Review: Absolut Juice Apple Edition
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bsolut Juice Apple Edition was recently released along with the previously reviewed Strawberry Edition. Both are real fruit juice infused vodka’s. After years of ridiculous flavored vodka, the industry is focused on three flavoring trends. Zero Sugar, Real Fruit, and Real Fruit Juice Infused. Absolut Apple starts with the Original Absolut vodka base, which is made from Swedish winter wheat sourced from 450 local farms. Once the spirit is distilled, it is filtered through a mesh filter, and reduced to proof with pure deep well water. 5% real apple juice and natural flavors are infused with the vodka base before bottling at 70 proof. Read more 
Review: Old Dominick Honeybell Citrus Vodka
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Dominick Honeybell Citrus Vodka is distilled in Memphis by Alex Castle, the first female distiller in Tennessee. Honeybell citrus is also known as Minneola Tangelo, and is a cross between a Duncan Grapefruit, and Darcy Mandarin. The brand is named for Domenico Canale whose image appears on the back of each bottle. Domenico was born in Italy. At 16 he sailed to America in 1859, and worked for his uncle running a fruit cart up and down the streets of Memphis. In 1866 he established D. Canale & Co, a food wholesaler. In 1880 he developed The Dominick Toddy, A bourbon based cordial. In 1919 Dominick died and three days later Prohibition was ratified ending the brands 39 year run. In 2013 Chris and Alex Canale discovered an unopened bottle of Old Dominick Toddy and they decided to recreate the spirit brand their great, great, grandfather launched. In 2016 their distillery opened in an old warehouse where they spent $10 million converting. The Honeybell Citrus vodka base is made from corn and pristine water sourced from the Memphis sand aquifer. The spirit is double distilled. First in a 250 gallon pot still and then in a column still. The vodka is filtered for clarity. A natural extract and no sugar are infused with the vodka base before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Chicago Vodka
Chicago Vodka was first released July 2016. It is handcrafted in the heart of Chicago on Goose Island by the Chicago Vodka Company. They also produce Chicago Fire, a vodka infused with Bhut Jolokia Ghost peppers. They previously also produced Cool, a mint infused vodka. Chicago Vodka is made from wheat and is distilled five times and filtered nine times through a patent-pending filtration system that allows only 30 liters per hour of filtration flow. It takes five full days to filter one batch of 600 bottles. The vodka is then hand bottled and hand corked at 80 proof in a cylindrical shaped bottle that brings memories of Skyy 90. Read more
Review: Burnetts Citrus Vodka
Burnetts Citrus Vodka was introduced in 2000. Citrus and Orange were Burnetts first two flavored vodka’s. They currently product 33 flavored vodka’s. While this number is impressive, at one time they made 37. Burnetts has not released a new flavor in 5 years. Burnetts Citrus starts with a vodka base made from 100% grain in Bardstown Kentucky by Heaven Hill Distillers. Heaven Hill also make Elijah Craig Bourbon, Blackheart Spiced Rum, Lunazul Tequila, Christian Brothers Brandy, and Deep Eddy Vodka. The Burnett’s vodka base is quadruple distilled and triple charcoal filtered. Natural flavors are infused before bottling at 70 proof. Little additional information is available but the bottles label only pictures a lemon. Read more
Review: Smirnoff Watermelon & Mint Zero Sugar Infusions
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mirnoff Watermelon & Mint Zero Sugar Infusions joins the previously reviewed Strawberry & Rose, and Cucumber & Lime flavors in Smirnoff’s recently released Zero Sugar Infusions line of vodka. Gone are the days of desert flavored vodka. Todays two hottest flavored vodka trends are real fruit juice infused, and zero sugar infused vodka. Smirnoff also offers 4 fruit juice infused vodka flavors in their Sourced line of vodka. The timing for this release is perfect. Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer and no fruit represents summer more than watermelon. Smirnoff Watermelon & Mint is made from a gluten free vodka base distilled from corn. Natural flavors and essence of real botanicals are infused before bottling at 60 proof. Read more
Review: Dixie Southern Vodka
