January 2024 145

Pouring vodka shots

Without vodka we wouldn’t have the

Dirty Shirley,

the trendy espresso Martini

or the legendary massive comopolitan cocktail

Ina Garten shared on her Instagram in April 2020. The clear spirit with the neutral flavor is a popular booze for cocktails because it plays well with many mixers,

but not all vodkas are the same, which is why you’ll see many different vodka brands at your local bar.

There isn’t just one singular type of vodka, but different ones based on location and ingredients and which one you prefer depends on what you like and

how you’re using the spirit.

“It’s all about creating a match made in *your* cocktail heaven,” says

Ashley Eldefri,

brand ambassador for

The Community Spirit Vodka.

“Price is only sometimes an indicator of quality: Expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better regarding vodka. It’s always worth trying different brands and price ranges to find one you enjoy.”

To help you narrow down your choices and make your next trip to the liquor store a bit easier,

we chatted with drink experts to break down 9 of the most popular types of vodka based on their ingredients,

country of origin, flavor profile and more.

Related: 5 Different Types of Tequila, Explained

Making vodka has plenty of nuance, but for the purposes of this discussion, we’ll try to distill (pun intended) it down for you. Vodka starts with your base ingredient (often a grain, though it could be potatoes or molasses), water and yeast. That mixture is fermented for a couple of weeks, then strained. The liquid from the fermentation process is distilled, filtered, diluted with water and bottled. 

Related: 9 Popular Costco Liquors, Ranked From the Bottom(s) Up

Eldefri states that vodkas made from grains such as rye exhibit a spicier character with robust, earthy undertones. He goes on to say that in contrast to other types of vodka, this sort is typically more lean and dry.

In terms of cocktail orders, rye vodka is particularly well-suited to certain drinks. Alissa Marinello, a bartender at the Vivamee Hospitality properties of Renault Winery & Resort and LBI National in New Jersey, suggests that a dirty vodka martini is a prime example. In this instance, the subtle and dry rye vodka complements the tangy hint of olive juice exceptionally well.

Contrary to what some may expect, the vodka itself is not derived from fruit. The fruity flavor is introduced after the distillation process. Eldefri notes that many contemporary brands offer flavored varieties with the add-ons of fruits or herbs infused post-distillation. Common fruit vodka flavors incorporate melon, strawberry, blueberry, lemon, raspberry, lime, and orange.

Marinello advises against using artificial ingredients and coloring and suggests creating a homemade flavored vodka. She says, “Rather, empty any standard vodka into a jar with your preferred fruit.” She also suggests allowing the vodka to soak for at least three days, and up to seven. After infusing the vodka with fruit, strain it into a jar or bottle and start concocting cocktails!

While corn is a widely enjoyed dinner item for many, this sweet vegetable is also a well-liked component in vodka. Eldefri describes, “Corn-based vodkas are acclaimed for their calm and slightly sweet taste, which pairs well with a silky mouthfeel and hints of vanilla or buttery nuances.”

If you’re in the mood for a martini, Eldefri suggests using a corn-based vodka for a timeless cocktail like the martini, allowing the drink to truly shine.

As you may wonder, no, potato vodka doesn’t taste like fries or mashed potatoes. Eldefri states, “Potato-based vodkas are valued for their creamy, heavy texture, contributing a subtly earthy and nutty flavor.”

Potato vodka is a perfect match for savory foods, which includes certain types of cheeses and meats. So consider this pairing the next time you’re dining out or throwing a dinner party.

If looking for a smooth vodka experience, you could consider trying a spirit made from molasses. Molasses-based vodkas, often seen in rum production, deliver a slightly sweeter and more layered taste. It features hints of molasses and caramel, and these caramel notes make this vodka variety pleasant in a creamy cocktail, like a white Russian.

According to expert opinion, flavored vodka can be fun to experiment with since you can come up with more complex cocktails using fewer ingredients. However, it’s advisable to avoid this vodka type if you suffer from gluten allergy as it often has artificial flavorings added after distillation, which can include this common allergen.

As for the variety of flavors, there’s a wide range, but several fit into the citrusy (such as lemonade, grapefruit) or fruity (like strawberry, blueberry) categories.

