absolut was launched in 1979 with its iconic design based on 18th century apothecary bottles. Its special editions always make a great choice for gifting – in fact there’s a global collector’s club for these exclusive and rare bottles. The latest edition pays homage to pop artist Keith Haring, who first designed a bottle for Absolut in 1986. Made from a base of winter wheat in Åhus, Absolut has a silky palate with notes of caramel and creamy vanilla, white bread and cashew nuts, plus liquorice and anise spice. Alc 40%

Beluga Gold Line

For those who enjoy theatre, smartly boxed Beluga comes with a hammer to break the wax-sealed bottles open. Beyond the theatrics is a seductively smooth super-premium spirit, distilled in Montenegro from organic winter wheat and rested for 90 days after distillation. This self-styled ‘vodka gastronomique’ is a fine choice to sip neat with caviar. Light grain notes give a base layer to fresh herbal and citrus flavours with a slightly salty savoury edge. Clean and crisp. Alc 40%

Belvedere

Launched in 1993, Poland’s Belvedere was one of the original brands that kick-started the craze for premium vodka in the 1990s. Belvedere means ‘beautiful to see’, and is inspired by the neoclassical Belweder Palace in Warsaw – the distinctive building that adorns every beautiful frosted bottle. Made from Dankowskie Gold rye and quadruple-distilled, this vodka is bright, with vanilla, almond and citrus notes. There’s also a distinct peppery spice thanks to the rye. Alc 40%

Crystal Head Vodka

Launched in 2008 by Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd, Crystal Head makes a statement with its striking skull-shaped bottle designed by artist friend John Alexander. Inside the bottle is a grain vodka filtered seven times, including three times through layers of semi-precious crystals. It’s very clean and clear, with delicate notes of vanilla, black pepper and caramel. If you’re after a gift that’s even more unusual and distinctive, buy Crystal Head’s Onyx: presented in a black skull and made from Mexican Blue Weber agave. Alc 40%

Elyx

With its handsome 1920s Art Deco-inspired bottle, Elyx is the luxury expression of Absolut, crafted from winter wheat grown on the historic Råbelöf estate in southern Sweden – an area with a grain-growing tradition dating back to the 15th century. Distilled in vintage, manually operated copper column stills dating back to 1921, Elyx delivers a remarkably smooth and silky texture. On the palate, it reveals elegant notes of nutty granola, warm ginger, freshly baked baguette and a hint of creamy fudge. Alc 42.3%

Meili Vodka

If you want to gift a bottle with some hefty celebrity credentials and rockstar attitude, try Meili, created by actor Jason Momoa – famous for Aquaman and Game of Thrones – and designer Blaine Halvorsen. Pronounced ‘may-lee’ this is a vodka with style and substance: rich and soft, with sweet cereal hints on the palate, it’s made in Montana from a blend of local native and seasonal grains, with natural spring water from a 300-million-year-old aquifer. Bottles are crafted from 100% recycled glass, meaning each one is uniquely imperfect – and it makes a seriously smooth Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Cardrona The Reid Single Malt Vodka

One for whisky lovers, The Reid is made by New Zealand’s Cardrona Distillery in the Crown Range mountains. Crafted from just three ingredients – malted barley, distiller’s yeast and alpine water from nearby Mount Cardrona – and unusually for a vodka, it’s unfiltered. This makes for a characterful drop with aromas of ripe pear, vanilla, Caramac and malted milk biscuits. The weighty palate has a rich earthiness balanced by lemon zest and grassy notes.

Its elegant teardrop bottle makes it a stylish gift to grace any drinks cabinet. Alc 41%

Ukiyo Japanese Rice Vodka

This distinctive and beautifully bottled Japanese vodka is made in Okinawa from long grain rice, which is first distilled into traditional awamori spirit, then redistilled into vodka. The fragrant nose is reminiscent of sake, with warm floral notes and yuzu citrus. Spicy in the mouth, with notes of liquorice and aniseed, alongside lavender, violet and citrus zest. Sake fans will love this in a Vodkatini. Alc 40%

X Muse

Pronounced ‘tenth muse’ – a reference to the nine inspirational muses of Greek mythology – Scotland’s first blended barley vodka has an artistic soul. Its beautiful sculptural bottle is inspired by Cells of Life, a land art installation by Charles Jencks, at the Jupiter Artland contemporary sculpture park. Two different barley varieties – Maris Otter and Plumage Archer – are used to create a creamy and flinty palate, with notes of orchard fruit, grain and peppery spice. Alc 40%

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What’s your favourite summer drink? Some sips seem perfectly suited to warm weather – from a crisp G&T to exotic tropical cocktails.

But even if you have a fave summer tipple, it’s always fun to try something new and this summer there’s more choice than ever, with plenty of new launches and seasonal editions that are bang on trend.

Refreshing spritzes

Who doesn’t love a summer spritz? Refreshing, versatile and lower in alcohol than classic cocktails, it’s no wonder the spritz has become a popular summer drinks fixture. In fact, last year spritz serves accounted for one in seven cocktails sold in the UK, versus one in 11 the previous year, according to the CGA Mixed Drinks Q3 2023/2024 Report.

Many bars offer a dedicated spritz menu in summer. But it’s fun to play around with ingredients to create your own serves at home. Just remember to use a big wine glass and plenty of ice.

This summer I’ve been mixing up elegant Italicus Spritzes made with exotic bergamot liqueur (see below). But I’ve also got a few bottles of the new Ready-to-Serve Aperol Spritz in my fridge, along with the new Della Vite spritz collection – two of my favourite recent launches (see below).

Spice it up

If the summer heatwaves aren’t hot enough for you, then you aren’t alone. More of us are looking to turn up the heat with spicy food and drinks…

According to the Innova Market Insights report Global Flavour Innovation Trends in Hot & Spicy Foods, published last summer, we’re all showing a growing preference for spicy flavours – especially chilli. Over the past five years, there’s been a 4% increase in global launches of chilli-flavoured foods and beverages.

Diageo’s Flavour Forecast 2024 also highlighted the trend ahead of the launch of Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind Vodka. So it’s no surprise you can spot a growing number of spicy drinks on supermarket shelves now. My favourite recent launch is Picoso (see below).

Spiced rums are a great way to tap into this trend – and there are plenty to choose from with rum sales on the rise in the UK. Data from CGA by Nielsen IQ showed that rum sales in the UK surpassed the £1bn mark for the first time in 2022. Try using spiced rum instead of your regular rum in one of these easy-to-make rum cocktails.

Tequila takeover

As well as rum, tequila and mezcal are also on the rise. According to drinks industry analyst Statista, off-trade sales of tequila are now worth just over £350m in the UK. It’s proof that more of us than ever are now mixing up tequila cocktails at home.

I can never resist a salt-rimmed Margarita, but pretty pink Palomas are a refreshing choice too – and they’re just so easy to make. Simply add tequila, grapefruit soda and lime juice to an ice-filled glass and stir; no shaking required! For more tequila cocktail inspiration, check out Clinton Cawood’s suggestions in Beyond the Margarita.

If you’re looking for tequila cocktails on the go, the MOTH Paloma is a reliable choice. After no-alcohol? Then try the ISH Paloma.

Avoiding alcohol

More and more of us are now choosing zero alcohol alternatives. Research last year by Kantar showed that 22 million adults (45% of us) are attempting to moderate their alcohol intake (Alcovision, data to 30.06.2024). Of those people, 11% regularly choose NoLo drinks options. That’s double the number from five years ago (Alcovision, data to 31.09.2023).

According to the LOW & NO 2024: Drinking Differently report by KAM, 25% of UK adults now practice ‘zebra striping’ when they’re out in pubs and bars. This refers to alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. That figure rises to 78% of 18- to 24-year-olds.

The good news is it’s easy to do this at home without compromising on taste. But whatever your preference – and whatever the occasion – the selection below will give you plenty of bright ideas for seasonal sipping…

Summer drinks: 15 to try

Aluna Coconut Rum

For a totally tropical taste try Aluna: a blend of five rums from Guatemala and the Caribbean, made with toasted coconut and sustainably sourced coconut water. Slightly lower in sugar and alcohol, there are lots of fresh creamy coconut aromas with nice spiciness on the palate, plus toasted coconut notes and vanilla – like sipping rum out of a coconut shell. Rum fans can enjoy it neat over ice; pair it with cola and lime for a coconutty Cuba Libra or pimp their Piña Colada. Alc 37.5%

Aperol Spritz Ready-to-Serve

The drink that kick-started the UK’s love affair with spritzes was finally released as a pre-mixed bottled serve in spring this year. About time! Combining the iconic orange Italian aperitif with Prosecco and soda water, it’s a sparkling bittersweet summer refresher. Serve it chilled in a large wine glass filled with ice and garnish with a fresh orange slice. For the full Italian aperitivo experience, pair it with savoury snacks or light bites. Alc 9%

Babylonstoren Bitterlekker

If you love the bittersweet taste of Aperol Spritz (see above) but don’t want to drink alcohol, try Bitterlekker. Made by South African wine producer Babylonstoren, this vibrant aperitif combines honeybush and rooibos teas with blood orange and grapefruit citrus. Notes of rosemary and orange peel add a bitter herbal character. Serve it chilled in a highball glass packed with ice, garnished with a slice of orange and a sprig of rosemary. Alc 0%

£10/6x100ml bottles, The Newt in Somerset 

Bax Botanics Verbena

Created by Rose and Chris Bax, a wife-and-husband herbalist team in Yorkshire, this is a really distinctive gin alternative. Verbena, mint and fennel are craft distilled – and their flavours are faithfully reflected in a drink with precision, lift and the joyous lazy hum of a British country garden. Pair it with tonic water and lots of ice; ready-to-drink cans are also available. Alc 0%

£18.99/50cl Bax Botanics, Master of Malt

Black Lines Dirty Shirley

A Shirley Temple – made with ginger ale and a splash of grenadine, garnished with a maraschino cherry – is the classic virgin cocktail. But if you’d like something a bit harder for your summer parties, try a Dirty Shirley from the clever cocktail folk at Black Lines. Combining Sapling Vodka with grenadine, ginger ale, raspberry soda, blood orange and bitters, it’s dangerously moreish… Serve it chilled: 150ml in a slingor highball glass filled with ice and garnished with an orange slice and maraschino cherry (of course). I also love the crisp and fresh Black Lines Hugo Spritz. Alc 7%

£18/750ml, Black Lines Drinks

Della Vite Spritzes 

Della Vite, the Prosecco brand co-founded by Cara Delevingne, has launched a collection of canned spritzes, inspired by Italian aperitivo serves. In pretty pastel cans, the range includes an Apertivo Spritz (Alc 10%) and Bellini Spritz (Alc 7.5% abv), alongside my favourites: a zesty Sicilian Lemon Spritz (Alc 10%) and the fresh, floral Hugo Spritz (Alc 10%). For anyone avoiding alcohol, there’s also a 0% Aperiti-No Spritz. Delevingne says: ‘Our new range of Spritzes are inspired by the aperitivo culture we love when we’re in Italy, but made to be cracked open wherever and wherever. They’re fun, they’re bold and, just like our core range of Proseccos, don’t need any fuss or formality.’ Alc various

£32/8x200ml cans, Amazon

El Bandarra Al Fresco

Made in Barcelona, El Bandarra Al Fresco is a bitter-sweet vermouth that you can pair with tonic for a vibrant summer serve. With lower alcohol than a G&T, vermouth and tonic is a lighter, more refreshing take on a sparkling summer cocktail. Mix 50ml El Bandarra Al Fresco with 100ml tonic in a highball glass filled with ice and garnish with an orange slice. The eye-catching graphic bottle – inspired by tapas menus – looks great too. Alc 14.5%

Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto

Perfumed and sophisticated, this bergamot liqueur from Turin is a modern take on the classic aromatic Italian rosolio (a type of aperitivo). With light hints of floral spice, it makes a refreshing summer tipple paired simply with soda water or tonic over ice. If you’re feeling fancier, try it in a spritz with any Prosecco or sparkling wine, garnished with three green olives to give a balancing touch of savoury saltiness to counter the sweet florality. What’s more, the eye-catching aquamarine bottle – inspired by ancient Roman columns and Northern Italian Gothic architecture – looks effortlessly stylish on your drinks shelf… Alc 20%

Jukes Cordialities

Wine writer Matthew Jukes is the palate behind this range of alcohol-free drinks designed to appeal to wine lovers. Each numbered blend combines natural fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices and flowers with organic apple cider vinegar. Each 30ml bottle can be mixed with still or sparkling water to create two 125ml glasses. My pick for summer, Jukes 8 is inspired by Provence rosé, with notes of rhubarb, melon, pomegranate and apple. Alc 0%

£43 / 9 x 30ml bottles, Jukes Cordialities

Manly Spirits Marine Botanical Vodka

A vodka for gin lovers, this Australian spirit is distilled in Sydney using foraged marine botanicals including sea parsley and kelp. Salty, savoury aromas with underlying spiciness make your mouth water. The slightly sweet palate is creamy and savoury with some seaweed umami depth, balanced by lovely breezy ozone freshness and a clean mineral edge. Just like a day out at the seaside… A great alternative to gin with tonic or try it neat with oysters. Alc 41.6%

Picoso

Without doubt my soft drink of the summer! Picoso is a spicy soda brand with two flavours: Zesty Lime and Tropical Mango. Founders Tom Bowerman-Wake and Tish Carless use fresh chilli – Scotch bonnet in Zesty Lime and Mexican habanero in Tropical Mango – to give a well-judged kick of mouth-tingling spice that’s balanced by sweetness from natural agave. These sodas are super-versatile: enjoy them as a satisfying zero alcohol drink or add 50ml of tequila or mezcal in a higball glass with plenty of ice to create an easy cocktail. ‘Picoso promotes a new way of mixing – pushing inclusivity for drinkers and non-drinkers, ensuring that no one feels left out,’ explains Bowerman-Wake. It’s definitely time to spice up your life… Alc 0%

£15/ 6x250ml, Picoso Drinks or £10/4x250ml, Delli 

Porters Tropical Old Tom Gin

Created by bartenders in a micro-distillery in Aberdeen, this gin is made in an Old Tom style: a traditional 18th century recipe that’s slightly sweeter than London Dry. I love the fresh and faintly tropical aromas, with sappy leafiness, pineapple and floral touches. On the palate the Old Tom sweetness is balanced by fresh tropical fruit – pineapple, mango – edged in florals but also with earthy base notes, like walking through a humid rainforest. Try it in an Old Tom Collins: build in a tall glass using 50ml Porters, 25ml lemon juice, 25ml sugar syrup and 125ml chilled soda water. Alc 40%

£34.50/70cl Ocado

Sake Sling

Served in a slimline can that takes up minimal space in your fridge, sparkling Sake Sling is also light on alcohol and calories. These ready-to-drink Japanese serves are based on sake from the 200-year-old Daimon Brewery and were created by the late great British mixologist Wayne Collins. Mandarin & Cherry is a play on the flavours in a Singapore Sling cocktail. But my pick for summer is Yuzu & Melon, a fresh and elegantly fruity fizz, with delicate citrus notes that perfectly complement the floral character of the sake. Alc 5.5%

£44.45/12 x 250ml cans, Drinks One

Sarti Rosa

Made from a base of premium French vodka, Sarti Rosa apertivo is infused with Sicilian blood oranges and tropical passion fruit and mango. Its fruity taste profile will appeal to those who find Aperol and Campari too bitter. To create a vibrant pink Sarti Rosa Spritz, combine two parts Sarti Rosa with three parts sparkling wine and one part soda water in a balloon glass filled with ice. Alc 14%

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Scent creator Jo Malone CBE has announced the launch of her signature spirits range: Jo Vodka.

Malone, known for her luxury fragrance brands Jo Malone and Jo Loves, worked with Master Distiller Joanne Moore to create the three expressions in the new vodka range.

The collection’s signature vodka, 101, The Purist, forms the base for the range. 102, The Bohemian has citrus notes of bergamot, pomelo, bay leaf and yuzu. While 103, The Artist showcases floral notes of rose and neroli, with pink peppercorn and sencha.

Malone has synesthesia, a neurological condition where stimulation of one sense triggers experiences in another unrelated sense. ‘I’ve always been curious whether my sense of smell could transcend its boundaries and be reimagined in the world of taste,’ she said.

‘With Jo Vodka, I believe we’ve achieved exactly that. Each fusion captures a distinct emotion crafted to compliment how you feel in different moments and transport you to different places.’

Moore, one of the first female gin Master Distillers in the world, added: ‘I was thrilled to work with Jo on this project; she has always been a creative icon to me in the world of fragrance.

