Yahoo News Aidy’s Drinks Cabinet: Seven British vodkas for National Vodka Day
In Britain, we are known for many things — fish and chips, Big Ben, David Beckham, and all the rest — but we’re hardly famed for our vodka.
That needs to change. Far from the exclusive speciality of producers in chillier parts of Europe, vodkas are now created to a fantastic level of quality in this country, with distillers up and down and the land performing acts of alchemy with wheat, potatoes, barley, rice, water and more.
And there’s no better time to celebrate them than on National Vodka Day (October 4). Here is my take on the best British vodkas to grace your glaces. Bottoms up!
Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka
Hailing from my home county of Yorkshire, this is a vodka I’m particularly proud of. Estate-grown British apples and a handful of potatoes are used to craft this spirit. Even the water is sourced from beneath their feet. You’ll also notice the bottle also has a brown hue, which is down to the recycled nature of the packaging. Basically, if you’re after something local and sustainable, this is it. Smooth, crisp and punchy, it’s the perfect option for a vodka and soda with a burst of lime. Try Franklin & Sons Guava and Lime soda for a truly irresistible serve.
£29, Waitrose
Spirit of Manchester: Grapefruit Vodka
In the past five years, this Manchester favourite has grown from a dining room still into a state-of-the-art distillery. This vodka is its latest small-batch release, packing in 300 freshly peeled, zesty grapefruits, macerated in alcohol for 72 hours to give real complexity. The resulting drink is a delicate balance of citrus, bitterness and sweetness. It’s vibrant, juicy, packed full of flavour and will make a kick-ass breakfast martini.
What about all that leftover juice from the grapefuits? The distillery’s no-wastage policy means it’s donated to local Manchester bars to use in their cocktails.
£30, Master of Malt
Broken Clock Vodka
It took three years and more than 100 tasting sessions to get the recipe for Broken Clock perfected. This vodka offers a balanced harmony of quintessential English botanicals that dance around your tongue, before leaving you with a craving for more. A hint of white pepper meets bright green apples and pears as a flurry of summer garden herbs come into play. Complex, full-bodied and singing with character, this has to be one of the best vodkas in the country.
Mermaid Salt Vodka
There’s nothing quite like Mermaid Salt vodka, a drink I’ve come to really admire over the years. The subtle inclusion of sea salt gives it a distinct smoothness, with a pinch of salinity, which works really well in cocktails, especially a dirty martini. The salt itself is collected via a solar still method; it’s all rather impressive, and the fact it tastes so good is an added bonus.
£36.49, The Bottle Club
58&Co Vodka
This distillery has been doing its bit to help the environment for a while now, from powering itself entirely through solar energy and other renewable sources, to creating a new driveway using 141,000 plastic straws salvaged from the ocean. It all sounds good, and crucially, the vodka tastes good, too. The triple-distilled, wheat-based spirit is clean and crisp, with a gentle lemon zing complementing flavours of clotted cream and biscuits.
£38, Master of Malt
Devon Cove Vodka
Turns out King Edward potatoes are good for more than just crispy roasties. Devon Cove founder Leanne Carr grew spuds in the fresh Atlantic sea air for more than 50 years before getting into the vodka game, and she soon discovered that a combination of Devon taters, spring water and a small-batch, traditional copper still results in some real magic. It’s pure, clean and as smooth as smooth can be. Perfect with a splash of tonic and a big ol’ wedge of pink grapefruit.
£39.50, Yumbles
X Muse Vodka
Quite possibly one of my favourite discoveries this year. Pronounced “10th muse”, this is Scotland’s first ever blended barley vodka. Two heritage barley varieties are grown and separately distilled to retain maximum taste and character, while the water is sourced from an ancient aquifer in the heart of Jupiter Artland sculpture park on Bonnington Estate in Scotland. What you end up with is an incredibly rich and textural sipping vodka. Put it in a martini and it will knock your socks off.
£55.75, Difford’s Guide
Aidy Smith is an award-winning drinks expert, writer, and presenter of The Three Drinkers TV Series on Amazon Prime. Follow him @Sypped
