Vodka – Tastes Like Clean Spirit

VODKA NIRVANA

TASTES LIKE CLEAN SPIRIT

Vodka is the spirit of subtlety. It’s the spirit of nuanced flavours and smooth textures. It’s also the spirit that’s hardest to discern the differences in quality. For this issue of explore DRINKS, we want to highlight what leads to some of the refined differences in flavour between some of the leading vodkas of the world.

WORDS BEN DAVIDSON

Vodka is still the spirit of choice for summer drinks. Its understated flavour is perfect for blending with fresh juices, fruits, herbs and sodas, to make thirst quenching and refreshing summer drinks and cocktails.

However you drink it, whether it’s in an iconic vodka lime and soda, a vodka tonic or in a classic summer cocktail like the Moscow Mule, Caipiroska or the Bloody Mary, vodka provides a discreet flavour profile that is loved and adored by stylish fashionistas and discerning connoisseurs alike.

With vodka, it’s definitely worth paying a little extra for a brand that’s highly regarded, because the difference between a good taste experience versus a disappointing one can be less than $20 a bottle.

From traditional vodkas to new world vodkas, from craft vodkas to super premium vodkas, we’ve got the low down on what’s what in the world of vodka.

WHAT IS VODKA?

Vodka can be produced from a wide variety of raw materials, including different types of grain, such as wheat, rye, barley, and maize, as well as other ingredients, such as sugarcane, potatoes or grapes. These ingredients are distilled usually to a strength of up to 96% ABV. The resulting spirit is diluted with water to reach the bottling strength, typically around 40% ABV for premium and super-premium vodkas and a little less for standard vodka. As a final step, various filtration methods are used to prepare the vodka for bottling.

During the Golden Age of vodka in Russia and Poland, it was discovered that grains produced a vodka with a superior taste profile, and most super premium vodkas are still made from such ingredients.

Regulations for producing vodka vary around the world, with the USA, Russia and the EU, having separate regulations.

UNDERSTANDING VODKA

The flavour profile for different vodkas can range from thin to full-bodied, and from harsh to smooth in texture and ‘mouth-feel’.

With the wide variety of raw materials that can be used, the method of distillation and source of water play a huge role in defining the subtle differences in taste and texture of the finished vodkas. To help you fully enjoy the experience, we’ve broken down for you how best to taste your vodka.

AROMA

THINGS TO NOTE:

Is the aroma subtle and elegant or rounder and fuller bodied? Is there one dominant aroma or a sequence of individual notes? Does it have a pleasant grainy aroma?

The aroma can provide a good indication of what to expect on the palate, in terms of the weight of flavour or the range of characteristics. The aroma can’t indicate levels of sweetness and dryness or the texture of the vodka.

TASTE

Take a sip from the glass and let it sit on the tongue. Move the vodka around your palate, taking in a little air from the side of your mouth to help aerate and ‘open-up’ the flavour.

The first thing that comes across is the texture, which is an important part of a vodka’s character. Texture varies enormously amongst vodkas, from light, delicate and elegant, to medium-bodied, as well as richer, rounder, creamier and full-bodied. As texture carries flavours, it’s also an essential part of the experience of tasting.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

As the flavours appear, what is the intensity of each flavour? Is there spice or pepper? Are these notes mellow and luscious, or more assertive?

How do the flavours interact with each other? Are they in balance?

Sweetness levels may be upfront and appear as a primary characteristic. Similarly, dryness can be an underlying influence that helps to bring out the primary characteristics and give the vodka a clean and crisp finish. The levels of sweetness and dryness can also change as the palate evolves.

The finish, or after-taste, can reveal similar characteristics that appear on the palate. This is the final flavour of the vodka and will be what you remember the most about the spirit.

BASES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON FLAVOUR

Different raw materials give rise to particular flavour characteristics:

WHEAT

Wheat vodkas tend to have peppery, spicy, aniseed and wheat bread notes.

RYE

Rye vodkas commonly have nutty, mineral, rye bread notes.

BARLEY

Barley vodkas tend to give rise to sweet, grainy and creamy barley notes.

POTATO

Potato vodkas often taste of creamy mashed potato or boiled potato.