‘The collaboration gave us the chance to harmoniously merge our expertise in scent and taste, delicately infusing natural botanicals and unique flavour combinations to create a stunning range of fusion vodkas designed to awaken the senses.’

The range was developed over 12 months, working with the Quintessential Brands Group, owners of G&J Distillers. Based in Warrington, the distillery has a heritage dating back to 1761.

During the process, Malone said she ‘discovered striking parallels between the art of scent creation and the crafting of vodka’. She added: ‘Botanicals behaved in similar ways. Processes mirrored each other.’

We tasted 102, The Bohemian, which has a fragrant citrus nose – super-fresh and clean. Take a sip neat and it’s a wakeup call for your palate: crisp and zingy with lingering notes of bergamot and bayleaf spice. It would work beautifully in a Vodkatini.

The range is presented in tall art deco-style bottles, with red glass stoppers that echo the design of perfume bottles.

Jo Vodka, £49.99/70cl, Alc 40% is available to purchase from jovodka.com and in travel retail at selected Duty Free outlets. 

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Refreshing, versatile and lower in alcohol than classic cocktails, the spritz has become a popular summer fixture. Indeed, last year, spritz serves accounted for one in seven cocktails sold in the UK, versus one in 11 the previous year, according to the CGA Mixed Drinks Q3 2023/2024 Report. Tapping into the trend, the Campari Group has launched Sarti Rosa. Made from a base of premium French vodka, Sarti Rosa (£15.99-£21.90/70cl, widely available, alcohol 14%) is infused with passion fruit, mango and Sicilian blood oranges. Its fruity flavour profile will appeal to those who find Aperol and Campari too bitter. To create a vibrant-pink Sarti Spritz, combine two parts Sarti Rosa with three parts sparkling wine and one part soda water in a balloon glass filled with ice.

Spirited words

‘There can’t be good living where there is no good drinking’ – Benjamin Franklin

What to drink now… The Mediterranean Treasure

Story by Clinton Cawood

The Mediterranean Treasure

Paradiso, Barcelona, Spain

Transport yourself to the Mediterranean sea with the salinity-and-spice notes of this complex yet refreshing cocktail. Paradiso founder Giacomo Giannotti explains: ‘The fino Sherry provides a foundational note, while coriander adds a layer of spice, contributing to the cocktail’s complexity. Finally, the salt rim further enhances the sea flavour, creating a drink that is truly reminiscent of the Mediterranean.’ Gianotti uses Ketel One Vodka (£24-£33.50/70cl, widely available) and St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur (£27.99-£42.99/70cl, widely available). As with all of Paradiso’s creations, this one is served in elaborate fashion at the bar, in a seashell placed inside a ‘treasure chest’ with a leaf from an oyster plant, a small edible pearl and a smoking rosemary sprig. At home, a coupe glass will do nicely.

Ingredients: 50ml Ketel One Vodka, 20ml fino Sherry, 5ml St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, 20ml fresh lemon juice, 15ml honey, 15ml egg white, 6-8 coriander leaves

Glass: Coupe

Garnish: Salt rim

Method: Pour the Ketel One, fino Sherry, St-Germain, lemon juice, honey, egg whites and coriander leaves in a shaker over ice. Shake vigorously and double strain into a salt-rimmed coupe glass.

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Are you overwhelmed by the plethora of gins on the shelf? Are you looking for something cleaner, subtler and, dare I say it, more sophisticated? Well, you’re not alone. According to Alice Lascelles, drinks journalist and author of The Martini: ‘A lot of bartenders I know admit their Martini of choice is actually a Vodka-tini these days – I think many feel very fatigued by the whole gin boom.’

Despite, or perhaps because it’s Britain’s best-selling spirit, vodka has something of a dubious reputation among drinks lovers, thought to be good only for adding alcohol to cocktails. But in recent years, a number of local brands have emerged, producing spirits that taste of their raw ingredients.

Many, such as Spirit of Birmingham and Vela from Copper Rivet Distillery in Kent, have a whisky heritage. ‘Our vodka has nearly as much flavour as our whisky,’ explains the latter’s Master Distiller Abhishek Banik. And no wonder – it’s made from the same mash bill (mix of base ingredients for initial fermentation) distilled to a higher strength.

Other distillers simply use what’s around them. According to Chris Fraser, he started Dutch Barn Vodka in Yorkshire ‘after discovering an abandoned orchard where apples were going to waste’. Comedian Ricky Gervais became a co-owner in November 2023, Fraser says, ‘because he wanted to work with a sustainable spirits business that’s actually doing some good’.

Raw materials

All these new-wave distilleries put sustainability at the heart of their proposition. Also in Kent, Pleasant Land, for example, uses surplus apples, many of which aren’t supermarket grade.

That’s what’s great about vodka: you can make it from anything, even milk, as Black Cow in Dorset does – it makes an epic Espresso Martini. However, the best way to drink most of these terroir vodkas is neat or, as Lascelles suggests, in a Vodka-tini.

So are we likely to see a vodka explosion like we did with gin? Probably not, as making high-strength alcohol from scratch is expensive. Banik says the column still at Copper Rivet cost £250,000, though the brother and sister team at Spirit of Birmingham manage with a high-tech £60,000 iStill operated out of a garage. With all of the leftover apples available come autumn, I’m tempted to get one.

One to try

Spirit of Birmingham Vodka

Made from a mash bill of mostly traditionally floor-malted Maris Otter barley along with unmalted barley, malted oats, rye malt and chocolate malt, this has a distinct chocolate taste with cinnamon, ginger and dark cherry – it’s craft beer in vodka form. I’d just drink it on the rocks. Alcohol 43%

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The rise of premium vodka began in earnest during the 1990s, a decade that saw vodka’s popularity soar to dizzying new heights. As the drink of choice for millions, vodka had cemented itself as a bar staple.

But as the market matured, the demand for something more refined emerged. Enter premium vodka – a category that aimed to elevate the spirit from simple mixer to luxurious indulgence.

Spearheaded by now-iconic brands such as Belvedere and Grey Goose, premium vodkas made their entrance with serious style.

Their sleek, minimalist bottles, often frosted or artfully sculpted, immediately set them apart.

But it wasn’t just about looks. These high-end spirits came with hefty price tags and a promise of superior quality – a combination that quickly won over discerning drinkers around the world.

What makes a vodka premium?

So, what truly defines a premium vodka? While price is a key indicator – for this discussion, we’ll place the starting point at above £25 – there’s much more that goes into justifying that extra spend.

First up: ingredients. Many of these premium vodkas are crafted from the finest raw materials available. That might be heritage grains or winter wheat sourced from specific regions such as Picardy in northern France. The choice of ingredients plays a crucial role in shaping the spirit’s smoothness and subtle flavour profile.

Next, production techniques come into play. Premium vodkas often undergo meticulous distillation processes, using copper stills or multiple distillations to ensure clarity and purity.

Filtration is another crucial step — charcoal, quartz, and even diamond filters are sometimes used to create that famously clean finish. And of course, presentation matters. Those distinctive, high-design bottles are part of the allure, lending an air of exclusivity and sophistication to the whole experience.

Is premium vodka worth the money?

But is it worth spending more on premium vodka? The answer to that question depends on how you plan to enjoy it. If you’re mixing up vodka and cola or tossing it into a juice-heavy Highball, a solid mid-range option – such as Absolut or Stoli Red Label – will more than do the trick. Save your money for where it counts.

However, if you’re sipping the spirit neat or shaking up a Vodka Martini, that’s when it’s worth the upgrade. Equally if you’re crafting a cocktail where the spirit takes centre stage, – from a brunch-time Bloody Mary to a fruity Cosmopolitan or creamy White Russian – it’s wise to invest.

Here are a few standout premium picks to explore…

Best premium vodkas to try

Absolut Elyx

The luxury expression of Absolut, Elyx is made with winter wheat from the Råbelöf estate in southern Sweden. Wheat has been grown here since the 15th century. Distillation occurs in a manually operated copper column still, and the result is a silky vodka with flavours of nutty granola, ginger, freshly baked baguette and fudge. Alc 42.3%

Altamura Vodka

Altamura is an ancient variety of wheat that’s been grown in Italy’s Puglia region – specifically in the commune of Altamura and surrounding communes – for over 2,000 years. The only wheat in the world with a PDO designation, it’s the base of this decadently creamy vodka, which kicks off with aromas of vanilla, bright lemon citrus and lemon tart. Clean and crisp, with notes of cream soda, vanilla gelato, citrus zest and dry, black-pepper led spice. Supremely sippable. Alc 43%

Beluga Gold Line

This super-premium vodka from Montenegro is distilled from organic winter wheat and is rested for 90 days after distillation. For those who enjoy theatre, bottles come with a hammer to break the wax seal to open. Beyond the theatrics is a seductively smooth spirit, that bills itself as a ‘vodka gastronomique’ – and it is a fine choice to sip neat with caviar. Light grain notes give a base layer to fresh herbal and citrus flavours with a slightly salty savoury edge. Clean and crisp. Alc 40%

Belvedere

Made from Dankowskie Gold rye and quadruple-distilled, this vodka is bright, with vanilla, almond and citrus notes. There’s also a distinct peppery spice thanks to the rye. Belvedere means ‘beautiful to see’, and is inspired by the neoclassical Belweder Palace in Warsaw – the distinctive building that adorns every beautiful frosted bottle. Alc 40%

Copper Rivet Vela Vodka

Based in the English county of Kent, Copper Rivet Distillery follows a farm-to-glass philosophy for all of its spirits. Vela is made from a mix of wheat, barley and rye. The result is a silky-smooth, medium weight, sweet and spicy vodka. Deeper notes of rye bread and coffee grounds are overlaid with fresh pear and clotted cream. Alc 40%

Crystal Head Onyx

And now for something completely different… Rather than the usual grain or potatoes that’s used to make vodka, Crystal Head’s Onyx is produced using Blue Weber agave from Mexico. It’s a clean spirit, with aromas of lemon zest, green pepper and grass, and a light palate of meringue, more freshly cut grass, cinnamon and a touch of chamois leather. Alc 40%

Grey Goose

Launched in the late 1990s, French vodka Grey Goose is made in the Cognac region using wheat from Picardy, which is otherwise known as the ‘bread basket of France’. Francois Thibault, the maître de chai, focuses on teasing out the flavour of the grain in his spirit. The result is a creamy-spicy palate, with plenty of black pepper, alongside notes of anise, wheat and liquorice. Alc 40%

Haku

Japanese producer Suntory is better known for its whiskeys, but this vodka made from Japanese white rice (the word ‘haku’ means ‘white’ in Japanese) is well worth seeking out. Double distilled with bamboo charcoal filtration, the palate is pure, soft and rounded, with an edge of sweetness on the soft lingering finish that marries well with the dry vermouth in a Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Meili Vodka

Created by actor Jason Momoa – famous for his roles in Aquaman and Game of Thrones – and designer Blaine Halvorsen, Meili (pronounced may-lee) is a seriously smooth spirit for sipping. It also makes a seductive Vodkatini. Rich and soft, with sweet cereal hints on the palate, it’s produced in Montana from a blend of local native and seasonal grains, with natural spring water from a 300-million-year-old aquifer. The rustic bottles are produced from 100% post-consumer recycled glass, meaning no two are identical. Alc 40%

Ramsbury Single Estate Vodka

This field-to-bottle English vodka is distilled at the Ramsbury estate in Wiltshire. It’s made using Horatio winter wheat that’s grown, milled and distilled on the farm. A rather floral nose of jasmine, honeysuckle, white pepper and lemon leads onto a creamy palate of sharp red currants, white pepper, anise and lemon zest. Alc 43%

Stolichnaya Elit

The premium expression of Latvian brand Stolichnaya, this wheat-and-rye vodka is triple-distilled and charcoal-filtered. It then undergoes a proprietary freeze filtration process inspired by the old Russian practice of leaving casks out in freezing temperatures. The result is a spirit with an oily mouthfeel, notes of butterscotch, a mineral chalky note, a hint of fennel and a crack of spicy black pepper on the finish. Alc 40%

X Muse

Pronounced ‘tenth muse’, this Scottish vodka from the Bonnington Estate just west of Edinburgh is a smart spirit full of character. Made from a blend of two different barley varieties (Maris Otter and Plumage Archer), it’s simultaneously creamy and flinty, with flavours of bread, walnuts and hazelnuts, dry cream soda and spicy chilli pepper on the finish. Alc 40%

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The Martini is arguably one of the best known cocktails in the world. But should it be made with vodka or gin? It’s a question that spirits lovers can debate endlessly. But frankly the choice is yours…

Purists will say that the earliest Martinis were made with gin. The very first recipe – a mix of gin and sweet vermouth – appeared in Harry Johnson’s Bartender Manual of 1888. In contrast the Vodka Martini, or Vodkatini as it’s also known, is a much more modern invention.

It was first mentioned in print in the cocktail guide Bottom’s Up, which was published in 1951. The guide was written by Ted Saucier, who worked as publicist for the glamorous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Proof that trendy New Yorkers were choosing vodka for their Martinis.

But the person who really put the drink on the map is not even real. Fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond is famous for ordering a ‘Vodka Martini, shaken, not stirred’. Super-spy Bond was created by author Ian Fleming, who published his first novel, Casino Royale, in 1953. The drink is first referenced in the fourth of Fleming’s Bond novels, Diamonds Are Forever, published in 1956.

While some may argue that a Vodka Martini isn’t a true Martini, it’s still a great drink. Particularly if you want to showcase the pure flavours of a premium vodka. Read on to find out how to make a perfect Vodka Martini and find out which bottle to pick…

How to choose vodka for a Martini

Are certain styles of vodka better for a Martini than others? ‘I wouldn’t say one type of vodka is necessarily better than the other, but different types of vodka will add different flavours to a Martini,’ explains Rico Dynan, global brand ambassador for Absolut Vodka.

First consider what raw material your vodka is distilled from. ‘The choice of base ingredient greatly influences texture and flavour,’ says Frank Grillo, co-founder of Altamura Distilleries. ‘Grains and potato are the classics for a vodka, but it could genuinely be distilled from almost anything; from grapes, to milk, to oyster shells – all of these actually exist!’

Grain-based vodkas are a safe choice. ‘Wheat vodkas, like Absolut Vodka for example, are considered to be smooth with a slight sweetness,’ explains Dynan. ‘As you move towards less traditional bases for the vodka distilling, background flavour components become introduced, some, perhaps like the brininess of oysters might be pleasant in a Martini,’ says Grillo.

‘But for a classic Martini, I think it’s best to avoid vodka made from base ingredients that could introduce a flavour profile that would conflict with the Martini profile,’ he continues. ‘Fruity or funky background flavours should be avoided. Give the prominence to the vodka in the cocktail: you will want something that is smooth, with a creamy mouthfeel and a lasting finish, and one that avoids too much burn, which can really obliterate the delicacy of a classic Martini.’

How to make a Vodka Martini

To make a Vodka Martini, use six parts vodka to one part dry vermouth. Bartenders prefer to stir a Vodka Martini over ice to mix it. However there’s plenty of debate around the preparation method.

Bond’s ‘shaken’ method – putting your vodka and vermouth in a shaker with ice and shaking to mix – results in a more diluted drink, as the shards of ice melt into water. However the theatre of shaking certainly makes more of a statement, either at home or in a crowded bar.

Whichever method you choose, your Vodka Martini should then be strained into a chilled Martini glass. ‘Chilling the glass is key in maintaining the perfect temperature for your Martini,’ explains Dynan. Put your glass in the freezer for at least half an hour before you plan to serve your drink.

Finally, garnish with a lemon twist or an olive, according to your personal preference. ‘I’d recommend you garnish with a lemon twist,’ advises Grillo. ‘While olives are also classic, I think the bright citrus adds the delicate dance between the vodka and vermouth.’