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ixie Southern Vodka was introduced in 2013, and originally carried the General Beauregard name and image. General Beauregard commanded the defenses of Charleston South Carolina during the Civil War. Dixie is part of the Grain and Barrel spirits brand that includes Endless Summer Rum, and Chicken Cock Whiskey. They also produce several flavored vodka’s including Dixie Mint, Black Pepper, Citrus, and Wildflower. Dixie Southern Vodka is made from 100% non GMO corn, and distilled six times in a column still, and filtered through a patented process called TerrePURE. TerrePURE uses ultrasonic energy and oxygenation to enhance drinkability by reducing impurities in the distillate. Read more
Review: Smirnoff Cucumber & Lime Zero Sugar Infusions
Smirnoff Cucumber & Lime Zero Sugar Infusions joins Strawberry & Rose, and Watermelon & Mint in Smirnoff’s just launched Zero Sugar Infusions line of vodka. Cucumber and Lime have been a popular flavored vodka combination, as Svedka, Three Olives, Burnett, and Rain have previously released their own Cucumber and Lime flavored vodkas. At 72 calories per 1.5 Oz. serving I view Smirnoff Zero Sugar Infusions and Diageo stablemate Ketel One Botanicals as the next generation of reduced calorie vodka. Previous reduced calorie flavored vodka brands include Bethenny Frankel’s Skinnygirl and Pitbull’s Voli Vodka. Both were good concepts, backed ,by popular celebrities, but both lacked an important ingredient, good taste. Neither brand currently produces a flavored vodka. Smirnoff Cucumber & Lime is made from a corn distilled vodka base. Natural flavors and essence of real botanicals are infused with the vodka base before bottling at 60 proof. Read more
Review: Driftless Glen Vodka
Driftless Glen Vodka is produced at the Driftless Glen distillery build around the hillsides of the Baraboo valley nestled along the Baraboo river in Baraboo Wisconsin. Baraboo Wisconsin is located about 50 miles Northwest of Madison Wisconsin, near the Waterpark Capital of the World, The Wisconsin Dells. The site was selected by husband and wife team Renee and Brian Bemis as much for it’s water supply, as it’s great scenic beauty. About 10-12,000 years ago a glacier moved its way to what is known as the Driftless area where it stopped and melted off, creating a huge underground aquifer unloading massive amounts of sand and sediment that naturally filters the water making the water some of the purest in the country. The distillery opened in 2015. They also produce Bourbon, Rye, Brandy, Moonshine, and Gin. At launch their vodka was branded with the Sleepover Vodka name. Driftless Glen Vodka is made from their own blend of corn and sugarcane based spirit. Both are redistilled in a hybrid pot still made by Artisan Still Design. That pure water is used to reduce to proof. Read more
Review: Skyy Infusions Cold Brew Coffee Vodka
Skyy Infusions Cold Brew Coffee Vodka was just released. While I have reviewed several espresso flavored vodka’s, this is my first experience with a cold brew coffee vodka. The only other brand I know of is Beak and Skiff 1911 Cold Brew Coffee Vodka. This is produced in Lafayette New York, and distribution is limited, so we haven’t been able to get our hands on a bottle to review. For those not familiar with cold brew coffee, it differs from Iced Coffee. Cold Brew is coffee brewed with room temperature or cold water for 12-24 hours. Skyy Cold Brew starts with a vodka base made from Midwestern grown wheat. It is quadruple column distilled and triple filtered through California limestone. Water filtered through reverse osmosis is blended to reduce to proof. Real Arabica coffee beans and natural flavors are infused with the vodka before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Smirnoff Strawberry & Rose Zero Sugar Infusions
Smirnoff Strawberry & Rose Zero Sugar Infusions is one of three flavor variants in Smirnoff’s new Zero Sugar Infusions line of vodka. The other two flavors are Cucumber and Lime, and Watermelon and Mint. Vodka has long been the adult beverage of choice for those counting points and calories. An ice filled glass, a shot of Smirnoff, topped with your favorite flavored seltzer water, was, and is a popular healthier lifestyle option. That option has been challenged with the popularity of Hard Selzer’s. Turn about is fair play as Smirnoff Zero Sugar joins Ketel One Botanical in launching a sugar free flavor infused vodka. Smirnoff Zero Sugar is gluten free and infused with natural flavors and essence of real botanicals. Add a splash of soda and you are still sitting pretty at 72 calories per serving. Read more