MAIZE OR CORN

Maize or corn vodkas tend to have notes of corn on the cob and caramel.

GRAPE

Grape vodkas tend to give rise to raisin and citrus notes.

The intensity of these flavours, whether elegant and mellow or richer and upfront, depends on the house style of the vodka. OPPOSITE: The iconic vodka, fresh lime and soda ABOVE: Refreshing, fruity vodka cocktails

VODKAS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

BELVEDERE VODKA – POLAND

DANKOWSKIE RYE (40% ABV)

Belevedere is made in Poland from a specially selected species of rye grain. It is column distilled and filtered through cellulose. The world-famous brand is the product of 600 years of Polish vodka-making tradition. Its distillery, established in 1910, is named Polmos Zyrardów and is located in the heart of central Poland.

TASTE: Full and round with a medium-bodied weight and rich, velvety texture. Hints of vanilla sway between sweet and savoury, with a hint of white pepper and spice. The finish has good length, with notes of almond, clotted cream and faint Brazil nut characteristics.

ABSOLUT ELYX – SWEDEN

SINGLE ESTATE WINTER WHEAT (42.3% ABV)

Made in southern Sweden from winter wheat grown on a single farming estate. The wheat is column distilled and then rectified in a single copper column.

TASTE: Silky mouthfeel with subtle qualities of light cereal and macadamia nuts. Luxuriously soft with a slight spicy note. The finish is silky and clean, with a warm spicy note.

KETEL ONE – NETHERLANDS

GMO FREE WINTER WHEAT (40% ABV)

Ketel One Vodka starts with only the finest quality, 100 per cent European GMO-free winter wheat, grown in Europe. The wheat is ground and blended with water to form mash. This is fermented and goes through a column distillation process to produce a lively, fresh, ultra-wheat spirit. Part of the ultra-wheat spirit is then re-distilled in ten copper pot stills, including an original 19th-century coal-fired copper pot still. The heart of this spirit is blended with the wheat spirit and water to make the finished product.

TASTE: Ketel One is smooth, soft, and sweet, with light citrus and black pepper notes. There’s the slightest bit of tingle, but absolutely no burn. The finish is long and crisp, with the lemon and pepper notes adding structure to a slightly dry finish.

CÎROC – FRANCE

GRAPES (40% ABV)

Cîroc is made in the Cognac region from ‘snap frost’ Cognac grapes. It is column distilled in stainless steel columns and finished in a copper column still.

TASTE: Smooth, lightly sweet and enriched by the natural character of the grapes, with a crisp and clean finish.

GREY GOOSE – FRANCE

WINTER WHEAT (40% ABV)

Grey Goose is made in the fertile Picardy region of northern France from soft winter wheat grown on farms. After the wheat grain is fermented and distilled into a high-proof spirit, it travels to the Cognac region, where it is blended with the remarkably pristine spring water found there.

TASTE: Initially soft with a gentle sweetness that gradually envelops the mouth. It has a smooth and rounded texture, with a hint of almond. The finish is long and satisfying and remains fresh and bright throughout.

TITO’S VODKA – USA

YELLOW CORN (40% ABV)

Tito’s Handmade Vodka is produced in Austin at Texas’ oldest legal distillery. Made in batches, using old-fashioned pot stills they use yellow corn to produce a spirit that has a subtle sweetness and balanced flavour. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is designed to be savoured by spirit connoisseurs and everyday drinkers alike.

TASTE: Tito’s has a slightly sweet and creamy mouth-feel, with subtle peppery notes balanced with flavours reminiscent of sweet corn on the cob. The finish is pleasantly viscous with peppery notes lingering and a creamy nuttiness.

666 VODKA – AUSTRALIA

MALTED BARLEY (40% ABV)

Made in Tasmania from locally grown malted barley, triple pot-distilled, charcoal filtered and diluted using Cape Grim rainwater, 666 Vodka is a unique spirit that is big on grainy flavour with a subtle sweetness.

TASTE: Sweet dark chocolate, and rich rye bread crusts give way to a black pepper heat that softens to cooked sweet chilli. Hints of coffee, vanilla and cashew nuts are all rolled in dark rye bread. The finish is extremely long, with further notes of dark chocolate and pepper.