Best vodkas for a Martini

Recommendations by Laura Foster and Julie Sheppard

Altamura Vodka

Altamura is an ancient variety of wheat that’s been grown in Italy’s Puglia region – specifically in the commune of Altamura and surrounding communes – for over 2,000 years. The only wheat in the world with a PDO designation, it’s the base of this decadently creamy vodka, that kicks off with aromas of vanilla, bright lemon citrus and lemon tart. Clean and crisp, with flavours of cream soda, vanilla gelato, citrus zest and dry, black-pepper led spice. So sippable… ideal for a Vodka Martini. Alc 43%

Belvedere Single Estate Rye Smogóry Forest

While the classic Belvedere vodka works beautifully in a Vodka Martini, this expression is a connoisseur’s choice. It’s made from Diamond Dankowskie rye – a rare baker’s grade rye that is lower in starch – which is grown on a single estate in the village of Smogóry in West Poland. Rich and full-bodied, with a salty savouriness, it’s very smooth, with peppery spice on the finish, balanced by a touch of caramel sweetness. Alc 40%

Chopin Vodka

Named after the classical composer, Chopin is a creamy and smooth potato vodka. Made in Poland, it’s distilled four times to produce an ultra-pure spirit. Lightly spiced, nutty and earthy on the palate, it’s a great choice in a Vodka Martini, delivering a super-smooth cocktail. Alc 40%

Cobalte Vodka

This premium French vodka will appeal to Champagne lovers: it’s made from a base of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes, grown in the Montagne de Reims in Aÿ-Champagne. The grapes are vinified and distilled five times with their lees, giving a smooth and aromatic spirit. Fruity and floral nose (oranges and orange blossom) with a well balanced creamy, citrus and mineral palate; fruity grape notes and liquorice spice on the finish. Alc 40%

Dima’s Vodka

This distinctive Ukrainian vodka is made from a mix of rye, wheat and barley. The blend of grains creates a creamy, silky texture and plenty of flavour. Grassy notes are balanced by fruitiness, vanilla and peppery spice from the rye. Makes a memorable Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Discarded Grape Skin Vodka

Turning trash into treasure is a full-time job for the distilling team at Discarded Spirits, who find clever ways to transform waste ingredients into quality spirits. The vodka is distilled from grape pomace (the skins, stems and seeds left over from winemaking) and then blended with alcohol extracted from dealcoholised Chardonnay wine. The result is a smooth vodka, with fresh notes of green apple and creamy hints of pear and lychee, that works beautifully in a Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Grey Goose Vodka

The world’s first premium vodka brand. From the Cognac region in France, Grey Goose was created by François Thibault, son of a wine-grower and a master Cognac blender. It’s a versatile, super-creamy wheat vodka that works well in a whole range of cocktails, including a Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Haku

Produced by Suntory, which is better known for its whiskeys, this Japanese vodka is made from Japanese white rice (the word ‘haku’ means ‘white’ in Japanese). Double distilled with bamboo charcoal filtration, the palate is pure, soft and rounded, with an edge of sweetness on the soft lingering finish that marries well with the dry vermouth in a Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Ketel One Vodka

Made by 10th generation distillers – with over 300 years of expertise – this Dutch vodka is distilled in small batches and made from 100% GMO-free European wheat. One of the smoothest and cleanest vodkas, it has a crisp citrus flavour with notes of honey and a long and lively finish that works well in a Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Konik’s Tail

Named after the wild Polish horses that are depicted on the label, Konik’s Tail is made from a blend of three grains – golden rye, early winter wheat and spelt – and is filtered through silver birch charcoal. Rich and rounded, with good balance between spice notes and sweetness, it makes a very well-balanced Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Meili Vodka

Created by actor Jason Momoa – famous for Aquaman and Game of Thrones – and designer Blaine Halvorsen, Meili (pronounced may-lee) is a seriously smooth spirit for a Vodkatini. Rich and soft, with sweet cereal hints on the palate, it’s made in Montana from a blend of local native and seasonal grains, with natural spring water from a 300-million-year-old aquifer. The rustic bottles are produced from 100% post-consumer recycled glass, meaning no two are identical. Alc 40%

Reyka Vodka

Hailing from Iceland, Reyka was launched in 2005. It was the world’s first eco-friendly vodka, made with glacial spring water and distilled using sustainable geothermal energy. In fact, ‘reyka’ is an old Icelandic word for ‘steam’. Reyka is made in small batches, from a base of wheat and barley, and filtered through lava rock. Full and rounded, with a creamy vanilla note that plays against peppery spice and fresh citrus, Reyka delivers a classic Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Sipsmith Sipping Vodka

Sipsmith is best known for its gin, which helped to kick-start the modern craft gin revolution in the UK. But its vodka deserves equal attention. Distillation takes place in a copper pot still and only the heart of the cut is used. This means it doesn’t need to be filtered, which something of a rarity in vodkas. Made from wheat, there’s a pleasing oiliness to the texture. On the palate buttery biscuit notes mingle with vanilla, pepper and fennel. As the name says, it’s ideal sipping vodka – but it also makes mean Martini. Alc 40%

Snow Leopard Vodka

A vodka with a charitable streak, Snow Leopard donates 15% of its profits to the preservation of these stunning animals. Made in Poland using spelt, it is produced in small batches, distilled six times and twice filtered through charcoal. The result is a nutty, mineral vodka, with top notes of spring blossom and grass. Alc 40%

Stolichnaya elit

This is the ultra-premium expression of historic Russian brand Stolichnaya. It’s made using an innovative -18°C freeze filtration technique, creating a supremely smooth vodka. Subtle flavours of creamy aniseed and a light spiciness will shine out in your Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

This small-batch American vodka is distilled from corn in Austin, Texas. Created by former geologist Tito Beveridge, it’s very subtle and smooth, with clean minerality and delicate citrus aromas. The super-creamy palate is all about rich silky vanilla, making it ideal for a pure, clean and velvety Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Ukiyo Japanese Rice Vodka

This distinctive and beautifully bottled Japanese vodka is made in Okinawa from long grain rice, which is first distilled into traditional awamori spirit, then redistilled into vodka. The fragrant nose is reminiscent of sake, with warm floral notes and yuzu citrus. Spicy in the mouth, with notes of liquorice and aniseed, alongside lavender, violet and citrus zest. Makes a perfect Vodka Martini for sake fans. Alc 40%

X Muse Vodka

Made at the Bonnington Estate near Edinburgh, X Muse’s spiritual home is a sculpture park called Jupiter Artland. This isn’t a case of style over substance, however. It’s made using two heritage varieties of barley that are distilled separately and blended, while the water used comes from an ancient aquifer on the estate. It’s a vodka with an elegant body, and flavours of sweet cream, Granny Smith apples, pears, melted butter, drying oatcakes and a mineral undertone. Alc 40%

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Vodka has been undergoing a quiet revolution in recent years. While all eyes have been on gin, vodka producers have changed their focus. Where much noise was previously made about the number of times a vodka was distilled and filtered – removing a lot of the character from the spirit – today, the focus is on the raw material used to make it, and maintaining some of that character.

‘The skill with vodka is retaining the impurities, or characteristics, from the raw material while achieving a purity,’ says Chris Baldwin, market manager UK/Europe and brand ambassador for Crystal Head Vodka. So what are the raw materials that are used to make vodka, and what characteristics do they produce?

Vodka can be made from anything that can be used to make alcohol – namely, ingredients that contain starch and sugars. The vast majority are made from cereals and potatoes.

How vodka is made

By its very definition, vodka is a neutral distilled spirit. The raw ingredient is first fermented to create a low-alcohol liquid known as a wash. This wash is then run through a column still – a still that is run continuously and causes multiple evaporations and condensations of the liquid – which produces a spirit of roughly 95% alcohol by volume (abv). Some producers then use water to carefully reduce the abv of the liquid to around 50%, and put this spirit through a pot still to produce a smoother spirit.

Whether a pot still is used or not, the resulting liquid is filtered through a material such as charcoal, and watered down to roughly 40% abv. Filtration can take place before or after the hydration of the spirit.

The distillation of vodka to such a high level of alcohol means that the vast majority of flavours and other characteristics are removed. Producers can also incorporate a number of other factors to try to help them achieve neutrality.

For example, Arbikie – a farm-to-glass distillery in Scotland that produces different vodkas from potatoes, wheat and peas – uses the same, relatively neutral yeast strain across all three of its vodkas. ‘For fermentation, we use a yeast strain that only produces a low level of flavour compounds, as the goal here is to not make flavour,’ explains Kirsty Black, Arbikie’s Master Distiller.

Quality counts

Despite this supposed neutrality, however, the different raw materials used to make vodka can impart different key characteristics – and herein lies the challenge.

When working with quality raw materials, Baldwin explains: ‘You don’t want to over-distil. Crystal Head Original is a relatively short, four-column distillation.’ In contrast, a vodka made with a low-quality ingredient such as corn fructose syrup will undergo a ‘long, continuous distillation through a number of column stills’.

The Chopin distillery in eastern Poland makes three vodkas, from potatoes, rye and wheat. ‘At Chopin, we’ve always argued that pure vodka has flavour,’ says Tad Dorda, founder and CEO of Chopin Vodka. ‘For this reason, [we have] concentrated on crafting single-ingredient vodkas, in order to pay attention to the different flavours that each of these ingredients brings to the final product.’

So let’s take a look at what sort of vodkas these different ingredients produce.

Wheat

The most commonly used ingredient for vodka, 1 wheat is the predominant material used in Russian vodka, but the use of wheat can be found in most countries. Wheat vodkas are typically easy drinking. ‘Winter wheat is smooth, clean, classic with creamy vanilla and citrus notes,’ says Pleurat Shabani, creator of the Konik’s Tail brand: blended vodka made with a mix of spelt, winter wheat and rye.

Most brands declare that they use winter wheat, but what does this mean? ‘Winter wheat is sown in the autumn, lives through the winter and then is harvested in summer,’ explains Marcus Lundmark, agricultural technologist at Absolut Group. ‘It is hardy and contains more starch, which is important to produce vodka.’

Try: Absolut, Sweden

One of the iconic vodka brands, Absolut is made using winter wheat grown in Åhus, southern Sweden. The palate is soft with an icing sugar sweetness, caramel, white farmhouse loaf, cashew nuts, pine nuts and cooling anise. Alcohol 40%

Rye

Much like rye bread, rye vodkas are known for having depth of flavour and spice. ‘Rye is full-bodied, rich, it has an aniseed freshness and white pepper buzz, it presents a spiciness and oiliness and big personality,’ enthuses Shabani. Rye vodkas most commonly hail from Poland. ‘Rye gives vodka character, and rye vodka is the most traditional expression of Polish vodka,’ states Dorda.

Try: Chopin Rye Vodka, Poland 

An excellent example of Polish rye vodka. The first sweet note of vanilla shortbread biscuits is soon joined by crunchy rye bread slathered in butter, a big bite of white pepper, some fennel and Golden Delicious apples. Alc 40%

Barley

‘Barley vodka is more aromatic than wheat vodka,’ declares Vadim Grigoryan, co-founder and brand director of Scottish vodka brand X Muse. When the team at X Muse experimented with barley varieties, ‘we were astonished at how different the flavours were’.

Barley vodka is generally expected to have a creamy sweetness and malty characteristic; however, a tasting with Grigoryan highlights the spectrum of flavours that can be found. Rather than use the Concerto strain – the most commonly grown barley for distillation at the moment – X Muse uses a mix of the Plumage Archer and Maris Otter varieties, marrying the orchard fruit characteristics of one with the mineral aspects of the other.

Try: X Muse, Scotland

Made from a blend of two heritage barley varieties, this vodka wears its cereal heart on its sleeve. A silky mouthfeel, big bite of malt biscuit, caramel, apples, evaporated milk and macadamia. A characterful vodka best drunk neat or in Martinis. Alc 40%

Corn

When considering corn vodka, ‘firstly it’s important to distinguish between corn and corn fructose syrup, which is becoming more commonplace’, states Crystal Head’s Chris Baldwin. ‘Corn fructose syrup is an artificial sugar made from corn syrup, so in a roundabout way it does come from corn, but it is heavily processed; it’s essentially a high yield, low-cost raw material. High-quality corn that goes through a quality production process will more than likely have a creamy, sweet, vanillin character.’ Most corn vodkas hail from North America.

Try: Crystal Head, Canada

Produced in Newfoundland from a variety of corn known as Peaches and Cream, Crystal Head’s original vodka boasts a creamy mouthfeel and flavours of vanilla, butter and corn, plus orange and lemon zest. Alc 40%

Potato

‘With vodka, the goal is to reduce flavour, [so] the texture and mouthfeel of the spirit becomes really important, and this is where potato vodkas shine. Our [Arbikie] potato spirit is silky smooth and creamy on the palate with hints of pepper and spice,’ explains Black.

Potatoes are a tricky ingredient to make vodka from – they need to be thoroughly cleaned and cooked before fermentation. The fact that potatoes are perishable means timing is key. ‘We have to plan and execute with military precision our potato distillation season,’ says Dorda.

Potato vodkas mainly hailed from Poland in the past; however there have been modern brands launched that have put other countries on the map, perhaps most notably the UK with Chase and Arbikie’s products.

Try: Arbikie Tattie Bogle, Scotland 

Made from Maris Piper and Cultra potatoes grown on Arbikie’s farm, Tattie Bogle’s nose is expressive and fruity, with notes of Granny Smith apples, meringue and blackberries leading onto a smooth palate of blackberries and cream, and black pepper, followed by a drying finish. Alc 43%

Other options

There are plenty of other vodkas out there made from more unusual raw materials such as grapes, grape skins, rice, agave and even milk. Perhaps most surprisingly, there have recently been a few pea vodkas launched. One of the key drivers behind this trend is that peas are great for the environment. In fact, Arbikie has calculated that its Nadar climate-positive pea vodka saves more than 1.5kg of carbon dioxide emissions per bottle. What is clear from sampling both Nadar and the cute Pod pea vodka is that they boast vegetal aromas and flavours, automatically creating a distinctive category in their own right. The revolution looks set to continue.

Try: 5 Pod,UK

The wildest vodka this writer has ever encountered, Pod is a pea vodka with distinct vegetal, grassy notes. Flavours of green pepper, agave, terracotta and grass, and a pleasant sweetness suggest this would be excellent in Bloody Marys and Gimlets. Alc 40%

Absolut Vodka

Chopin Rye Vodka

X Muse

Crystal Head Vodka

Arbikie Tattie Bogle

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Until recently, if you fancied a break from the sweetness offered by the majority of cocktails, you’d really only have a couple of viable options. Either a Bloody Mary, with its spicy tomato punch, or a Gibson, which dials up the savoury element with its garnish of pickled onions.

If neither of those are to your liking, help is now at hand. A growing number of spirits producers and innovative bartenders are putting savoury-forward flavours at the forefront of everything they do, creating potential classics of the future.

Nothing is off the table. Think root vegetables, mushrooms, obscure spices, fat-washing and garden herbs. You can even incorporate these into your cocktails at home too. Just don’t add parmesan cheese to your Espresso Martini though, as some misguided TikTok influencers have suggested.

Global trend

Nico de Soto is founder of Danico in Paris and the newly opened Wacky Wombat in London’s Soho. Both bars feature a series of innovative savoury-focused drinks on their respective menus, including Wagyu fat-washed shochu, wasabi and sesame distillates, as well as root vegetables and aquavit. De Soto feels this is merely the starting point.

‘It’s definitely becoming more of a trend now all over the world, over classic cocktails, especially in Asia, where you will find the majority of bars base their menus on obscure ingredients and spices, which also link to their cuisine,’ he says.

Speaking of aquavit, if you take a trip to Scandinavia you’ll be inundated by savoury flavours – especially charismatic herbs and spices such as dill and caraway seed. Norway’s Linie Aquavit has long been the national spirit and is now finding favour in some of the world’s most innovative bars, thanks to its savoury complexity.

Why savoury?

Maroš Dzurus is bar manager at the legendary Himkok bar in Oslo, which has long championed off-the-beaten-track flavours such as aquavit. He thinks that savoury drinks are becoming more popular for several reasons.

‘Firstly, consumers are increasingly seeking unique and adventurous flavour experiences. Savoury drinks provide a departure from traditional sweet and fruity flavours, offering a more complex taste profile. Additionally, there is a growing interest in incorporating healthier ingredients into beverages,’ he explains.

‘We’re also seeing ingredients like fresh herbs and root vegetables, which bridge the gap between the bar and the kitchen,’ explains Paul Aguilar, Himkok’s head of flavour research and development. ‘Our focus on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients complements this trend, enabling us to create drinks that are both innovative and reflective of our Nordic surroundings.’

Culinary revolution

Closer to home, in Cornwall’s beautiful Carbis Bay, Khris McLaren, bar manager at Ugly Butterfly – the restaurant established by Michelin-starred chef, Adam Handling – has come up with a hugely complex, umami-rich take on a Sazerac, using shiitake mushrooms.

McLaren first roasts the mushrooms before making a syrup with them, adding it to a blend of Highland Park 12 Year Old Scotch, House of Suntory Toki blended Japanese whisky, Corte Vetusto mezcal, Hendrick’s Absinthe and Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters. The result is herbal and aromatic, with a terrifically balanced sweetness and earthy dryness on the palate.

In Scotland, Michele Mariotti, head of bars at The American Bar at Gleneagles hotel feels that savoury flavours are helping to inspire a culinary revolution in drinks.

