Aval Dor Vodka
Cornwall’s first single estate distillery, Colwith Farm, created its first vodka in 2014 using Colwith Farms' potatoes. Aval Dor being Cornish for ‘potato’ the vodka was then aptly named Aval Dor Vodka. Produced in small batches, the vodka is distilled in a copper batch still and blended with mineral water from an aquifer deep beneath the farm. The use of these local ingredients gives Aval Dor Vodka a real sense of terroir which is something that has only recently been embraced in the world of vodka. An intense, floral and spicy vodka, with silky viscosity and a saline minerality on the finish it is definitely one to try.
But wait. If you’re in the mood for something a little more festive you can check out the Aval Dor Christmas Pudding vodka and the Aval Dor Spiced Christmas Edition gin too!
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy now: £40
CRYSTAL HEAD
Deemed by many as the worlds ‘purest’ vodka, Crystal Head sources it’s water from a natural aquifer hidden on a remote island named St John Newfoundland (basically the most Eastern point in North America). Peaches and cream corn are distilled four times before being filtered seven times and finally triple-filtered through a cone of Herkimer Diamonds. Sounds kind of classy, tastes kind of beautiful.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy now: £40 // $50
BELVEDERE HERITAGE 176
A brand we’ve known for a long time and for all of the right reasons, this Polish gem is the newest expression to grace our spirit shelves from Belvedere. Polska Rye and purified water are what go into the bottle; nothing more, nothing less. What’s most intriguing is how they’ve decided to revisit a malting process that is centuries-old to perfect the taste. Allow me to geek out for a second – this is essentially done by steeping the barley, drying it in a kiln so it then becomes malted and thus allowing it to be fermented as the starches are broken down into fermentable sugars. I told you I was going to go a little geeky… The end result? A fabulous malted rye spirit. Full-bodied with so much texture, there are pure notes of honey, almonds, walnuts and distinct baking spice.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy now: £36 // $35
BLACK COW
This was created in the west of England by Jason Barber, a farmer who uses only whole milk to make his vodka. The whey is used to make the vodka and the curds make his award-winning cheese. This vodka is very pure, and has a creamy, beautifully smooth mouthfeel.
ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy now for £22
THE REID SINGLE MALT
In 2011 a talented craftswoman by the name of Desiree Whitaker thought to herself, ‘you know what? I want to own a distillery”. So, doing what any ambitious spirit-lover would do, she went about building. Fast-forward 9 years and she’s got a portfolio of stunning drinks, all of which call New Zealand their home and have travelled internationally to grace our glasses. The subject of today’s conversation, their Reid Single Malt vodka is produced from 100% malted barley, giving a pure, smooth flavour profile. You can expect to find hints if pear drops, biscuits, toffee and a huggingly sensational mouthfeel as the texture wraps itself around your tongue. Not gonna lie, I’m kind of in love with the bottle too. Simple, yet elegant.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 44%
Buy Now £54
VESTAL
This vodka is made by an Englishman in Poland. He has very fine single potato variety vodka but he also creates this blend of varieties for under £25 and thankfully is a brilliant vodka. Made from Asterix and Russet Burbank potatoes this vodka has lots of character. It has been created with mixing in mind and makes a fabulous Martini. It is distilled and filtered only once to retain the flavour and character of the potatoes.
ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy now for £25.95
ABSOLUT ELYX
This bounty is distilled from a single estate in southern Sweden and produced from soft winter wheat that gives the unique and distinct profile on taste. Forget burn, this is smooth as smooth can be, with baked bread, dry spice and an incredible nuttiness showcasing macadamia nuts, walnuts and hazelnuts upon taking a sip. Vibrant, sophisticated and quite frankly, sexy. Drink neat or knock up a martini for a little tipple treat.