When it comes to vodka, it has always been used as a mixer. Throw it into a glass of lemonade with a wedge of lime and I’m usually settled. This time I was informed that this particular vodka was good enough to drink straight.
When I heard that this vodka should be served extremely cold and straight my brain had the same reaction to approaching a cliff edge, just stop.
Vodka comes in all shapes and sizes but also varies in cost like bottles of wine. There is the cheap stuff and the high-end stuff. If you’re using it in a mixer the differences wont be noticed as much, the same as diluting wine with lemonade (am I the only one who ever did that?).
The bottle we are talking about here is Heavy Water Vodka. The name is fantastic and the bottle is just gorgeous.
Heavy Water Vodka is Scandinavian and is the worlds only aerated vodka. It is branded as ultra-premium and sells for $78 at your Dan Murphy’s. Not a cheap drop but just like a good wine, I should be able to notice it, otherwise forget it.
The vodka is made from a winter-wheat which is essentially a very late harvest. The water used in the process is from an underground lake, the same lake where the first ever King of Sweden was baptised. There are some serious stories behind the effort that goes into this vodka.
So on a Saturday night with a group of mates around we pulled the vodka out of the freezer and made a few tasters in shot glasses. When you pour each time from the bottle the rod in the middle aerates your vodka, in a similar way that decanting a wine or swirling your glass will do – it infuses oxygen into the vodka.
Unlike a normal shot I decided to just tip the vodka in and give it a quick swirl before letting it slide down my throat. In a complete surprise I got through it all without gagging or a burning sensation. The vodka was extremely smooth, had a hint of vanilla and licorice notes on the back-end. My mates all agreed. We were surprised how well it went down and some absolutely went back for another.
If you are usually a Grey Goose drinker then for similar money it is worth trying next time you’re at the store. If you’ve never tried vodka straight, do not attempt this with the cheap stuff. It hurts.