‘One of the learnings we had from the Book of Berries, our menu here at The American Bar, is that often, different parts of a fruit or a vegetable can deliver wildly different flavours,’ he says. ‘In the case of the Bell Pepper [recipe below], we use the core and seeds of a pepper, which have a warm and grassy flavour, and lots of residual sweetness. I find working with different parts of a savoury ingredient very exciting.’

Meanwhile, Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan, and his team have created bespoke savoury ingredients for the latest menu at award-winning Lyaness bar at Sea Containers London. The 3.0 Cookbook includes ingredients such as carrot vermouth, peated parsnip amazake, Szechuan sauce and two types of potato extract. Tattie Gold is made from confit potatoes and saffron; while ‘excellent potato goodness’ is made by fermenting potatoes with probiotics. The latter is mixed with Boatyard Vodka to create the silky, creamy Unfiltered Martini.

‘It’s all about deliciousness, that’s always the point,’ says Chetiyawardana. ‘We wanted to take everyday products – like Maris Piper potatoes – and transform them into something magical.’

New York’s Double Chicken Please – currently number two in the World’s 50 Best Bars list and named Best Bar in North America – has taken the savoury concept even further. It designs drinks that recreate the flavours of existing culinary treats. Cold Pizza brings together blanco tequila, Parmigiano Reggiano, burnt toast, tomato, basil, honey and egg white. While Japanese Cold Noodle combines white rum, pineapple, cucumber, coconut, lime and sesame oil for a truly explosive savoury experience.

So it seems that savoury drinks are very much here to stay. Strap in your tastebuds for a flavour sensation!

Three savoury cocktail recipes to try at home

Bell Pepper

To make your own bell pepper tequila, roast the pith and seeds of a bell pepper (green for more vegetal notes, red for sweet and savoury notes) at 160℃ for 30 minutes and leave to cool. Infuse overnight with one bottle of blanco tequila, before straining.

• Ingredients: 50ml bell pepper tequila, 25ml sweet vermouth, 25ml lime juice, 2tsp marmalade
• Glass: Martini
• Garnish: Salt and paprika rim
• Method: Add the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Add a rim of salt and paprika to a chilled cocktail glass and serve.

Tequila de Palma

This novel take on a hot toddy is a drink that brings a touch of warmth during the chilly months. You can use homemade chicken broth or supermarket-bought is fine.

• Ingredients: 45ml 1800 Reposado Tequila, 20ml agave syrup, 25ml lime juice, 150ml chicken broth
• Glass: Mug
• Garnish: Slice of preserved lemon
• Method: Warm the chicken broth through, then mix it with all the ingredients and serve in a mug.

Tomat’tini

This tomato and olive oil Martini brings a divine savoury note to the palate. Seek out Citizens Of Soil olive oil. See below for a full tasting note of La Tomato Liqueur.

• Ingredients: 50ml Linie Aquavit, 15ml La Tomato Liqueur, 5ml dry vermouth,
• Glass: Coupe
• Garnish: Extra virgin olive oil
• Method: Add the aquavit, tomato liqueur and vermouth into a mixing glass with ice and stir for 20-30 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass and carefully drip five or six drops of olive oil onto the surface of the drink to garnish.

Five savoury spirits to seek out

La Tomato Liqueur

Produced in Tokyo by distinguished sake and shochu producer Godo Shusei Co., this Japanese tomato liqueur has a very distinctive savoury tomato aroma, which stems from a blend of Japanese tomatoes and spirit, with a touch of sweetness thrown in for good measure. Ideal for blending with another spirit to give your drinks an unusual savoury direction. Alcohol 18%

Neurita Tequila Blanco – Picante

Neurita is an independent British company founded by Lucy Smith, which sources small batch tequila and produces different infusions. Picante brings together Scotch Bonnet and green chilli peppers with a touch of tangerine to give a vegetal, savoury, herbaceous spirit with a touch of zestiness too. Try it in a classic Margarita. Alc 35%

St George Green Chile Vodka

California distillery St. George Spirits distils crushed jalapeño peppers, lime peel and fresh coriander with a neutral base spirit to make this fiery vodka. It is then infused with more peppers (bell and habanero) for extra vegetal punch. A great Bloody Mary choice! Alc 40%

Warrendale Fat-Washed Wa-gyn Wagyu Gin

This unusual gin is produced by Warrendale, a wagyu beef farmer in Yorkshire. It has a heavy note of juniper, with ruby grapefruit, lemongrass and pink peppercorn, before it is ‘washed’ with hot wagyu fat for 48 hours, which gives the gin a tremendously silky, salty and unsurprisingly, a meaty, savoury taste. Alc 44%

Whitley Neill Smoky Bacon & Horseradish Gin

British distiller Whitley Neill has created this boldly flavoured gin featuring notes of bacon and horseradish. It has been designed to compliment the rich tomato flavours in a Red Snapper cocktail – in basic terms the gin equivalent of the Bloody Mary. It’s also vegan-friendly, so everyone can get in on the act. Alc 45%

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No smoke without fire

Celebrated on World Bloody Mary Day, 1 January, this classic vodka-and-tomato-juice cocktail is also a winning hangover cure, according to its disciples. But more importantly it’s one of those recipes that can be tweaked and refined to suit your individual taste perfectly. Step forward Tongue in Peat, the world’s only peat-smoked tomato juice, which makes a deliciously smoky, savoury Mary. Launched by a small Scottish drinks company in 2020, it’s made by cold-smoking fresh tomatoes over a peat fire for 12 hours, which are then blended, infused and bottled. Peat is sourced from Islay, so no surprises the flavour will appeal to fans of smoky single malts.

For my ultimate Bloody Mary, I stir together 50ml vodka, 150ml Tongue in Peat, 15ml manzanilla Sherry, 10ml lemon juice, 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, 2 dashes Fee Brothers Celery Bitters and 1 dash Tabasco, in a highball glass with ice. Garnish with a celery stick and wedge of lemon. £15.99/3x500ml, £24.99/6x500ml tongueinpeat.com

What is… a Nick & Nora?

The Nick & Nora is a stemmed cocktail glass with an inverted bowl, used to serve stirred or shaken cocktails straight up – in other words, without ice. The stem prevents the drink getting too warm in your hand. This style of glass was resurrected by bartending icon Dale DeGroff of New York City’s Rainbow Room in the late 1980s. Hunting for a smaller alternative to the conical Martini glasses of the time, he noticed fictional detectives Nick and Nora Charles drinking their Martinis from delicate glasses in The Thin Man, a series of comedy-mystery films released in 1930s and 1940s. Manhattan-based Minners Designs sent DeGroff one of its 1930s catalogues, which had a similar design called a ‘Little Martini’. DeGroff commissioned new moulds of the design, naming his glasses Nick & Nora.

What to drink now… Air Mail

If dark January has got you pining for some winter sun, try this tropical twist on a Champagne cocktail. The Air Mail first appeared in a recipe pamphlet in Cuba by the Bacardí company in 1930. The Cuban air mail service began the same year, which could indicate the drink was invented then and named after it, but there’s no evidence to support that. You can use sparkling wine instead of Champagne and any gold rum (aged one to three years) – though the original called for Bacardí Gold. Try Bacardí Carta Oro (Alc 40%, £20.99-£23.95/70cl Distillers Direct, Gerry’s, Master of Malt, Ocado, Spirits Kiosk, The Bottle Club, The Whisky Exchange). To make your own honey syrup, dissolve 5ml honey in 5ml warm water.

Air Mail

Ingredients: 45ml gold rum, 15ml lime juice, 15ml honey syrup, Champagne to top

Glass: Highball

Garnish: None

Method: Put the rum, lime and syrup in a shaker with ice and shake until your hands are cold. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass and top with Champagne.

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In the pink with Provence vodka

Nothing says summer quite like a glass of pale pink Provence rosé wine – and France’s Comte de Grasse distillery captures that essence in its latest vodka. Made from a base of French winter wheat, 06 Vodka (Alc 37.5%) is created by Master Distiller Marie-Anne Contamin. Previously an aromatician, she has developed an ‘active wine extraction’ technique, based on methods used in the fragrance industry.

The process extracts flavour molecules and colour pigments from a Château Vert, Côte de Provence organic rosé wine. These molecules are infused into the neutral vodka, creating an aromatic and taste profile that will be very familiar to rosé drinkers. The nose is reminiscent of a glass of rosé, with delicate notes of strawberry that continue to the palate. Subtle florality, almonds and peach emerge, with a creamy texture.

Named for the 6pm aperitif hour on the Côte d’Azur, 06 Vodka makes an elegant Vodka Martini: garnish with a perfectly pink rose petal. £49/70cl Harvey Nichols

What is… peated whisky?

You may see the term ‘peated’ on a Scotch whisky bottle. Peat is a type of turf that can be burned as fuel. Peated whisky is made from malted barley that has been dried over a peat fire. That drying process usually takes about 30 hours and gives the finished dram a distinctive smoky character. Islay whiskies are known for their peatiness, which is measured in ppm (parts per million) of the organic compound phenol. Islay whiskies typically have 50ppm, while an average Highland whisky will only have 30ppm. Islay distillery Bruichladdich is famed for its Octomore range, bottled at 100ppm and considered the most heavily peated single malt whisky in the world.

What to drink now… Mojito

Cuban folklore links the ubiquitous summer cooler to Elizabethan explorer Sir Francis Drake; his crew drank a medicinal mix of mint, sugar, lime and sugar cane spirit that was named El Draque.

A mint, lime and sugar cocktail – now made with rum – became a hit with Americans in Prohibition-era Havana, with the first recipe for a ‘Mojo Criollo’ appearing in a Cuban publication El Arte de Hacer un Cocktail y Algo Más in 1927.

Try making it with Havana Club Original Añejo 3 Años, a lightly aged white rum (Alc 40%, £18-£23/70cl Widely available).

Mojito

Ingredients: 60ml white rum, 15ml fresh lime juice, 15ml soda water, 10ml sugar syrup, 14 fresh mint leaves

Glass: Highball

Garnish: Mint sprigs

Method: Two-thirds fill a glass with crushed ice. Add mint leaves, rum, lime juice and sugar syrup, churn with a barspoon to mix. Top up the glass with more crushed ice, top with soda water and stir lightly before serving.

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The most enduring of classic cocktails, the Martini is simple to make and infinitely customisable. But how do you create the very best one possible? We asked the top mixologists in London’s Martini business – Agostino Perrone and Giorgio Bargiani of The Connaught Bar, Alessandro Palazzi of Dukes Bar and Brian Silva of Rules. Here are their thoughts…

The spirit: Vodka vs gin

None of our bartenders would badmouth the Vodka Martini. And yet, all name gin as their go-to spirit base, because it has so much more flavour. It seems their customers agree: both Palazzi and the Connaught duo say 70% of the Martinis they sell are made with gin. Silva’s numbers are similar, though the Boston native notes an exception: ‘American customers seem to prefer vodka.’

As for the perfect gin? Choose something classic and juniper-forward. The Connaught Bar, known for both precision and world-leading innovation, uses its own gin, infused with hand-crushed juniper, coriander seeds, liquorice, angelica root, orris root, mace, Amalfi lemon and red wine – but also uses Tanqueray No10.

Silva’s preference is a gin that’s ‘as ginny as possible’, and he cites the likes of Tanqueray, No3 (from Berry Bros & Rudd), Plymouth and Sipsmith. Palazzi, meanwhile, prides himself on experimenting with a number of smaller gin brands, but he considers Beefeater, No3, Plymouth and Tanqueray to be reliable, easy-to-find picks.

When vodka is involved, full-flavoured spirits get the nod. Palazzi and the Connaught team often use Konik’s Tail, a blend of spelt, rye and wheat. Though for his popular Vesper Martini – a James Bond-inspired blend of gin and vodka – Palazzi uses one-part rye Potocki vodka to three-parts No3 gin, with amber vermouth.

The vermouth: Wet vs dry

‘It’s very wrong not to have vermouth – otherwise it’s not a cocktail,’ Palazzi points out. In every bartender’s eye, even the driest Martini must contain some vermouth, giving the drink balance and flavour. In fact, now that there are so many quality vermouths on the market, it’s sometimes a case of the more, the better. Palazzi can tell a customer is in the drinks business if they order their Martini ‘wet’: ‘99% of the time industry people ask for more vermouth; they appreciate the aroma and balance it brings.’

The preferred ratios vary. Palazzi, when he wheels his Martini trolley out to customers, famously doesn’t measure; he coats the inside of a freezer-chilled Martini glass in vermouth then, in his signature move, shakes out the excess on the bar carpet. ‘People think it’s all going on the floor, but actually there’s still plenty of vermouth in the glass,’ he explains.

Meanwhile, Perrone and Bargiani use a five-to-one ratio in their signature Connaught Martini – 75ml spirit to 15ml vermouth – and Silva prefers a classic 60ml to 10ml.

Palazzi often uses Sacred’s vermouth, a product he helped to develop. But both the Connaught team and Silva use a house blend of commercial vermouths – the former employing a mix of extra-dry, dry and sweet to create a rounded pour that can work with many serves. But our bartenders recommend that home mixologists just plump for something good quality; Noilly Prat and Cocchi (which has just released a new extra-dry with Martinis in mind) were both named as favourites.

The chill: Shaken vs stirred

Sorry, 007: all our bartenders say they would never shake a Martini, unless explicitly asked to do so by a customer. It comes down to control. Stir a cocktail in a mixing glass, and you can keep a close eye on how fast the ice is melting. Shaking is less precise; it can result in a lighter cocktail, but also ice shards – ultimately causing over-dilution.

And yet, some dilution is essential. ‘Ice is the third ingredient,’ says Silva, who mixes room- temperature gin and vermouth with large chunks of ice in a mixing glass to achieve his perfect serve. ‘As you stir, the spirit and vermouth will melt the ice, adding around 10ml water to your final cocktail – the perfect balance.’ For home bartenders who might not know how long it takes to achieve that 10ml of melt, he suggests using a straw to sample the drink every 5-10 seconds while stirring. ‘If it’s still tasting rough, then you know you’re not quite there.’ With practice, you should get a sense of how long to mix for – though you’ll have to adjust timings to fit different spirits. Higher-abv ones, for example, might need longer.

The quality of your ice is crucial. In fact, Perrone and Bargiani say this is the number one thing people get wrong when making Martinis. ‘The rest is personal taste,’ says Perrone, ‘but use bad ice or a bad garnish, and it won’t be right.’

At The Connaught they use only crystal-clear commercial ice, because frosty chunks from a normal freezer are full of impurities. It’s hard for home bartenders to get hold of, but you can make your own cheat’s version. Perrone and Bargiani suggest filling an insulated picnic cooler with water and placing it uncovered in the freezer.

The ice will freeze very slowly, giving impurities time to settle to the bottom, and when you remove the ice block you can simply chip these away. ‘I did it all the time at home during lockdown,’ says Bargiani.

Meanwhile, Palazzi takes a different approach to chilling. He neither shakes nor stirs his Martinis in the conventional sense, preferring to pour icy spirit direct from freezer-chilled bottles into the vermouth-coated glass and allowing them to mingle naturally. This lack of water dilution makes his smooth-tasting Martinis notoriously strong – especially as the cold temperature delays the alcoholic punch. If you use his method at home, just remember that there’s a reason why Palazzi limits customers to a maximum of two Martinis each per seating.

The garnish: Lemon vs olive

There’s no right or wrong answer here – if you’re drinking a vodka Martini, at least. When it comes to gin, our bartenders all prefer a lemon peel garnish because it enhances, rather than clashes with, the spirit’s botanicals. (For the same reason, gin Dirty Martinis, using olive brine, are considered a no-no.)

For Palazzi, lemon enhances the overall drinking experience too. ‘You drink the cocktail first with your nose – the lemon is fragrant. Olives don’t smell of anything.’ Not just any lemon will do. Both Palazzi and the Connaught team exclusively use organic Amalfi lemons for their thick skin and aromatic, slightly sweeter profile. But the most important thing is that the lemon is unwaxed, so all those citrus oils can escape from the peel into your Martini.

There’s no need for fancy knife skills. All our bartenders simply cut long, chunky lengths using a vegetable peeler, then pinch or twist it over the Martini. You’ve done it right if you can see tiny drops of lemon oil floating on top of your drink. Most bartenders finish by resting the peel inside the Martini glass, though Silva is an exception: ‘there’s no need as you’ve already extracted the flavour’. He prefers to serve his Martini naked.

As for any other serving tips? The Connaught team break from tradition and add bitters to their drinks to make them customisable. Before pouring the prepared Martini, Perrone and Bargiani personalise each glass with a drizzle of the customer’s choice of housemade bitters: lavender, coriander, tonka, cardamom or ‘Dr Ago’ blend. Palazzi, meanwhile, uses a dash of Angostura bitters in his Vesper Martini.

