Review: Smirnoff Sourced Watermelon Vodka
Smirnoff Sourced Watermelon Vodka was just released. It joins their Sourced Vodka lineup that includes Pineapple, Ruby Red Grapefruit, and Cranberry Apple flavors. Smirnoff Sourced Watermelon is made from a vodka base of Smirnoff Recipe 21 vodka. Real fruit juice from concentrate and natural flavors are added. Unlike several flavored vodka’s on the market today, no high fructose corn syrup is added. Real fruit juice flavored vodka is a product category also occupied by the Shady Fruit, Stoli Crushed, and E&J Gallo owned, High Noon brands. Read more
Review: Ciroc French Vanilla
Ciroc French Vanilla Vodka was just released. This is Ciroc’s eighth flavored vodka. Since 2007 Sean Diddy Combs has handled marketing and promotion of the Ciroc brand. In February, DJ Khaled and French Montana became Brand Ambassadors of Ciroc Vodka. Ciroc French Vanilla is French Montana’s first Ciroc flavor release. Ciroc French Vanilla is made with vodka distilled five times from fine French grapes in the Charente-Maritime Region of France. The spirit is infused with natural flavors, and a distinctive blend of vanilla flavors from multiple sources including Madagascar vanilla. Read more
Review: New Amsterdam Raspberry Vodka
New Amsterdam Raspberry Vodka was just released. This is New Amsterdam’s ninth flavored vodka. New Amsterdam Lemon was also recently introduced. These two flavors should not be confused with New Amsterdam Citron made with Lemon and Lime flavor, or New Amsterdam Red Berry made with Blackberry, Strawberry and Raspberry flavor. New Amsterdam Vodka is part of the growing line of spirits produced by E&J Gallo, that includes New Amsterdam Gin, Shellback Rum, Rum Haven Coconut Rum, Familia Camarena Tequila, and E&J Brandy. New Amsterdam Raspberry Vodka is made from the finest grains. It is distilled 5 times and filtered 3 times. Natural Raspberry flavors are infused before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: New Amsterdam Lemon Vodka
New Amsterdam Lemon Vodka was just released. This is New Amsterdam’s eighth flavored vodka. A Ninth, Raspberry will arrive next month. New Amsterdam Vodka sales grew by 36% in 2016 and now exceed 5 million cases per year. This makes them the second largest domestic vodka brand, trailing only Smirnoff. Not bad for a vodka first introduced in 2011. New Amsterdam Lemon starts with a vodka base made from the finest grains. It is distilled 5 times and filtered 3 times. Natural lemon flavors are infused before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Western Son Vodka
Western Son Vodka was first produced in Carrollton Texas at a distillery built in 2011. Growth has exceeded that distilleries capability and Western Son is now made at their new distillery that once housed a former panty factory in Pilot Point Texas. They also create six flavored vodka’s and three whiskeys. Like their better known Texas neighbors Tito’s, and Deep Eddy, Western Son Vodka is made from yellow corn. It is distilled ten times through a 20 foot column still and quadruple filtered. Water filtered through reverse osmosis is blended with the vodka to reduce to 80 proof. Read more
Review: Hanson of Sonoma Organic Boysenberry Vodka
Hanson of Sonoma Organic Boysenberry Vodka was introduced in 2013. It is one of six vodka varieties crafted by the Hanson Family in Sonoma California. Each of their flavored vodka’s start with their original vodka base. This vodka base is small batch distilled with organic Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, French Colombard Grapes, and pure artesian well water in a pot and column still that has 50 distillation plates. A proprietary seven stage filtration follows. Fresh wild boysenberry’s are immersed in the vodka, infusing and naturally coloring the vodka. Read more
Review: 8 Degree Cucumber Vodka
8 Degree Cucumber Vodka is made from grain. It is distilled eight times in the Netherlands. Pristine spring water is added to reduce to proof. After arriving in California, the Levecke Corporation adds cucumber flavor before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Veil Watermelon Vodka
Veil Watermelon Vodka was recently released. It is one of 26 flavored vodkas made by Distiller Sales in Princeton Minnesota. This brand can be found at Total Wine and More. If you have been to a Total Wine and More store you may have noticed Veil and several other brands also produced by Distiller Sales including Decadent, Truestone, Drake, Luxus, Starr Blu, Ice Cap, and Red Medal Vaatka. Veil Watermelon is made from premium grains and pristine water. The vodka base is distilled five times and charcoal filtered. Watermelon flavor is added before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka
Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka was released in 2013. It is made from organic #2 yellow corn grown by a co-op of 900 farmers in Central Minnesota. After harvest the corn is brought to a farmer owned co-op where it is ground up and put into a mash where it ferments. The mash is then delivered to the Prairie Distillery and distilled in a copper still. The vodka is distilled in small batches to taste rather than a set number of times. Water, sugar, natural flavor and salt are blended with the vodka base to create Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka. Read more
Review: Western Son South Plains Cucumber Vodka
Western Son South Plains Cucumber Vodka is one of seven handcrafted flavor infused vodkas made at the Western Son Distillery in Pilot Point Texas. This is my 12th cucumber flavored vodka review, and I know of several more I have not yet reviewed. The cucumber originates from India, but now grows on most continents. China currently produces 76% of the worlds total. A cucumber with the peel is 95% water. South Plains Cucumber is made from their Texas Vodka base made from yellow corn and water filtered through reverse osmosis. The vodka is distilled ten times through a 20 foot column still and quadruple filtered. Natural cucumber essence is blended with the original vodka base before bottling at 60 proof. Read more