In addition to the base ingredients, vodkas can vary based on where they’re made because different areas are known for specific styles of the spirit. “Russian vodkas, traditionally crafted from wheat or rye and subjected to multiple distillations, are celebrated for their pure and smooth qualities,” says Eldefri. Some of the most popular Russian vodka brands include Beluga Noble, Husky, Marmot Siberian and Smirnoff.

Eldefri says that American vodkas span from smooth neutrality to a focus on unique flavors driven by various base ingredients. American vodka is generally made with rye, wheat, potato or corn to create a unique flavor profile with a velvety texture and earthy, warm taste. This will vary based on the bottle, but the best way to think about it is the best of both worlds made from different types of ingredients.

According to Marinello, Poland and Russia both claim ownership of introducing the first spirit. That said, Polish vodkas, made from potatoes or grains, offer a slightly more robust flavor with hints of earthiness or sweetness.

Up next: Celebrity Chef Pati Jinich’s Simple Formula for Making the Perfect Cocktail

As Daley proclaims, “Irish is the future of whiskey.””

Mike Daley has a large personality. And he’s got one of the largest private collections of whiskey in the United States to match.

Despite owning a sprawling estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the boisterous multi-millionaire is running out of bar space to display his liquid bounty, which currently amounts to several thousand bottles of scotch, American, and Irish whiskies. So he squirrels some of it away in filing cabinets, office drawers, and his beach house in coastal Delaware.

“Some of that effort is just to hide it from my wife,” he admits. “She seems to think I have a hoarding problem.”

Related: 21 Whiskey Cocktail Recipes for Every Enthusiast

Nevertheless, his latest outsized purchase is one he’ll want to keep prominently displayed for all visitors to see. It’s a walnut-ensconced treasure chest featuring a solitary ovular decanter of the Emerald Isle from The Craft Irish Whiskey Company. Alongside the 30-year-old juice in the box is a bespoke Fabergé egg — containing an actual emerald gem — a custom timepiece, and even a couple of Cohiba cigars. Only seven such sets are in existence. Daley just paid a whopping $2.8 million to call one his own.

Last month, a 1926 vintage expression from The Macallan grabbed international headlines as the world’s most expensive whisky ever. It nabbed $2.7 million at auction. Daley outspent that unknown buyer by $100,000, which would mean that he is, in fact, in possession of the priciest aged spirit of all time. Critics argue, however, that The Emerald Isle doesn’t qualify for the title because it comes packaged with all those other not-so-insignificant luxury trinkets.

Whether it’s the most expensive or just one of the most expensive alcohols of all time, what compels a collector to pay such an exorbitant price for a single bottle of whiskey?

“I was on a luxury yacht during the Monaco Grand Prix, surrounded by billionaires engaged in poker,” Daley reminisces about the instance he chose to make the purchase. “They continually wagered on hands, even if they were well aware they weren’t going to win. It wasn’t about losing, but losing face was the critical aspect they aimed to avoid. This level of people will always crave what others can’t possess. Hence, there will always be a market for something as extravagant and rare as this whiskey.”

Courtesy

By chance, a brand ambassador from The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. was on that identical yacht and happily ensured the passionate collector left Monaco with something exceptionally extravagant and rare.

Daley, who labels himself as an opportunistic collector, sees Irish whiskey, in particular, as the category of spirit with the greatest potential upside. It’s no coincidence that the majority of his stockpile consists of limited edition releases from Teeling, Midleton, Redbreast, and various other expressions from Craft Irish.

“The rebirth of Irish whiskey is relatively new, so I feel like I’m getting in on the ground floor,” he explains. “Luxury scotch, to me, is already a crowded type of market. But we’re only just starting to see luxury Irish make a name for itself. I guarantee you that in the years to come, it will get to where scotch is today.”

His powers of prediction have already reaped remarkable dividends. Daley made his fortune in the pharmaceutical space by investing heavily in hyaluronic acid in the previous decade, before it became a hot trend. His big bet in the spirits sector isn’t a shot in the dark, either. It’s supported by prolonged movement observed on Irish whiskey shelves. Data from the Distilled Spirits Council shows that some super premium spirits within the category have soared by nearly 2,800% in price over the past twenty years.