How to make the perfect Martini at home

Play around with the quantities, timings and spirits of choice to get a Martini that suits your taste.

Ingredients

60ml London dry gin

10ml dry or extra-dry vermouth, plus another 10ml to flavour the ice (optional)

1 fresh unwaxed lemon

Large-chunk quality ice

Method

1 Twenty minutes before making your Martini, chill a small (125ml) drinking glass in the freezer. Five minutes before making it, fill a cocktail mixing glass to the brim with large-chunk quality ice and (optional) 10ml vermouth.

2 When ready, remove your glass from the freezer and pour any melted liquid away from your ice-filled cocktail mixing glass. Add your gin and 10ml vermouth to your mixing glass, then stir continuously for 10-15 seconds.

3 Strain the Martini into your drinking glass. Cut a length of lemon peel using a vegetable peeler, and twist over your Martini to release the oils. Garnish with the peel and enjoy immediately.

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The Scapegrace team claims it will be New Zealand’s largest ever distillery when it is fully completed in October 2023.

It will eventually produce all of Scapegrace’s award-winning gins and vodkas, along with its soon-to-be-released single malt whisky. The company plans to expand into other spirits categories further down the line too.

Managing director Daniel McLaughlin said that the climate and water quality in Central Otago – which is famed for its Pinot Noir – make the region ideal for producing spirits.

‘The halfway point between equator and south pole runs directly through our distillery site, giving us extremes in hot and cold temperatures – an optimum environment for aging whisky,’ said McLaughlin.

‘Naturally, the pristine water quality is also ideal for distilling gin and vodka, pulling from glacial run-off from the Southern Alps.’

Scapegrace Distilling Company has secured a 36-hectare plot of land overlooking Lake Dunstan, with Mount Pisa and the Bendigo mountains providing a spectacular backdrop.

McLaughlin and brother-in-law Mark Neal founded Scapegrace back in 2014, along with Richard Bourke, after bonding over a shared love of gin.

It was initially known as Rogue Society. However, it ran into copyright issues when the brand expanded into Europe in 2017, as there is a brewery with a similar name on the continent, so it was rebranded as Scapegrace.

In 2019, the company hit headlines across the globe after producing the world’s first naturally black gin, which turns purple when mixed with tonic.

Until now, the spirits have been distilled under contract in a distillery located near the base of the Southern Alps, using pure glacial water that has been filtered through layers of sediment rock for 80 years before it is released into the depths of one of the world’s last natural aquifers.

The brand’s slogan is: “The reason that Scapegrace tastes clean is because it is.” It is exported to more than 40 countries, including the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, and various parts of Europe and Asia.

Scapegrace will now be able to produce its own spirits in-house at the distillery, which was designed by Auckland-based Cheshire Architects.

Construction has started on the first building, which will house the firm’s head office, a bottling hall, a warehouse and the first barrel room. It will open in August 2022.

The second building will be opened in October 2023. There will be a bar and restaurant, while visitors can enjoy distillery tours and visit nearby goldmines. The distillery will open to the public in November 2023.

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What to drink now… Mimosa

Perfect for spring brunch, the Mimosa is a mix of equal parts Champagne and orange juice. The cocktail is attributed to Frank Meier, head bartender at the Paris Ritz, who served the first Mimosa in 1925, though the recipe appeared elsewhere in France at the same time.

Either way, it’s a twist on the British Buck’s Fizz, invented in 1921 at the Buck’s Club in London, which used more Champagne and could include gin.

Avoid vintage fizzes or special cuvées: a classic brut style works best. Try Louis Roederer, Brut Premier NV, a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier.

Mimosa

Ingredients: 1 part Champagne, 1 part freshly squeezed orange juice

Glass: Champagne flute

Garnish: Orange slice (quarter)

Method: Method Half-fill a flute with Champagne, then top up with orange. Exact quantities can be adjusted according to the size of your glass; just remember always to use a 1:1 ratio

Fruits of the orchard

A new British vodka is aiming to be as good for the planet as it is for your palate. Created by Ellers Farm Distillery in Yorkshire, Dutch Barn Vodka (alcohol 40%) is a small-batch, carbon-neutral spirit, produced using 100% renewable electricity and packaged in a lightweight brown bottle that uses 60% recycled glass.

The brand takes its name from a renovated Dutch barn on the farm, which is now home to a brand new distillery set up by former publican Andy Braithwaite. The eco-friendly distiller is also expanding an old orchard, next to the distillery, to create a biodiverse habitat for local wildlife. The trees will sequester carbon as well as providing the raw material for the vodka.

Native British apples – sourced both from the farm and from orchards in Herefordshire – are used to produce the base spirit for Dutch Barn, which is then blended with a percentage of potato spirit. The result is a fruity and creamy vodka, with aromas of ripe red apples, vanilla and peppery spice. Super-smooth, with a snap of green apple and citrus on the finish, it makes a great Vodka Martini; or pair it with sparkling apple juice for a refreshing long serve.

What are… bitters?

Also called ‘cocktail bitters’ or ‘aromatic bitters’, these are concentrated liquid essences that are added to a drink in dashes or drops to enhance its flavour. They are made by macerating herbs, spices and other botanicals in a base spirit.

Cocktail bitters evolved from medicinal bitters: herbal tinctures that were used to aid digestion – including Italian amari (which are also known as ‘bitters’ today). Cocktails were the first beverages that specifically required the use of bitters.

Early cocktail manuals such as How to Mix Drinks by Jerry Thomas (1862) reference bitters in cocktail recipes. Popular brands such as Angostura and Peychaud’s were developed at this time and are still widely in use around the world today.

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What to drink now… White Russian

Belgian bartender Gustave Tops invented both the White Russian and its sister cocktail, the Black Russian, at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels, in 1949. The ‘Russian’ moniker refers to the vodka used in both drinks, along with coffee liqueur and in the case of the White Russian, milk or cream.

The White Russian saw a huge surge in popularity with the release of cult film The Big Lebowski in 1998. The Dude, played by Jeff Bridges, drinks White Russians constantly through the film; if you want to follow in his footsteps try Black Cow Vodka (Alc 40%, £23.99-£25/70cl), a creamy vodka made from milk, with notes of vanilla, coconut and liquorice root.

White Russian

Ingredients: 60ml vodka, 30ml coffee liqueur, 30ml single cream

Glass: Rocks

Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg

Method: Pour the vodka and coffee liqueur into a mixing glass with ice and stir gently to mix, until the outside of the glass is very cold. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and float the cream over the top. Dust with freshly grated nutmeg to garnish.

Low-alcohol gin

Two new low-alcohol gins are proving that small is beautiful, with products that are little in size but big on taste. Smidgin, launched by Suffolk-based distillery Adnams, is distilled with 10 times the amount of botanicals used in a regular bottle of gin. This means that you only need 2.5ml (half a teaspoon) mixed with 200ml of tonic to create a full-flavoured G&T with just 0.6% alcohol.

Offering up warm spiciness and creamy florality, botanicals include coriander seed, cardamom pods, orris root and hibiscus, alongside plenty of classic juniper character. Inginious from Sloemotion Distillery in North Yorkshire, is made in the same way, but with more citrus botanicals, including lemongrass, grapefruit and lime. A 5ml serve with 150ml of tonic gives a G&T with only 0.2 units of alcohol.

The newcomers follow in the innovative footsteps of Hayman’s Small Gin (Alc 43%, £22.95/20ml Amazon UK), which was launched in 2019.

Smidgin – Alc 50%, £26/20cl adnams.co.uk

Inginious – Alc 43%, £26/20cl inginious-gin.co.uk

How to… make sugar syrup

Many cocktail recipes call for sugar syrup as an ingredient.

You can buy this: try Monin Gomme Syrup. But it’s also easy to make at home: dissolve one cup of caster sugar in one cup of water over a very low heat – do not let it boil. Leave to cool, then pour it into a sterilised bottle.

It will keep in the fridge for up to a month. This is known as 1:1 sugar syrup and is more commonly used in American bars. European bartenders prefer a richer 2:1 syrup. Follow the same initial steps above, and when all of the sugar has dissolved, gradually add a second cup of sugar, stirring until it is all dissolved.

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Ah vodka, the queen of the back bar. The spirit that has launched a thousand nights, and fuelled just as many dance floors. Vodka’s popularity really took off in the 1950s, when Smirnoff started to market its vodka in mixed drinks. Since that point, the category’s cocktails define the mixed drinks trends of the last seven decades.

Vodka should have a relatively neutral flavour, meaning it lends itself well to a panoply of flavours when mixed in a cocktail. This makes it an incredibly popular spirit with drinkers – and unsurprisingly there are a vast number of classic vodka cocktails.

The main vodka highballs are an excellent illustration of this. As well as the simple Vodka Tonic, there’s the Screwdriver, which is made with orange juice. The Sea Breeze is made with cranberry and grapefruit juice. The Moscow Mule features ginger beer and lime juice. As well as their massive variations in flavour, these are some of the most commonly ordered drinks in bars everywhere.

Martinis and more…

At the more serious end of the spectrum, there’s the Vodka Martini and its numerous twists. These range from the gin-and-vodka mix of the Vesper to the rocket fuel of the Espresso Martini. Not forgetting the good-time Porn Star Martini with its vanilla vodka and passion fruit puree.

As well as the Espresso Martini, coffee features in two other classic vodka cocktails. In the Black Russian, vodka and coffee liqueur are mixed over the rocks. While the White Russian is a Black Russian with added milk or cream.

There’s also the Cosmopolitan, a mix of citrus vodka, triple sec, cranberry and lime juices. It really took off in the 1990s thanks to tv show Sex and the City, where it was the drink of choice for New Yorkers Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte.

Taking on a more tropical air, the Caipiroska is a twist on the Caipirinha. It switches vodka in for the Caipirinha’s cachaca, mixing it with lime juice and sugar.

And that’s before we even mention the hangover cure of a Bloody Mary, with its tangy, boozy snap designed to revive the dead from their stupor.

What this roll call tells us is that vodka is the little black dress of the spirits world. It’s classic, understated, and can be accessorised with anything. But which vodka to choose? Here are some of my favourites…

The best vodkas for cocktails

Absolut Vanilia

Made with natural ingredients and no added sugar, Absolut’s vanilla variant is still a luscious liquid, with a vanilla slice, toffee and cream soda flavours and a white pepper finish. It’s the perfect vodka to use in Porn Star Martinis, or simply serve it long with cola and a squeeze of lime. Alcohol 40%

Belvedere Single Estate Rye Smogóry Forest

Belvedere entered the debate about the existence of terroir in spirits with two variants – this and Lake Bartezek – to prove that terroir can indeed be expressed, even in seemingly ‘neutral’ vodka. A characterful rye-based spirit, Smogory Forest has a beguiling nose of kaffir lime leaf, bay leaf and white pepper, and a silky palate of cream, sugar, jasmine, more kaffir lime and menthol. Perfect for Martinis. Alc 40%

Chase Aged Marmalade Vodka

Taking its creamy potato vodka as the base, Chase infuses this with marmalade and Seville orange peel, then redistils the liquid with orange peel from Seville and Valencia and finally ages it in oak barrels for six months. The result is an unctuous yet refreshing vodka with a fresh orange juice nose and tangy bitter marmalade palate: the perfect candidate for making a Breakfast Martini. Alc 40%

East London Liquor Company Vodka

The hip, laidback East London Liquor Company has a tagline that every discerning drinker can get behind: ‘Decent booze. For decent people. At decent prices.’ And its vodka certainly lives up to that claim. Made from British wheat, it’s an all-rounder when it comes to mixing, with a super bright, citrusy nose and delicious palate of icing sugar, lemon sherbet, lime zest and oat cakes. Alc 40%

Grey Goose Vodka

A French vodka made from winter wheat grown in Picardy, the ‘bread basket of France’, and limestone-filtered spring water from the Cognac region. Grey Goose was created Francois Thibault, a maître de chai who worked in Cognac for 25 years before crafting this premium liquid. Buttery yet mineral with cracked black pepper and anise hints, it’s a versatile vodka to mix with. Alc 40%

Oxford Rye Organic Vodka

Eco warriors, this vodka is for you. The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD) is on a mission to revive ancient grains and regenerative growing methods, and these grains are all farmed locally and organically. This results in an initially velvety smooth, sweet and creamy vodka, before the powerful spicy and numbing punch of the rye comes in on the mid-palate, with Szechuan pepper, marshmallow sweetness and sourdough crust. Its spice and body make it great for Bloody Marys. Alc 40%

Sipsmith Sipping Vodka

Sipsmith may be best known for its amazing gins, but its vodka isn’t to be sniffed at either. Made from wheat, this spirit is distilled using Prudence, the brand’s copper pot still, and only the heart of the cut is used, meaning it doesn’t require filtration – a rarity in vodkas. An oily body, buttery biscuit notes mingle with vanilla, pepper and fennel. This may be called a sipping vodka, but it makes mean Martinis and Martini twists. Alc 40%

Stolichnaya Red Label

Who says vodka needs to be expensive? With its relatively neutral flavour profile of sweet meringue and icing-sugar notes, and a peppery finish, this is a safe bet for highballs, but would work well in most vodka cocktails. Produced in Latvia’s oldest distillery, this grain vodka has been double-distilled and quadruple-filtered through birch charcoal. Alc 40%

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The liquid form of a tiramisu dessert, the Espresso Martini is the ultimate pick-me-up cocktail – a punchier, less heavy version of the White Russian.

It’s such a classic, it feels like it has been around forever. Yet it was only created in 1983. According to legendary bartender Dick Bradsell, when he was working in London’s Soho Brasserie a famous (unnamed) model came in and asked him for a drink to ‘wake me up’.

Espresso Martini: the history

There was a coffee machine next to the bar, so Bradsell mixed a shot of espresso with vodka – the favoured spirit at the time – along with the coffee liqueurs Tia Maria (£20.29, Amazon UK) and Kaluha (£15.50, Amazon UK) and a dash of sugar syrup. He served it on the rocks in an old fashioned glass and named it the Vodka Espresso.

Fast-forward a decade and vodka was still popular in the 1990s, but the fashion was for straight-up cocktails served in a v-shaped Martini glass. Regardless of whether they included vermouth and either gin or vodka (the classic combination), any drink served like this was dubbed a ‘Martini’, and so Bradsell renamed his cocktail the Espresso Martini to keep with the trend.

Not long after, in 1998, Bradsell was mixing drinks at the Pharmacy Bar in London’s Notting Hill and his cocktail got another moniker – the Pharmaceutical Stimulant – this version again served on the rocks but with more vodka and less coffee liqueur.

Today, the Espresso Martini is the most common iteration of Bradsell’s creation, and bartenders around the world have since added their own twists. The most common is removing the sugar syrup for a stronger coffee taste, or creating a simple version of equal parts coffee, vodka and liqueur. Other tweaks include adding a pinch of salt, swapping the vodka for rum, or the coffee liqueur for another flavour.

The coffee liqueur

While Bradsell’s initial cocktail used a mix of Kaluha and (the less sweet) Tia Maria, both of which are widely available, there are now a range of boutique coffee liqueurs that are arguably more suitable, particularly for anyone with a less sweet tooth.

Boatyard Distillery’s Declan McGurk, vice-president of the UK Bartenders Guild and former director of bars at The Savoy Hotel in London, recommends Cross Brew from Scotland (£25.75, The Whisky Exchange) for its ‘firm, robust’ coffee flavour, while in our taste test London’s Climpson & Sons Midnight Oil (£21.95, The Whisky Exchange) just pipped the cold brew liqueurs of Dorset’s Conker (£28.28, The Whisky Exchange) and Australia’s Mr Black (£29.75, The Whisky Exchange).

The espresso

Whatever coffee liqueur you choose, what is not optional is the espresso. Yes, it seems bizarre to add a shot of hot coffee to a cocktail shaker of ice, but this is the only way you can guarantee the thick crema (rich foam) on the top of the drink that is the sign of both a good espresso and a good Espresso Martini.

Of course your cocktail will still be tasty if you use cold brewed coffee from a good roaster – never instant! – but it won’t be quite as authentic, smooth-textured or fresh. Neither will the creamy, frothy, Guinness-like head offer a sturdy base for the three coffee beans traditionally used as a garnish

Don’t worry, using hot espresso won’t give you a warm cocktail. Just make sure you add the shot to your shaker last, after the vodka and coffee liqueur. The ice (use one big block to avoid dilution) will ensure your cocktail is at the perfect serving temperature.

The vodka

And just as it’s important to get the coffee right, choosing the right vodka is vital for the ultimate Espresso Martini.

