The Case for Flavored Vodkas
By Chuck Sudo in Food on Dec 5, 2006 4:00PM
If you've been reading Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week" series from its inception, you'll remember that one of our primary rules of alcohol consumption is if you're old enough to legally order something like Sparks, Long Island iced teas, vodka and Red Bull, frozen cocktails, any drink that ends with the word "bomb," or any cocktail containing Southern Comfort, you're old enough to know better. So where does that leave all you folks who like flavored vodkas? Can scores of you Stoli Vanilla or Effen Black Cherry habitues be wrong?
Well, yes, for drinking it. And no, because flavoring vodka isn't a recent development, even though many of the name-brand vodka distillers are late to jump on the bandwagon.
Flavored vodkas have been produced almost as long as vodka itself. In the eastern European countries where vodka originated, distillers have long added flavorings like cinnamon, unsweetened chocolate, vanilla, ginger, berries, and red pepper. Scandinavian countries also have a history of infusing vodka with fruits, herbs and spices, for consumption during seasonal holidays. In the U.S., the marketing-savvy folks of Absolut — which was also one of the first spirit brands to openly court and accept gays as a market — carved out a niche in the marketplace with the launch of Absolut Peppar in 1986. With the releases of their citrus vodka two years later and a currant-infused vodka in 1992, Absolut quickly and definitively established a new front in the endless battle by spirits companies for the consumer dollar. In Chicago, Absolut Citron outperforms numerous regular vodka brands in terms of sales.
Today, liquor store shelves and back bars strain with the weight of multiple flavored vodka choices. The availability of flavored vodka options is so prevalent that it's led to a glut of flavored rums and tequilas on the market. And they aren't going to go away anytime soon. Next month sees the launch of pear-flavored vodkas by both Absolut and Grey Goose, whose own vanilla-flavored offering is busy gathering dust. With such a glut of options, Chicagoist has put together some recommendations so you can get to the bar, order, and move on. We've separated our recommendations into three categories: bargains (or scrubs), mid-list (or shot callers), and premium (or ballers). Our picks after the jump.
Bargain:
Skyy: We know, some of you are reading this and thinking, "Has Chuck gone insane?" But we love the things about Skyy that others don't: the bottle; the burn; the name, that it's made in America. Skyy, like Absolut, Stoli, and Ketel One, is a bartender's vodka. Its name is instantly recognizable, so you don't have to do a sell job to customers. What you probably don't know is that the Skyy flavors line is one of the more affordable lines on the market, and one of high quality, to boot. Using all natural ingredients, Skyy has crafted some tasty flavored vodkas that go down smooth, without the burn, and don't have the overly artificial smell and taste that make us gag at the Stoli or Absolut lines. Skyy Berry uses a blend of blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry flavors. Skyy Vanilla blends essences of Madagascar vanilla with amaretto. Skyy Orange infuses Brazilian oranges with blood oranges, and Skyy Citrus mixes elements of orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, and tangerine. They're great for experimentation in cocktails and flavored "martinis." One of our standby cocktails is the "Skylight", which mixes 2 ounces Skyy Citrus, 1 ounce Midori, and 1 ounce grapefruit juice with copious amounts of fresh squeezed lime.
Mid-list:
Van Gogh: What can one say about a distillery that competes with Belvedere and Grey Goose, but has a price that lists cheaper than Absolut on retail shelves? Not much more than recommending it to friends and acquaintances whenever they're stumped. Van Gogh's flavored line is extensive. In fact, it's the largest flavored line we've found, even though places like Sam's and Binny's only carry a handful of them. If there's a flavor you're looking for, chances are the folks at Van Gogh are producing it. If you see their black cherry vodka on the shelves, try it with soda. You'll never want to drink Effen Black Cherry again.
Premium:
Hangar One: Hangar One is the preferred vodka of choice for the Einhorn brothers of Twisted Spoke fame, especially for their bloody marys. After a sampling of Hangar One's flavored line last Saturday at Lush Wine & Spirits, we can see why they've been long singing the praises of this California distillery. Hangar One uses no additives in their vodka (one of the long-standing rumors about Grey Goose is that the distillers add glycerine to their vodka, which is why it tastes so smooth), so you get a vodka that both has minimal impurities and one that announces its arrival with authority. Hangar One only makes four flavors: Mandarin Blossom, "Buddha's Hand" Citron, Fraser River Raspberry, and Kaffir Lime. The flavors in each are smooth and prominent, very prominent. These flavors are too good to waste on a cosmopolitan or with a mixer. Except the Kaffir Lime, which complements any bloody mary perfectly. If you insist on having these with a mixer, use only a splash of club soda or mineral water. They're that good, and that full of flavor.