He sees Craft Irish leading that charge in the next twenty years, hence why he’s spent millions on their products. Thankfully, for those with more limited budgets, that brand has been veering into more accessibly-priced offerings. Earlier this year, it released The Donn, a dynamically aged single malt brimming with dark chocolate, prune, and cinnamon notes. The bottle, which is expected to retail in the U.S. for around $200, recently won double gold at the John Barleycorn Awards, an international spirits competition. It even inspired one judge to say, “I literally have to stop tasting now because following this pour would be like following Hendrix at Woodstock.”

And that might serve as even loftier praise than someone spending $2.8 million on a luxury set piece. Because, ultimately, it all ought to come down to how the whiskey tastes, not how much it costs. And not how it looks displayed on a countertop — or in a filing cabinet, as the case may be.

“Irish is the future of whiskey,” Daley proclaims. “And I’m excited to be part of it, as a collector, but most importantly as a drinker.”

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Read the original article on Food & Wine.

After the holiday excitement, we all seek something to brighten those dreary, cold winter days. Equiano Rum offers a 100 percent natural rum with no added sugars or colorants, and void of spices. It also holds the unique distinction as the very first African and Caribbean rum. A hot chocolate spiked with this authentic rum seems just fitting to warm one on a cold evening.

The Equiano Holiday Gift Box is the perfect antidote to a freezing winter.

Founders Aaisha Dadra and Amanda Kakembo explain, “Being dubbed the world’s premier African & Caribbean rum, the unique liquors from each location play a significant function in our mixture. In Equiano Original, the African element from Mauritius, tropically aged in former Cognac barrels, gives a naturally sweet flavor to the blend. Equiano Light introduces a freshness with sugar cane juice rum from Africa, adding a grassy touch to the mixture. And considering Barbados is a producer of some of the world’s best rums, we feel privileged that it’s a vital component in both Equiano Original and Equiano Light.”

Are you prepared to concoct Equiano Spiked Chocolate? Here’s what you require:

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 2 cups 2% milk

• 3 tablespoons soft muscovado sugar

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 pinch cinnamon

• ¼ cup (1 ½ ounces) semisweet or dark chocolate chips

• 2 ounces (¼ cup) Equiano Original Rum

• Whipped Cream (Optional)

Method:

The Equiano holiday gift box is available for purchase online – for both the Equiano Original and the Equiano Light. Looking into 2024, Equiano is looking forward to more exceptional rum being enjoyed around the world, more unique blends from Africa and the Caribbean, more limited-edition blends and more support of emerging African distilleries as they venture beyond the 30 countries they are in today.

Buffalo Trace is recognized for being the origin of high-end unicorn bottles from brands like Pappy Van Winkle and the Antique Collection, in addition to creating its cost-effective and reliable namesake bourbon. Presently, the Kentucky distillery is debuting a new blend, Traveller Whiskey, backed up by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Chris Stapleton.

It’s not the first time Buffalo Trace has collaborated with Stapleton. He chose a few single barrels of E.H. Taylor Jr. in the previous years for the benefit of his charity, Outlaw State of Kind. The real architect behind this whiskey is Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley. Traveller is a blended whiskey, meaning it’s combined from spirits from a variety of “award-winning distilleries” owned by Sazerac, according to the brand. Possible sources include Buffalo Trace itself, A. Smith Bowman, Barton 1792, and maybe some overseas sites. More than 50 blends were trialed before Wheatley decided on the 40th, which is what you will find in this bottle. Unlike Pappy, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, or W.L. Weller, this whiskey will be easily available and unallocated.

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“In creating Traveller, we tried over 50 different recipes, experimenting, testing, and adjusting until we found a complex and approachable flavor profile worthy of the whiskey drinker who will enjoy it,” Wheatley said in a statement. “In the end, there was one clear winner—Blend No. 40—that everyone agreed was worthy to be Traveller Whiskey.” In other words, this is meant to be an accessible, everyday drinker that is more along the lines of Buffalo Trace Bourbon than a limited special release like E.H. Taylor or something from the Experimental Collection.

We got an early taste of Traveller Whiskey, and it’s an appealing sipper that should please both novice and expert whiskey drinkers, with notes of brown sugar, caramel, maple, vanilla, oak, and baked apple on the palate. Thankfully, it’s bottled at 90 instead of 80 proof, and that higher ABV goes a long way in helping to elevate the flavor. You can find Traveller Whiskey starting this month (SRP $40), although it’s not readily available online at the moment. Will Traveller go the way of Weller or Pappy and balloon in price on the secondary market? It seems like that might not be the case, but only time will tell.