McGurk recommends a wheat vodka for its ‘sweeter flavour profile and oily texture’. In our taste test, West Dorset’s Black Cow, distilled from whey, gives a uniquely creamy, chocolatey hit – perfect for an Espresso Martini. It was closely followed by the spicy and caramelly mixed-grain vodka from Konik’s Tail, the fruity barley richness of Kalak and Masons Espresso Vodka from Yorkshire infused with coffee beans.

How to make an Espresso Martini

Glass Martini

Garnish Three coffee beans in a petal formation on the foam

Method Add the espresso, liqueur and vodka to a cocktail shaker with one big ice block (not crushed ice) and shake until cold. Then strain into a chilled glass.

45ml vodka

30ml freshly made hot espresso

20ml coffee liqueur

(5ml sugar syrup optional, to taste)

Best vodkas for an Espresso Martini

Beluga Noble Vodka

Distilled in Siberia from malted barley, this is crisp, peppery and fresh more than creamy, lightly flavoured with honey and extracts of oat and milk thistle. A classic, warming vodka with a weighty mouthfeel and floral finish, ideal for any Martini. Alc 40%

Black Cow Vodka

The first vodka made entirely from whey, left over after the curds from grass-fed cow’s milk go into Jason Barber’s awarded 1833 Cheddar at his West Dorset farm. It has a deliciously smooth and – yes – creamy mouthfeel, with white chocolate richness and background notes of pepper. Ideal for those who are gluten intolerant and perfect in an Espresso Martini. Excellent value. Alc 40%

Boatyard Vodka

An unfiltered Irish wheat vodka that can trace the grain used in each bottle back to the field from which it was harvested. Rich vanilla pastry notes, banana sweetness and gentle white pepper spicing on a smooth but fresh palate that will appeal to Irish whisky lovers. Alc 41%

Jeptha Creed Vodka

Made in Kentucky from a mash of the red kernelled heirloom variety of corn called Bloody Butcher, this has real vanilla, bakewell tart and banana sweetness to the nose and palate. A smooth Bourbon-lover’s vodka. Alc 40%

Kalak Single Malt Vodka

Pot-distilled four times from Irish barley malted in West Cork to give a very distinctive flavour and ultra-smooth, creamy palate. Aromas and flavours of chocolate croissants, fruitcake and spiced biscuits and a long oily mouthfeel. Another one for the whisky lovers to sip and savour or enjoy in a rich Espresso Martini. Alc 40%

Ketel One Vodka

From the Nolet family distillery in Holland, founded in 1681 and now run by the 10th generation. It’s a well-priced wheat vodka – mainly column-still spirit with a small amount of pot-still distillate, giving a clean, fresh citrus and herb flavour. Great for mixing. Alc 40%

Konik’s Tail Vodka

Named for the wild ponies that graze in the fields of spelt, rye and wheat used to make this small-batch Polish vodka. Beautifully smooth with warming bonfire toffee tones, crème caramel and a distinct peppery spiciness. A complex and characterful spirit, delicious neat or for an Espresso Martini. Alc 40%

Masons Espresso Vodka

Yorkshire distiller Masons produces this smooth vodka, infused with coffee beans from El Salvador. Freshly roasted coffee aromas – bitter and mellow – with hints of dark chocolate and coffee cream, then a crisp, clean palate. Dials up the coffee flavour if you want your Espresso Martini to really pack a punch. Alc 40%

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When someone mentions a White Russian, the chances are that cult Coen brothers’ film The Big Lebowski springs instantly to mind. Other than James Bond’s Martini , arguably no other drink is as synonymous with a film character as the White Russian and The Dude.

The Jeff Bridges slacker character makes his way through the black comedy either mixing or requesting them. Slinging vodka, Kahlua and milk into a glass, he always has one in hand – even managing to avoid spilling his drink as he is dumped unceremoniously into the back of a limo. It’s the perfect choice of drink for this iconic personality.

A dreamy, creamy concoction of a cocktail, the White Russian is a beguiling mix of vodka and coffee liqueur with milk and/or cream. Served on the rocks, it has arguably been knocked off the coffee cocktail pedestal by the Espresso Martini and the Irish Coffee, but I’m here to make the case for its reinstatement.

While the other two are worthy cocktails in their own right, the Espresso Martini with its shot of espresso and coffee liqueur packs a huge caffeine punch that can keep you awake late into the night. The Irish Coffee, while delicious, is hot, so only really suited to after dinner drinking or cold weather.

The White Russian, on the other hand, could arguably be drunk around the clock – it has milk or cream in it! It only has a gentle coffee buzz. It’s easygoing. Just like The Dude.

So what sort of vodkas should you consider when mixing a White Russian? Creamy or cereal-forward spirits are the name of the game. Consequently, potato and barley vodkas work particularly well. Personally, I would avoid 100% rye-based vodkas, because the spicy bite that rye brings to the table is the antithesis of the cool, smooth, easy-drinking nature of this cocktail.

How to make a White Russian

As for the recipe, mix two parts vodka to one part Kahlua – or the coffee liqueur of your choice – and one part single cream. Mix the vodka and Kahlua over ice in a rocks glass, then float the cream on top. Enjoy while wearing a dressing gown and sunglasses, just like The Dude.

Best vodkas for a White Russian

Absolut Vodka

Originally created in 1879 by Lars Olsson Smith, this Swedish brand was reintroduced on its centenary in its current iconic bottle, catapulting the brand to global recognition. Made in Åhus with locally grown winter wheat, Absolut is a smooth vodka with cereal and cream soda notes, making it perfect for a White Russian. Alcohol 40% 

Arbikie Haar Vodka

Situated in the Scottish Highlands, on the farm that the Stirling family has worked on since the 17th century, Arbikie distillery is a field-to-bottle operation. Haar is a wheat vodka named after a coastal fog that often blankets the farm, and it boasts a sweet palate of custard tart, warm meringue, earthy coffee and butter. Alc 43%

Black Cow Vodka

A vodka made from milk? Indeed. Black Cow is a zero-waste product: it’s made from milk of cows that graze by the distillery in south-west Dorset, with the curds of this milk being used to make cheese, and the whey used to make the vodka. The result is a beguiling palate of vanilla pod, desiccated coconut, bright lemon zest, anise and sweet liquorice root. Alc 40%

Chase Vodka

Named after the family that created this brand, Chase distillery in Herefordshire is now owned by Diageo. The Chase family originally made their name creating Tyrell’s crisps, using the potatoes they farmed. It makes sense, then, that they then went on to produce potato vodkas, using King Edward, Lady Rosetta and Lady Claire varieties. A velvety vodka with accents of sweet liquorice, earthy terracotta and a smattering of black pepper. Alc 40%

Konik’s Tail Vodka

Distilled from a mixture of spelt, rye and winter wheat, Konik’s Tail is a complex, rich Polish vodka. A subtle nose of vanilla, marshmallow and lemon verbena and a soft palate with meringue sweetness, before a slight rye spice, orange zest and raspberry make an appearance. This is a decadent option for making a White Russian, but its complexity means it makes a mean Martini and can be enjoyed neat too. Alc 40%

Reyka Vodka

Hailing from Iceland, this wheat and barley vodka is fittingly filtered through lava rock, made with glacial spring water and produced using geothermal energy. In fact, the name ‘Reyka’ is an old Icelandic word for steam. Made in small batches, this is a very soft, creamy spirit, with hints of anise, vanilla and lemon zest. Alc 40%

Snow Leopard Vodka

A vodka with a charitable streak, Snow Leopard donates 15% of its profits to the preservation of these stunning animals. Made in Poland using spelt, it is produced in small batches, distilled six times and twice filtered through charcoal. The result is a nutty, mineral vodka, with top notes of spring blossom and grass. Alc 40% 

X Muse Vodka

Made at the Bonnington Estate near Edinburgh, X Muse’s spiritual home is a sculpture park called Jupiter Artland. This isn’t a case of style over substance, however. It’s made using two heritage varieties of barley that are distilled separately and blended, while the water used comes from an ancient aquifer on the estate. It’s a vodka with an elegant body, and flavours of sweet cream, Granny Smith apples, pears, melted butter, drying oatcakes and a mineral undertone. Alc 40%

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Vodkas with flavour: a matter of taste

Although vodka is primarily known for its pure, neutral taste, the spirit also acts as a great carrier for flavour. In the early days of vodka production, flavourings were primarily added to disguise the harsh taste of these roughly distilled spirits or for medicinal purposes.

Eastern European countries share a centuries-long tradition of flavouring vodkas with spices and honey, while Nordic countries favoured herbs and fruit.

Fast-forward to modern times and the first mass-market flavoured vodka was Absolut Peppar, launched in 1986. Other distillers were quick to produce their own flavoured variants – in a seemingly endless array. Smirnoff alone produces over 30 different flavours.

Many of these flavoured vodkas are consumed as shots, but they’re also a great option for mixing up easy, thirst-quenching long drinks: just pair 50ml of your favourite flavour with lemonade or tonic.

Flavoured vodkas can also be used to enhance a range of cocktails. The original Absolut Peppar works brilliantly in a Bloody Mary for example. While vanilla vodkas, such as Grey Goose La Vanille, make a creamier twist on an Espresso Martini.

However you choose to enjoy them, the selection of bottles below will give you plenty of drinking inspiration…

Flavoured vodka: 8 to try

Absolut Citron

Launched in 1988, Citron was the second flavoured vodka from iconic Swedish label Absolut and has since become its biggest seller. Its fame was assured when it became the vodka of choice for the Cosmopolitan cocktail, which flew off bars in London and New York in the 1990s thanks to TV show Sex and the City. With a base of Swedish winter wheat, the palate is smooth and creamy with ripe Amalfi lemon and lemon zest flavours and a spicy, lemon tart finish. Clean and crisp, it obviously tastes great in a Cosmo, but fans of citrus drinks should try it in a Lemon Drop Martini too, shaken with lemon juice and triple sec. Alcohol 40%

Aval Dor Cornish Seaberry Vodka

Made at Colwith Farm Distillery in Lanlivery in Cornwall, this British potato vodka is infused with seaberries (also called sea buckthorn) harvested a few kilometres from the distillery. Warm amber-orange in colour, it has fruity aromas: tropical with bitter orange notes. There’s a distinctive tangy palate of tropical and citrus fruit – dried mango, Seville orange – with a touch of honeyed sweetness that lingers on the finish alongside a crisp citrus-and-spice kick. Sip or serve it over ice with tonic. Alc 40%

Belvedere Organic Infusions Pear & Ginger

Premium Polish label Belvedere has launched its Organic Infusions range of flavoured vodkas in time for summer. Ideal to pair with tonic for a seasonal refresher, the range includes Blackberry & Lemongrass, Lemon & Basil and this lightly spiced Pear & Ginger. It has a really refreshing zesty nose, with lemon citrus, leafy hints and ginger leading to a fresh, clean and crisp palate with notes of fresh pear, spiced pears, lemon citrus and sliced root ginger tea. Alc 42%

Bare Vodka No3 Cherry

The Bare range of Polish grain vodkas is made with entirely natural flavourings. No2 is lightly honeyed, but our pick is No3, with attractive aromas and flavours of fresh red cherry and Maraschino cherry, plus an almond, marzipan note – like sipping a cherry Bakewell. Smooth-textured, it finishes fruity, with a kick of warm spice. Bare is intended for sipping neat, but you can also try pairing it with Fentimans Rose Lemonade for a summery serve. Alc 40%

Broken Clock

A distinctive vodka that will appeal to gin lovers, Broken Clock is a smooth English wheat spirit flavoured with botanicals inspired by historic Georgian gardens, botanical texts and recipes, including three types of native apples. The perfumed nose has fruity and floral hints, while the sweetly herbal palate has a rich and rounded texture, with subtle russet apple notes that linger across the long finish, ending with a crisp bite. Makes an interesting Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Manly Spirits Marine Botanical Vodka

A vodka for gin lovers, this is distilled in Sydney using foraged marine botanicals including sea parsley and kelp. Savoury aromas with underlying spice make your mouth water. The creamy palate with its seaweed umami depth is balanced by breezy ozone freshness and a clean mineral edge. A great alternative to gin with tonic, or try it neat with oysters. Alc 41.6%

Stolichnaya Lime

The latest addition to Stoli’s range of Russian grain vodkas, this has fresh, citrus aromas: freshly squeezed lime juice and lime Opal fruits. There’s a super-fruity lime zing on the palate, which doesn’t taste confected; just plenty of juicy, bold, lip-smacking lime. Perfect for a Moscow Mule cocktail with ginger beer and fresh lime. Alc 37.5%

Vestal Black Cherry Vodka

Better known for its creamy potato vodka and innovative vintage vodkas, Polish label Vestal also produces a Raspberry & Blackberry flavour and this moreish Black Cherry. It’s packed with ripe black cherry aromas and flavours, alongside plenty of spice on the velvety palate. Mix it with cola for a thoroughly grown-up take on Cherry Coke, which is sure to become one of your guilty pleasures… Alc 40%

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In 1939, when a little-known vodka called Smirnoff was first sold in the US, it used a memorable – if technically incorrect – strapline: ‘Smirnoff white whiskey: no smell, no taste’. Given that it now sells roughly 25m cases a year around the world, the approach seems to have worked.

To most people, blank neutrality epitomises vodka. It is the chameleon of spirits, an efficient and malleable alcohol delivery system that takes on whatever flavours you throw at it in any number of cocktails or mixed drinks. Until recently in the US, its characterless character was even enshrined in law. By definition, vodka had to be ‘without distinctive character, aroma, taste or colour’.

But there’s always been a part of vodka that eschews the dismissive notion that all vodkas taste the same, because they don’t taste of anything. Russians and Poles would find the idea laughable – and now increasing numbers of people in the western world would agree.

‘You know, I think we are in a golden age for vodka drinkers and connoisseurs,’ says Chico Rosa, Master Distiller at The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD), one of the countless craft operators to have sprung up around the world in recent years. ‘There is more and more emphasis on terroir and flavour in vodka.’

Terroir? In vodka? Really? But when TOAD started making vodka three years ago, it sourced rye grain grown in sandy soils near Oxford; more recently, it switched to rye from clay soils. ‘Now that is something very different,’ says Rosa. ‘It still has the same kind of flavour profile, but the character is definitely not as silky.’

TOAD’s Oxford Rye Organic Vodka happens to use the same raw ingredients (rye, wheat and barley) as Dima’s Vodka from Ukraine – but the two liquids have highly contrasting styles.

Where Oxford Rye is rich and round, full of cocoa bean and dark chocolate, Dima’s is fresher, zestier, but with rye’s peppery edge. ‘Flavourful but smooth was our overarching aim,’ explains founder Dima Deinega, Ukraine-born, but resident in the UK since the age of five. ‘It took us 38 goes to get it right because we wanted something that was more refined and complex.’

Like TOAD, Dima’s makes great play of its raw ingredients and origins – grains grown in the ultra-fertile black Ukrainian soil called ‘chernozem’, so prized that it is sold by the truckload on the black market.

For Deinega, wheat brings creaminess, rye spice, and barley sweetness, but flavour isn’t his sole concern. ‘What gives spirits flavour?’ he asks rhetorically. ‘Certain impurities. But I still wanted it to be very smooth. I think that’s the challenge to vodka: maintaining its identity, but also adapting and modernising.’

Saving flavour in vodka

Preserving flavour when making vodka is damned tricky. When you distil something to above 95% abv, you’re eliminating almost all of the impurities that give spirits like whisky so much of their character.

‘With modern distillation technology it is not difficult to strip away all the character of the base material and leave only alcohol and water to create a neutral vodka,’ says Mike Foster, global brand ambassador for Belvedere. ‘Our distillers at Belvedere are hugely experienced in managing the slow fermentation and the four-column distillation process to ensure that we create and retain all the congeners that we need, and remove the ones that we don’t.’

That’s vital if, like Belvedere, your ultimate aim is to showcase the dimensions and nuances of flavour present in your raw ingredients – in this case, Polish Diamond Dankowskie rye. Similarly, Dima’s uses the expertise of the 125-year-old Zhytomyr distillery in Ukraine, while TOAD’s bespoke stills and gentle, whole-grain production process have a laser focus on keeping flavour in. ‘Terroir in a spirit is not only the base, or where the base was grown, but also the still and the people who worked with the ingredients, and the distillers,’ says Rosa.

Let’s not go crazy here: this is still vodka, after all, and the flavour variations remain nuanced and subtle compared to a gin or a single malt. ‘But if you train your palate and keep tasting, tasting, tasting, you can feel the difference between one vodka and another,’ says Ago Perrone, director of mixology at The Connaught Bar in London’s Mayfair. ‘It might take longer than for Scotch whisky or bourbon, but with vodka there is a real sense of discovery.’

