The Best of Category Flavored Vodka is Safe House Distilling, Teller Green Chile Vodka, 40% ABV, 750 ml.

One vodka brand secured Best of Class honors, and two others grabbed Best of Category at the 2024 American Distilling Institute (ADI) International Spirits Competition (ISC) assessment. The victors reflected a diverse range of aroma and taste profiles across flavored vodka, along with neutral character and foundational character vodka.

The yearly competition, a spring event that attracts some of America’s leading spirit judges, is a prestigious platform. It does not just highlight standout craft distillers and their spirits amongst American and international manufacturers but also offers significant recognition for their endeavours. This year, the contest yet again showcased its worth, with numerous emerging distillers earning Double Gold and Gold medals, confirming their dedication and proficiency.

The ISC terms the top spirits in each category as Best of Class, while the leading spirits in every sub-category are referred to as Best of Category. The Best of Class victors are selected from the Best of Category winners.

Historically, the TTB defined vodka as a “neutral” spirit “to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.” It’s long been recognized, however, that the base materials used in the mash often leave trace flavor elements.

The ADI judging was among the first spirit competitions to distinguish between vodkas that were neutral and those that retained some element of flavor derived from the original mash components. These flavor components are different from “flavored vodkas,” which have been flavored with artificial compounds, and botanical vodkas, which have been flavored with naturally occurring substances.

The Best of Class Vodka – Residual Base Character is GlenPharmer Distillery, Vodka, 40% ABV, 750 ml.

GlenPharmer Distillery is a Massachusetts, grain to glass craft distillery. The ADI Judging Panel described the vodka as exhibiting:

Slightly herbal and vegetative on the nose and a bit spirity. On the palate it’s smooth with a noticeable herbal/vegetative note along with a touch of wet stone minerality. The finish has a sweet note and is slightly peppery.

The Best of Category Vodka Neutral Character is 1879 Distilling Red Barn Premium Vodka, 40% ABV, 750 ml.

1879 Distilling is a family-owned craft distiller in St. Louis Missouri that draws its grains from its own 2,800-acre farm. The ADI Judging Panel described the vodka as showing:

Very slight vegetative and fruity notes on the nose. On the palate it’s sweet and smooth, although slightly drying. The finish is long and smooth with slight but lingering fruity notes.

The premier category flavored vodka is Safe House Distilling, Teller Green Chile Vodka, with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 40% and a volume of 750 ml.

The Teller Green Chili Vodka from Safe House Distilling is distinct and tasty, celebrating the deep-rooted food culture of the American Southwest. This vodka incorporates a mix of charred green chili peppers, providing it with a hot and lively personality.

Here’s how the ADI Judging Panel described the flavored vodka:

On the nose, there are herbaceous, earthy, and green chili pepper impressions. When tasted, the vodka is sugary and smooth having a remarkable green chili spiciness that gradually escalates. The aftertaste is extended and a bit sweet with a powerful, persistent green chili pepper trail.

The 2024 ADI winners highlighted an impressive class of up-and-coming craft distillers. Some of the winners are well-known, while others are still relatively new and have limited national distribution.

All of them produce outstanding vodkas, and all are very reasonably priced. They are well worth seeking out and will prove excellent, either straight up or in cocktails. Once again, ADI has done a superb job of identifying the craft distillery industry’s up-and-coming vodka producers.

See the ADI’s website for a complete listing of all the medalists in the American Distilling Institute’s International Spirits Competition.

Cheers

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