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Click here to read the full article.

Now that the excitement of the holidays is over, we’re all in need of something to make those cold, dark days of winter a little more fun. Equiano Rum is 100 percent natural rum with no added sugars, colourants or spices. It’s also the world’s first African and Caribbean rum. A spiked hot chocolate made with this true rum is just the thing to warm you up on a cold night.

The Equiano Holiday Gift Box will brighten up a cold winter.

“As the world’s first African & Caribbean rum, the uniqueness in liquids from each location plays an important role in our blend,” say founders Aaisha Dadra and Amanda Kakembo. “In Equiano Original the African component, from Mauritius, is tropically aged in ex-Cognac barrels which offers a natural sweetness to the blend. In Equiano Light, we’ve introduced fresh sugar cane juice rum from Africa which adds a grassiness to the blend. And Barbados produces some of the best rums in the world, so we feel honoured that it’s a key component in both Equiano Original and Equiano Light.”

Ready to make Equiano Spiked Chocolate? Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 2 cups 2% milk

• 3 tablespoons soft muscovado sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch cinnamon

¼ cup (1 ½ ounces) semisweet or dark chocolate chips

2 ounces (¼ cup) Equiano Original Rum

Whipped Cream (Optional)

Method:

The Equiano holiday gift box is available for purchase online – for both the Equiano Original and the Equiano Light. Looking into 2024, Equiano is looking forward to more exceptional rum being enjoyed around the world, more unique blends from Africa and the Caribbean, more limited-edition blends, and more support of emerging African distilleries as they venture beyond the 30 countries they are in today.

The Bloody Mary ranks alongside margaritas and martinis as one of the most recognized cocktails. Noted for its distinctive bold, spicy flavors and a stunning red color, the making of this renowned cocktail begins with a vodka and tomato juice base, with the flavor intrigue brought in by a selection of spices and condiments. Ingredients can vary from common items like hot sauce and lemon juice to more daring choices such as Worcestershire sauce and horseradish.

While the complex and spicy flavor of Bloody Mary garners much attention, vodka plays a pivotal part. Vodka’s clean, neutral taste creates a backdrop for the cocktail’s spices and seasonings to come to the forefront. Precisely because the vodka is not intended to steal the show, there’s no need to opt for high-end brands when making a Bloody Mary. With so many flavors and spices at play, the nuances offered by top-shelf vodkas are likely to get washed out and wasted.

It would be more judicious to go for a more budget-friendly vodka and invest the savings into superior mix ingredients. Consider top-quality tomato juice, fresh lemon or lime juice, gourmet hot sauces, and fresh spices. These are more likely to boost the quality of your Bloody Mary than even the finest vodkas!

Read more: 23 Cocktails To Try If You Like Drinking Gin

The best vodka for your Bloody Mary is one that complements the spices and flavors without stealing the show. Look for mid-range vodkas like Smirnoff, Absolut, or Stolichnaya; they’re well-distilled, providing the needed smoothness and neutrality without breaking the bank.

It’s worth noting that when we say “bottom-shelf vodka,” we don’t mean you should scrape the shelves’ bottoms and buy the absolute cheapest bottles available. Ultra-cheap vodkas often undergo minimal distillation and prioritize cost savings over flavor in their production, resulting in a sharper, more “ethanol-like” taste due to higher levels of fermentation byproducts called congeners. That’s not what you want in your Bloody Mary! A handy rule of thumb is to choose a vodka that you’d enjoy sipping on its own. If it’s smooth when sipped neat, it’s likely to work well in your Bloody Mary.

In case you want to get creative, some bartenders suggest trying flavored vodkas like pepper or citrus-infused types to add an extra flavor kick. But remember, this is entirely up to your taste. Plus, adding flavored vodka to a Bloody Mary can be a bit tricky, as it will affect the balance of flavors. So, it’s a good idea to have a recipe on hand (like this Kimchi Bloody Mary recipe!) to make sure everything tastes just right when you give it a go!

Read the original article on Tasting Table.