For Perrone, you have to start with neat vodka, served at room temperature. ‘Smell it, taste it, feel the texture,’ he says. The texture – that underrated aspect of any fine spirit – is especially important.

‘The Martini is really a hero serve to allow the palate to enjoy all the flavours that vodka has, but you want a vodka that can really hold the dilution,’ Perrone explains. ‘If it gets too watery, you can lose the flavour. Texture is key, because texture allows the flavours to stick on the palate – just think of full-bodied versus light-bodied wines.’

In a gin-obsessed world, the right vodka can offer an understated counterpoint, especially if you’re a Martini fan. ‘Vodka is gentle and elegant, and is perfect when the palate doesn’t want too many competing flavours,’ says Perrone. ‘Vodka creates flavours that other spirits just can’t.’

No smell, no taste? No chance.

Ten flavourful vodkas to try

Absolut Elyx

The style vodka that broke America has been elevated here with winter wheat from a single estate and a second distillation in a 100-year-old column still. Elyx retains the Swedish mother brand’s unctuous character, with notes of clean cereal, white pepper and a touch of Madagascan vanilla. The finish is dry and slightly nutty. Alc 42.3%

Belvedere Single Estate Rye Lake Bartężek

Poland’s Belvedere has taken vodka provenance to a new level with its single estate expressions. This uses rye grown in the Masurian Lake District, where long, snowy winters help create an elegant, crisp and precise vodka, with a grassy undertone and a hint of menthol. Perfect Martini material. Alc 40%

Belvedere Single Estate Rye Smogóry Forest

The second of Belvedere’s single estate tag-team hails from a village in western Poland surrounded by vast forests. Long summers make for a much more robust and forward style, with plenty of spice and pep. A sipper that’s also good for stronger, stirred-down cocktail creations. Alc 40%

Chase Original Potato Vodka

William Chase invested some of the proceeds from selling his British Tyrrells crisps business into a new distillery – which has now also been sold to spirits giant Diageo. Beyond the dealmaking, this is an ultra-smooth and rounded potato vodka with a pleasing touch of butter and vanilla. A taste of Poland – from Herefordshire. Alc 40%

Dima’s Vodka

A Ukrainian mix of rye, wheat and barley brings a creamy, silky texture and a grassy, balanced style with bright, vanilla-accented fruit and some gentle spice and pepper. Good with cheese and charcuterie or, in true Ukrainian style, a selection of pickles. The local toast? ‘Budmo!’ Alc 40%

Eight Lands Organic Speyside Vodka

The Scottish Glenrinnes distillery sounds like it should be making whisky, and indeed it lies in the heartland of single malt – but instead focuses on gin and vodka: organic barley and wheat, a two-stage fermentation process and a rich, sweet distillate with lots of caramel, a hint of black banana and a pleasing edge of pepper. Alc 42%

Grey Goose Vodka

French vodka Grey Goose took its name from a defunct German wine sold in the US – but that didn’t stop it from pioneering the luxury vodka boom of the noughties. Picardie winter wheat, distillation in the Cognac region, and a sharply zesty character rounded out by notes of coconut and cream, with just a pinch of balancing anis. Alc 40%

Konik’s Tail

Ago Perrone has been serving this Polish vodka at The Connaught Bar in London for 12 years, and is a big fan. It combines the spiciness of rye with the creamy texture of wheat, plus – unusually – spelt, which brings a bready character. Complexity and balance make this a versatile cocktail base, but it’s also great neat, frozen or on the rocks. Alc 40%

The Oxford Artisan Distillery Oxford Rye Organic Vodka

Chocolate! This rye-heavy spirit (with wheat and barley) has an alluring nose of cocoa bean and dark chocolate, while gentle handling at the distillery keeps a bright, fruity note and the herbal undertone of rye. Rounded and silky – and absolutely brimming with character. Alc 40%

VKA Organic Tuscany Vodka

From the Mugello region of northern Tuscany, VKA uses organic wheat to deliver a mineral-accented, softly sweet distillate with a whisper of pine resin. It’s clean and pin-sharp on the finish, making it a great, toned-down aquavit substitute alongside raw fish and crustaceans. Alc 40%

Best vodkas for a Bloody Mary

Whether you want to sip it, shoot it, mix with tonic or shake up a sophisticated cocktail, vodka is a versatile spirit that belongs in everyone’s drinks cupboard.

That versatility is due to its pure, neutral taste, which is achieved through the distillation process itself and then further filtration, which removes any impurities left behind by the distilling process and brightens the clarity of the spirit.

Vodkas can be distilled, once, twice, three or four times – or even more – in search of that perfect purity. The filtration process adds polish and can impart flavour characteristics to a vodka; though not all producers choose to filter.

The quest for purity led to the development of premium vodkas, which started appearing on the market in the 1990s. Grey Goose led the way, but many other brands followed, with producers creating increasingly expensive super-premium and ultra-premium expressions.

While premium vodkas are great for sipping or in a Vodka Martini there are plenty of good quality, great value vodka brands, such as Smirnoff Red Label and Russian Standard – both currently on offer at Amazon (see below). Try them in the classic Bloody Mary brunch cocktail.

Choose from the great deals here or one of our top recommendations below.

Vodka deals

Absolut Vodka

Premium Swedish vodka with an iconic bottle design, based on a traditional Swedish medicine bottle. Grain, vanilla and liquorice on the palate. Alc 40%

£27.95 Now £20 at Amazon (Save £7.95)

View Deal

Smirnoff Red Label Vodka

Best-selling Russian vodka made with winter wheat from the Russian Steppes and glacial water from Lake Lagoda. Alc 38%

£21.50 Now £15.98 at Amazon (Save £5.52)

View Deal

Mamont Vodka

Smooth Siberian vodka in a striking tusk-shaped bottle that celebrates the symbol of Siberia: the mammoth. Alc 40%

£39 Now £33.99 at Amazon (Save £5.01)

View Deal

Russian Standard Vodka

Best-selling Russian vodka made with winter wheat from the Russian Steppes and glacial water from Lake Lagoda. Alc 38%

£16 Now £14.50 at Amazon (Save £1.50)

View Deal

Top vodkas to try

Absolut Elyx

Made from winter wheat grown on a single estate in southern Sweden, Absolut’s luxury bottling Elyx is distilled in a vintage copper column still from 1921. This is one of our favourite vodkas: rich and rounded, with a luscious silky texture. Light grain aromas, plus notes of fresh bread, white chocolate and mellow spice. The palate has creamy cereal notes, vanilla, macadamia nuts and baked pastries. Alc 42.3%

Belvedere Vodka

This high-quality vodka from Poland has an incredibly smooth texture thanks to its four-times distillation process. Made from rye, it has a creaminess on the palate with notes of vanilla and white pepper along the edge giving it a spicy boost on the finish. It’s easy to see why this is a classic and well-loved vodka. Alc 40%

Grey Goose Vodka

The world’s first premium vodka. From the Cognac region in France, Grey Goose was created by François Thibault, son of a wine-grower and a master Cognac blender. It’s a versatile, super-creamy wheat vodka that works well in a whole range of cocktails. Alc 40%

Haku Vodka

Produced by Suntory, which is better known for its whiskeys, this Japanese vodka is made from Japanese white rice (the word ‘haku’ means ‘white’ in Japanese). Double distilled with bamboo charcoal filtration, the palate is pure, soft and rounded, with an edge of sweetness on the soft lingering finish that marries well with the dry vermouth in a Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Ketel One Vodka

Made by 10th generation distillers – with over 300 years of expertise – this is one of the smoothest and cleanest vodkas on the market today. This Dutch vodka is distilled in small batches and made from 100% GMO-free European wheat. It has a crisp citrus flavour with notes of honey and a long and lively finish. It makes a great cocktail but if you like your vodka neat this is a great choice, chilled or served over a little ice. Alc 40%

Stolichnaya Elit Vodka

A premium Russian vodka made using a revolutionary freeze filtration technique, filtering the spirit at -18°C. This makes all impurities freeze against the walls of the filtration tanks giving ultra-high levels of purity and making it one of the smoothest on the market. It has subtle flavours of creamy aniseed with a light spiciness and balanced dryness on the palate. A fantastic buy from one of the most prestigious vodka brands. Alc 40%

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Vodka has a long heritage, tracing its roots back to Eastern Europe. Mentions of vodka appear in texts from the Middle Ages in Poland, Russia and Sweden. But production spread to the rest of Eastern and Northern Europe – including Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and Belarus – and then to the rest of the word.

So what is vodka? It’s a clear spirit that can be distilled from any starch- or sugar-rich fermentable agricultural crop. These include wheat, rye, rice, sugar beets and potatoes. Distilling produces a super-strong alcoholic spirit, which is then ‘cut’ with water to bring down the abv and make it drinkable.

Modern vodkas

Obviously production methods have improved considerably over time and today modern vodkas can be distilled, once, twice, three or four times – or even hundreds of times if a process called continuous distillation is used – in search of perfect purity.

For some traditional vodka producers, distilling is enough. But producers in the west and the United States go a step further by filtering their vodka, which removes any impurities left behind after distillation.

As with distillation, vodkas can be filtered multiple times, using a variety of materials. Typically charcoal is most popular, but stone, quartz and even diamonds are used by some producers.

Choosing the right vodka

How do you find the right vodka for you? Although vodka is characterised by its neutral taste, there’s actually plenty of variety on offer: from good value buys to smooth premium vodkas and flavoured variants.

Think about how you prefer to drink vodka. Are you going to enjoy it neat – either sipped or in a shot? Or pair it with a mixer such as tonic, ginger ale or cola?

If you’re drinking vodka neat, you want something with a smooth texture – think Absolut, Finlandia, Stolichnaya or Smirnoff. For sipping vodkas head towards the premium, super-premium and luxury end of the market: brands like Grey Goose, Belvedere and Cîroc.

If you’re pairing with a mixer, texture is less important. You need a vodka that will deliver that kick of alcohol, even when it’s diluted. Good value brands like Russian Standard and Eristoff will work perfectly. The same rule applies for mixing with fruit juices: vodka cranberry or vodka and orange for example.

Fruit-flavoured vodkas are fun for shots, but also make a really simple, summery cocktail with tonic. Our favourites include Grey Goose L’Orange, Chase Rhubarb and Absolut Mango. Pair Vestal Black Cherry vodka with cola for an addictive take on cherry coke.

Vodka cocktails

If you’re using vodka to mix up cocktails, there’s plenty of choice. Because of its neutral taste vodka works brilliantly in a whole range of cocktails, from fruity mixes like the Cosmoplitan and Screwdriver; to a creamy White Russian; savoury Bloody Mary or with coffee in a punchy Espresso Martini.

It’s a helpful idea to talk to bartenders and find out their preferred choice for your favourite cocktail. But a general rule of thumb is that in drinks with just a few ingredients, always try to use a better quality of vodka.

That’s certainly true if you enjoy a sophisticated Vodka Martini. This classic mix of vodka and vermouth puts your vodka front and centre stage, so always choose a premium brand for your Vodkatini.

Are luxury vodkas worth the price?

If you Google ‘most expensive vodkas’ the search will deliver an eye-watering selection of prices. Top of the list is Billionaire’s Vodka, which is marketed as ‘the world’s most expensive vodka’ and retails for a whopping $3,750,000 (£2,789,025) for a six-litre Methusalem.

The vodka is ice-filtered, then filtered through Nordic birch charcoal and finally filtered through crushed diamonds and gems. It’s sold in a platinum- and rhodium-encased, diamond-encrusted crystal bottle, with solid gold labels and a neckband encrusted with diamonds.

While vodkas costing millions of dollars are aimed firmly at Russian oligarchs and the super-wealthy, there are more ‘affordable’ luxury bottlings running to hundreds or thousands of pounds. But are they worth the money?

Often these price-tags are simply the result of luxury packaging. For example back in 2008 Oval vodka launched its Swarovski crystal bottle, encrusted with sparkly gems and retailing for a cool £3,500 ($6,922).

If bling’s your thing, these bottles can be worth the investment. It’s no different to buying a luxury watch or jewellery.

But if you have an interest in what’s inside the bottle as well, you can find much better value lower down the price spectrum – though still with some glitzy packaging that will make a great gift for a special occasions.

For example Gem Diva Vodka is a quality Scottish wheat vodka presented in a bottle with a wand of glittering Swarovski Elements crystals. It sells at Master of Malt for £109.92.

Or what about Belvedere’s Silver Saber? This laser-cut metallic magnum contains Belvedere’s signature premium vodka, but can be customised with names, dates or a personal message for a memorable birthday or anniversary gift. Yours for £134 at Clos19.

Top vodkas to buy as a gift

Absolut Elyx

Made from winter wheat grown on a single estate in southern Sweden, Absolut’s luxury bottling Elyx is distilled in a vintage copper column still from 1921. This is one of our favourite vodkas: rich and rounded, with a luscious silky texture. Light grain aromas, plus notes of fresh bread, white chocolate and mellow spice. The palate has creamy cereal notes, vanilla, macadamia nuts and baked pastries. 42.3%

Belvedere Vodka

This high-quality vodka from Poland has an incredibly smooth texture thanks to its four-times distillation process. Made from rye, it has a creaminess on the palate with notes of vanilla and white pepper along the edge giving it a spicy boost on the finish. It’s easy to see why this is a classic and well-loved vodka. Alc 40%

Broken Clock

A distinctive English wheat vodka infused with apples and English country garden botanicals. It has a perfumed nose with fruity, floral hints, followed by a rich and rounded palate, with a lingering finish. Sweetly herbal, with a subtle russet apple note that lingers on the finish, this is a characterful sipping vodka. 40%

Cîroc Vodka

Made from grapes grown in the Charente-Maritime region of France, Cîroc was created by oenologist and Master Distiller Jean-Sebastien Robicquet in 2003. Distilled five times, it’s got a fruity palate, with fresh lemony notes, plus a honeyed sweetness and spice. Cîroc is a great choice for vodka cocktails – either the original or one of its flavoured variants such as Mango, Apple, Red Berry or French Vanilla, which is great in an Espresso Martini. 40% abv

Grey Goose Vodka

The world’s first premium vodka, which was launched in 1997. From the Cognac region in France, Grey Goose was created by François Thibault, son of a wine-grower and a master Cognac blender. It’s a versatile, super-creamy wheat vodka that works well in a whole range of cocktails. Alc 40%

Haku

Produced by Suntory, which is better known for its whiskeys, this Japanese vodka is made from Japanese white rice (the word ‘haku’ means ‘white’ in Japanese). Double distilled with bamboo charcoal filtration, the palate is pure, soft and rounded, with an edge of sweetness on the soft lingering finish that marries well with the dry vermouth in a Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Ketel One Vodka

Made by 10th generation distillers – with over 300 years of expertise – this is one of the smoothest and cleanest vodkas on the market today. This Dutch vodka is distilled in small batches and made from 100% GMO-free European wheat. It has a crisp citrus flavour with notes of honey and a long and lively finish. It makes a great cocktail but if you like your vodka neat this is a great choice, chilled or served over a little ice. Alc 40%

Reyka Vodka

This wheat and barley vodka is distilled in Iceland using glacial spring water and sustainable energy from geothermal heat – earning it the label of ‘world’s first green vodka’ when it launched in 2005. Full and rounded, with a creamy vanilla note that plays against peppery spice and fresh citrus, Reyka delivers a classic Vodka Martini. Alc 40%

Stolichnaya Elit Vodka

A premium Russian vodka made using a revolutionary freeze filtration technique, filtering the spirit at -18°C. This makes all impurities freeze against the walls of the filtration tanks giving ultra-high levels of purity and making it one of the smoothest on the market. It has subtle flavours of creamy aniseed with a light spiciness and balanced dryness on the palate. A fantastic buy from one of the most prestigious vodka brands. Alc 40%

Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka

This Polish vodka is infused with Hierochloe Odorata grass, a unique variety grown in the Bialowieza Forest bordering Poland and Ukraine and the habitat of wild Polish bison – hence the name. Distilled from rye, the spirit is strained through bunches of hand-harvested and dried grass; every bottle contains a single blade of grass, giving a translucent, greenish colour and a herbal, aromatic and delicate taste. Notes of citrus, jasmine, black pepper and lavender can be detected. A great sipping vodka or pair it with ginger ale. Alc 40%

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Best Vodkas for a Bloody Mary

Fans of the Bloody Mary swear by the restorative powers of this savoury vodka and tomato juice-based mix, which explains its popularity as a brunch cocktail. If you’re nursing a hangover you won’t care too much about the origins of the drink – which is probably just as well since its history takes some unpicking.

So if you’re in urgent need of a pick-me-up, skip to the vodka recommendations below. If you’re clear-headed, read on…

The Bloody Mary was invented in the 1920s. Or maybe the 1930s. It was created in Paris. Or maybe the US. And it was named after English Queen Mary I, Hollywood actress Mary Pickford, or a waitress called Mary who worked at Chicago bar, Bucket of Blood. Among others.

Cocktail historians and bartenders have researched these theories and now tend to agree that the Bloody Mary was an evolution of the Tomato Juice Cocktail, documented in the early 1900s and originally made without alcohol.

The addition of vodka is attributed to George Jessel, a Broadway performer who liked to party hard and, according to his autobiography, The world I lived in, created the Bloody Mary in 1927, in an attempt to sober up for a morning volleyball game. Jessel named the drink after socialite Mary Brown Warburton, who spilled a glass of it over her white evening gown.

French bartender Fernand Petiot then refined this basic mix of vodka and tomato juice, formalising a basic recipe that also included lemon juice, seasoning, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce.

To make a Bloody Mary at home, use 60ml vodka, 120ml tomato juice, 15ml fresh lemon juice, 8 drops of Tabasco, 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, 2 grinds of black pepper and a pinch of celery salt. Put all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and stir to mix, then strain into an ice-filled highball glass.

But perhaps the greatest joy of the Bloody Mary is the evolution of the basic recipe into millions of special house serves and secret mixes, so that every Mary is as unique as the person drinking it.

Potential ingredients range from beef stock, clam juice and Thai fish sauce to Port, Sherry, Vermouth and Guinness via horseradish, sriracha and all manner of hot pepper sauces. Variants also include the Red Snapper (made with gin instead of vodka) and the Bloody Maria (with Tequila).

Eight vodkas for a Bloody Mary

Absolut Peppar Vodka, Sweden

14.79-£17.89/50cl, Drinks Direct, Drink Supermarket, Prestige Drinks

Peppar was the first flavoured vodka released by Absolut, back in 1986, and it was created purposely for use in Bloody Marys. Flavours of jalapeño chilli, capsicum and green pepper help to create an even spicier Bloody Mary. For a fresher take, try Absolut Citron instead, which dials up the lemon citrus in your Mary. Alc 40%

Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka, Poland

£36.99-£48.90/70cl, Ginspiration, Soho Wine Supply, Urban Drinks

Another vodka created just for Bloody Marys (there’s a clue in the name…) Belvedere’s offering is made by distilling a range of savoury ingredients including tomato, chilli, black pepper, red pepper and horseradish. No surprises, this adds a savoury, umami kick to your Bloody Mary. Alc 40%

Chase Vodka, UK

£30-£37/70cl, Amazon, John Lewis, Master of Malt, Waitrose

Chase potato vodka is produced by the team behind Tyrells crisps, using the spuds that are too small to be made into crisps. Potato vodkas tend to be creamier than wheat vodkas, and Chase is no exception, balancing the acidic texture of the tomato and lemon juice, while adding a spicy peppercorn note to the flavour. Try Chase Smoked Vodka for an edgier take on a Bloody Mary. Alc 40%

Chopin Vodka, Poland

£32-£37/70cl, Amazon, Drinks & Co, Master of Malt

Named after the classical composer, Chopin is another creamy and smooth potato vodka. Its lightly spiced, nutty and earthy palate helps to round out the savoury flavours of a Bloody Mary, with a clean finish. One for the classicists who don’t like their Mary too hot and spicy. Alc 40% 

Ketel One Vodka, Netherlands

£22.95-£25/70cl, Amazon, Master of Malt, The Bottle Club, Waitrose Cellar 

The Nolet family has been in the distilling game since 1691. The zesty, honeyed citrus notes of their flagship Dutch wheat vodka add a sweet citrus tone to the savoury and spice flavours of a Bloody Mary. Try using Ketel One Citroen if you want an even fresher, lemony Mary. Alc 40%

Grey Goose Vodka, France

£37-£39/70cl, Amazon, Asda, Ocado, Tesco, The Whisky Exchange

From the Cognac region in France, Grey Goose was created by François Thibault, son of a wine-grower and a master Cognac blender. It’s a versatile, super-creamy wheat vodka that works well in a whole range of cocktails, adding texture and subtle citrus and peppery spice notes to a Bloody Mary.Alc 40%

Reyka Vodka, Iceland

£22-£27.25-£/70cl, Amazon, Distillers Direct, Master of Malt, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Spirits Kiosk, Waitrose 

This wheat and barley vodka is distilled in Iceland using glacial spring water and sustainable energy from geothermal heat. A bartender favourite thanks to its freshness and purity of flavour, Rekya lends a crisp bite to a Bloody Mary, with refreshing citrus and earthy peppery flavours. Alc 40%

Vestal Vodka, Poland

£21.95-£29.90/70cl, Amazon, Drinks & Co, Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange 

Like winemakers, the Vestal team focuses on both terroir and vintage for its potato vodkas, which are produced near Poland’s Baltic Coast. Vestal’s vintage vodkas are best for sipping or in a Martini, but their creamy blended vodka adds flavour and character to a Bloody Mary. Alc 40%

See also: 

Best gins for a Martini

Learn about vodka

Diageo, which also makes Johnnie Walker whisky, said it would donate two million litres of alcohol from its spirits distilleries to help produce more than eight million 250ml bottles of hand sanitiser for frontline health workers. 

Donations will be split across several countries, including the UK, Ireland, US, Italy, Australia, India, Brazil and Kenya. 

Other spirits and wine producers have also started supplying alcohol for extra hand sanitiser needed to reduce the spread of coronavirus, known as Covid-19. 

However, Diageo’s scale and reach means it can offer support to a number of different governments.

It said it would supply grain neutral spirit, which is a 96% ethyl alcohol mostly used to make gin and vodka, to hand sanitiser manufacturers. 

‘This is the quickest and most effective way for us to meet the surging demand for hand sanitiser around the world,’ said Diageo’s CEO, Ivan Menezes. 

‘Healthcare workers are at the forefront of fighting this pandemic and we are determined to do what we can to help protect them.’

The group will donate 500,000 litres of spirit in the US and India, with the same amount split across the UK and Ireland. 

It will give 100,000 litres of spirit in Italy and Australia, where its Bundaberg Distilling Co will give ethanol to the Queensland state government. 

In Brazil, Diageo’s Ypioca plant will supply 50,000 litres of spirit, and in Kenya, Diageo’s East Africa Breweries will ‘enable production of 135,000 litres of sanitiser’, the group said.

Last week, the owner of Absolut vodka and Jameson whiskey, Pernod Ricard, also said it would contribute to hand sanitiser efforts. It pledged 70,000 litres of alcohol in its home market of France and announced that distilleries in other markets, including the US, Ireland and Spain, would be made available for sanitiser production. 

Pernod’s chairman and CEO, Alexandr Ricard, said, ‘By sharing our resources and making our production facilities available wherever they are needed, we are supporting our fellow citizens and local authorities.’

French luxury goods group LVMH has also switched production at some perfume facilities to hand sanitiser.

Spanish wine and spirits group Gonzalez Byass said it was offering up several production facilities to the Spanish government to make hand sanitiser.

Smaller distillers have also sought to re-purpose their operations in recent weeks. Small-scale gin distillers in the UK, including Bristol-based Psychopomp and Surrey-based Silent Pool Gin, were among those to have begun making sanitisers; the former was offering it in return for charity donations, with Silent Pool offering bottles to customers and distillery visitors.

See also: 

Wine merchants get creative as coronavirus spreads 

A colourless spirit composed primarily of water and ethanol...

What is Vodka?

Vodka is a distilled beverage that can be made from any starch or sugar-rich fermentable agricultural material. Traditionally made from potatoes, most vodka today is produced from grains such as sorghum, corn, rye or wheat and molasses.

Because of its distillation process, vodka tends to have little-to-no flavour but it can have varying characteristics depending on the different methods and ingredients used resulting in a range of tastes and textures.

Vodka production in its earliest form dates back to the 14^th century, primarily in Poland and Russia, the home of modern day vodka. Initially used as a medicinal remedy, vodka as a drink slowly increased in popularity and through advances in distillation and distribution it eventually reached the mass-market, becoming the national drink of choice in both countries.

Top Vodka deals

By the end of the 20th century, vodka had become one of the world’s most popular spirits. Its natural purity gave it intrinsic appeal for northern European traditionalists, who drink it freezer-chilled and neat (not mixed with water, ice or any other liquid). It’s alsoan ideal neutral base for cocktails and mixers.

Vodka is made all across the world, though notable countries of production – and ones with the highest consumption worldwide – include those in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, collectively known as the ‘vodka belt’.

Essential Info:

• Colour: water-white and clear
• Region: Can be made anywhere – historically associated with Russia, Poland and the European ‘vodka belt’
• ABV: 40% ABV
• Made from: Commonly made from grains (sorghum, rye, rice, wheat) but can also be made from fruits and vegetables (grapes, apples, corn, potatoes)
• Translation: The name vodka comes from the Slavic word ‘voda,’ which is interpreted as ‘little water’ in Polish and Russian, but also has connections to the medieval alcoholic beverage ‘aqua vitae’ which in Latin means ‘water of life.’  
  

Raw materials

Vegetables or grains – vodka can be produced from virtually any fermentable ingredients that contain sugar or starch, but it’s mostly made from potatoes, sugar beet molasses and cereal grains. Rye is a popular choice for Polish vodka while barley is favoured in Finland and wheat in Russia.

Water – Since water forms some 70% of the contents of a bottle of Vodka the type of water used can have significant effect to the final taste and mouthfeel. Distilleries are usually located where there is a plentiful supply of water, ideally which is soft and low in salts and ions making artesian wells or natural springs a preferable choice. Though modern technology allows distillers to demineralise water to produce a pure, tasteless water that won’t affect the final flavour.

Malt meal – The presence of this ingredient is often required to enable the transformation of starch into sugar.

Yeast – An essential ingredient for the process of fermentation. In the past distillers would have relied on natural airborne yeasts for fermentation but today commercially prepared distiller’s or brewer’s yeasts are usually used.

Flavour additives – Commonly used at the end of the production process to add varying characteristics. The most popular flavours range from herbs and grasses to spices and fruits – red pepper, ginger, vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon and bison grass are some examples. Small amounts of honey can also added to increase the vodka’s viscosity or mouthfeel and to take the edge off the attack of the ethanol alcohol – particularly in more mellow western Vodkas.

Manufacturing process

Vodka is made by harvesting and milling fermentable substances which are then cooked alongside fresh, filtered water.

The mixture is then heated transforming the starch into sugar resulting in ‘mash’ which is then poured into stainless steel tanks and left to ferment into ethyl alcohol – a process that takes anywhere from one day to two weeks.

The liquid ethyl alcohol is then distilled to remove impurities and increase overall alcohol content. This can be done either with pot stills, which need multiple distillations to reach the required content of alcohol but are more practical and cost-effective for small vodka producers, or through column stills which are more commonly used for large production scales and praised for the cleanness and purity of the final product. The aim of vodka distillation is to produce a spirit that is as close to pure ethanol as possible.

After distillation, the liquid should have between 95-100% alcohol (by law most vodkas have to be distilled to a strength of at least 96% ABV or in the US 95% ABV). Once the final spirit has been distilled some distillers choose to use activated charcoal to remove any remaining impurities.

Water must then be added to weaken the alcohol to the standardised 40% ABV (though this varies from country to country) – it is also at this point that the distiller can add flavour additives. The flavour can be added either by macerating the ingredient in the vodka or by blending in distilled fruit spirits. Less expensive essences can be used, as with gin production, though these can smell and taste artificial and fade quickly in the glass.

Unlike wine or whisky, vodka does not have an ageing process so can be immediately bottled and sold. Up to 400 bottles per minute can be machine-filled in some automated distilleries.

Standard, Premium and Super-Premium

Standard, inexpensive vodkas are often made with molasses which give the impression of sweetness but have very little actual flavour. Quick distillation and heavy processing can also adversely affect a vodka’s flavour.

The grains barley, rye and wheat are the traditional raw, base materials for quality vodkas, as well as potatoes. Light, crisp and drier vodkas tend to be made from barley, sweeter versions from rye and richly textured from wheat, while potatoes produce vodka with a uniquely creamy texture.

Premium or super-premium vodkas are often more characterful and are generally made with unusual ingredients, unusual water sources and methods of production – as well as distinctive branding and packaging. These vodkas can command the highest price tags, though there is no legal weight to premium or super-premium titles and can make no discernible difference in blind tastings.

In this regard, the importance of marketing and branding in setting different vodka brands apart is greater for vodka than any other spirits category.

Alcoholic strength

The minimum ABV for standard vodka production in Poland, Russia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden and Ukraine is 40% ABV (alcohol by volume).

This figure differs in the European Union which has established a minimum of 37.5% ABV. In the United States products sold as vodka must have a minimum alcohol content of 40%.

Tasting Vodka

As with wine, the first step of tasting starts with the nose as aroma is responsible for around 80% of what we process as flavour.

A vodka’s particular aroma may define how you drink it – neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail. Experts suggest starting with an unflavoured brand of vodka and storing it in the freezer – three hours prior to serving is an accepted rule of thumb.

Pour 50cl into a clean, short heavy-bottomed glass, bring it to your nose and slowly inhale through your nose with an open mouth, swirl and repeat. A strong, pungent aroma of alcohol would suggest a poorly crafted vodka. A well-made vodka should present light, medium and heavy notes.

Next, take a sip and coat the tongue with the liquid for a few seconds before spitting it out. Depending on the vodka there may be a light or heavy mouthfeel, which can appear slightly cloying, as well as either a sweet or salty finish. A small amount of water can be added to the vodka at this point with the process repeated to bring out any hidden flavours.

Did you know?

Drinking vodka in Russia forms a large part of the country’s social fabric and interpersonal interactions. It is never drunk without a reason and comes with a range of etiquette requirements.

Generally drinking vodka is a group activity and done through a series of toasts with the person who pours the shots making the toast.

Quite often the toast will at first be made to the host, then for any number of reasons ranging from the health, success and happiness of those present to noble ancestors or abstract concepts such as honour and pride.

After each toast the vodka is shot back and followed by small pieces of food – known as ‘zakuski’ -which is similar to Spanish tapas and could be anything from pickled vegetables and cold meats to acidic salads or dried and cured fish.

It is also considered important to always finish an opened bottle of vodka to not to leave any undrunk.

Russian toasts

• To health: Za Zdarovje
• To love: Za Lyubov
• To our friendship: Za nashu druzjbu 
  

Best-selling Vodka brands in the world

1. Smirnoff – Eponymous brainchild of Russian farmer Pyrtor Smirnov who used the French spelling of his surname. Owned by Diageo.
2. Absolut – Swedish brand founded in 1879 by entrepreneur and ‘King of Spirts’ Lars Olsson Smith. Owned by Pernod Ricard.
3. Khortytsa – A grain-based Ukranian vodka named after the largest river island in Europe and one of the seven wonders of Ukraine. Owned by Global Spirits.
4. Żubrówka – Poland’s favourite vodka and unique among vodkas for its flavour profile and slight greenish-yellow colour which is attributed to the Bison grass that is added to the bottle as a tincture. Owned by Roust.
5. Krupnik – Eastern European Vodka brand that shares its branding with the long-established honey liqueur. Second biggest vodka brand in Poland, and popular in Belarus and Lithuania. Owned by Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits.

Leading brands, origins and base ingredient

Classic vodka cocktails

• Vodka Martini
• Cosmopolitan
• Vodka Tonic
• Screwdriver
• Greyhound
• Black or White Russian
• Moscow Mule
• Bloody Mary

Swedish vodka producer Absolut has paired up with Pernod Ricard stablemate Brancott Estate to produce a 'sparkling fusion' of vodka and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

A spokesman for the new blend, called Absolut Tune, said he would not be ‘sharing the specifics’ on how the sparkle was created other than that it was a ‘fusion process’.

A blend of 60% vodka and 40% Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the final alcohol level is 14%.

The product was launched in three bars in Sydney, Australia as part of a month-long trial.

Absolut would not comment on its future beyond a limited edition bottling.

No-one from the three bars trialling the product responded to Decanter.com‘s requests for a verdict on the product; Decanter.com is currently awaiting a sample from Australia.

The company’s press release says, ‘The first taste of Absolut Tune reveals vibrant, fresh tropical fruits with a balanced sweetness through the front and mid palate which is brought to life through the bubbles…and with a persistent medium strength Absolut vodka flavour and balanced sweetness leading on to a dry finish.’

Written by Rebecca Gibb in Auckland