Tastes
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1941 Craft Vodka
Unflavored Vodka — USA Midwest, USA
Reviewed May 10, 2021 (edited October 13, 2021)This is a really weird vodka. It almost feels like Minnesota's response to Tito's with both having similar marketing playing up how it's "craft vodka" while aiming to go for that very sweet palate that comes from being corn based. At roughly $14 for a 750 mL bottle, 1941 Vodka is really trying to beat out Tito's for some market share and the similarities go beyond just the marketing and price point. The aroma immediately reminds me of Tito's Vodka with that dusty, sweet grain scent but it's oddly more refined and in focus. Tito's is milder on the nose and you really need to coax out the smells. Here the scent of sweet grain is prominent but it's hard to pin down the base grain. My guess was corn and after some research online it turned out to be correct but its corn characteristics are faint. Even though I could tell it had a dusty grain smell, it's less potent than in either Tito's or Tower Vodka (Total Wine's answer to Tito's). There is a nice hint of ethanol present but it doesn't really detract from the sweetness nor is it unpleasant. Alright that all sounds pretty standard so why did I say it's a weird vodka? That's because its taste is all over the place. It's at once very sweet, proudly flaunting its sweet corn base while also tasting oddly dusty, just like it's scent. There's a nice buttery quality too that almost reminds me of wheat vodkas and lends it an almost creamy-like feeling. Best of all, it doesn't have the bitterness that I feel marks the back palate and finish of most corn vodkas but despite that it still feels rough around the edges. Somewhere along the mid to back palate ethanol seeps in and takes over. It's not harsh nor overly intrusive but it does make it hard to recommend as a sipper even if the sweetness is pervasive and amazing. On the finish you get a medium burn but nothing you couldn't handle or be able to drown out in most mixed drinks or cocktails. Once you get past the sharp ethanol turn you're left with a very pleasant sweet corn flavor that lingers and closes out this vodka in good terms. Texture wise it's more on the watery side but it doesn't feel characterless either. Ultimately I think 1941 Vodka is actually a good Tito's competitor and one worth considering picking up if you're a fan. I maintain there are better vodkas on the market at similar or lower price points but if you want that sweetness peculiar to corn vodkas then this may just be the budget vodka for you. I think it's just a tad too rough around the edges to be worth a higher score but it's far from a bad vodka. -
I'm extremely impressed by this outing by Smirnoff. At face value it sounds preposterous. Just how good of a mix is vodka and tamarind? Brands already struggle capturing seemingly more basic flavors like peach or apple without making it a syrupy mess. But as I talked to people I kept hearing it come highly recommended especially as a valuable tool for niche but tasty concoctions, including chamoy based cocktails. After finding out the bottle shown in the display, with bright red & glow in the dark features is a Limited Edition, I finally caved in and decided to go for it. Am I ever glad I did! The nose delivers exactly on what it promises to be. The smell mainly reminds me of the spicy tamarind treats you find at Mexican markets. It's tamarind with a bit of a hint of a spicy kick. At room temperature the smell of ethanol is still perceptible in the background but it isn't intrusive. There's also the faintest hint of citrus, which I imagine to come from the lime flavor this supposedly has. Taste wise it's quite amazing but a bit of a ride. At first brush it's quite sweet, almost like sugared tamarind Agua Fresca. But towards the end of the front palate you get a nice, surprisingly potent tart flourish begining to emerge. This sweet & sour dynamic defines the entire experience. Mid-palate showcases the spicy chilis added to this fusion providing a nice, mild burning sensation. The back palate is admittedly a bit rough as all these different elements don't converge as smoothly as I'd like, with the lime adding perhaps a tad bit too much sourness in contrast to the fading sweetness. That said the finish is a nice, mellow tamarind flavor that lingers for a good minute. There's no way around the rough edges of the product at room temperature. Flavors are potent and make sipping this just a bit tough. Not because it tastes bad but because there's such a tug and pull between the sweet and sour. I decided to add some ice to see if it would mellow out this concoction, especially since the bottle itself recommends you serve this chilled. Sure enough this brought everything into a crisp, awesome balance. Just the right amount of tartness, tamarind sweetness, chili kick though admittedly the lime flavor is hard to pinpoint. But whether you have it on the rocks or neat there isn't an alcohol burn nor a feeling you put processed syrup into your body. Ultimately I think this is one of those flavors that just excels at providing some excellent and fun mixing options. It's in its element spicing up your Bloody Mary of Screwdriver, can act as a substitute or spicy complement to a Margarita or allow you to mess with some unconventional ingredients at the bar like chamoy. I'm rating this highly because this can be an instance of a flavored bottle that opens up interesting possibilities without feeling too niche or seasonal.
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By itself this tastes straight up like a cheap but decent enough grape soda with a swig of cheap brandy. For the price the experience isn't half bad but the major problem is how sweet it is. I wouldn't say it's immediately cloying but after a few sips, depending on your sugar tolerance, it will be. For me, it's tolerable. I was able to finish my first can without diluting it but it was rough. Especially with the cheapness of the materials I didn't feel too incentivized to finish it. I found that diluting it with some mineral water did wonders. It got rid of the cognac taste but made it taste just like a grape soda I could chug. With two shots in a can, I'll take it. Ultimately Purple Crush Monaco is an acceptable but overly sugary way to get a cheap buzz on. With more sophisticated RTD's on the market providing 13%+ for just a few bucks more and the weaker Monaco offerings appear in trouble. Whereas I'd still get the Mango Peach and Lime Margarita Monaco flavors now and again, I'm less inclined to get this flavor. I'd say it's mainly for fans of grape soda or those willing to chug a beverage to get a quick buzz on. This is drinkable but not something you want to savor.
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Cutwater Tequila Lime Margarita
Ready to Drink — California, USA
Reviewed May 4, 2021 (edited May 7, 2021)Cutwater Tequila Lime is a step up from the margarita mixes previously on the market. Those relied entirely on artificial lime flavorings or gimmicks to mask the cheap Tequila providing the alcoholic punch. As soon as you open a can, you can immediately smell agave, a promising sign that they trust their Tequila enough to let it stand on its own merits in this cocktail. Aside from the initial agave rush it smells of lime, orange and vaguely of triple sec. That's great because according to the can, that's precisely what else is in here. And at two shots of Tequila this sits at a great 14% ABV. Taste wise it's a well-balanced margarita. The sort of margarita you'd get at a respectable restaurant where the bartender is competent but not world class and the offering is reasonably priced. The agave features prominently before being balanced out by the lime. The triple sec is most noticeable towards the finish soundly rounding off the experience. While I wouldn't say the lime tastes fresh, it definitely doesn't taste bad or off either. It also has a borderline smoky and salty character to it. I'm not quite sure why as none of the ingredients should, in theory, lend it this quality but it does make it a more compelling tasting experience. I've tried quite a few Cutwater Canned Cocktails and they are killing it. They make the sort of cocktail I would bring to a tailgate or summer kickback to share with people I actually like. As far as RTD's go they're up there. While this margarita isn't their strongest offering, it's still a refreshing, nicely proportioned offering worth checking out. -
Russian Standard is, well, a great standard when it comes to reasonably priced vodkas. While it doesn't have anything exciting to offer there's genuinely nothing to hate here either. You can almost view this bottle as being an excellent example of what vodka should be. A vodka standard if you will. The nose is very mild and tame. It has the standard smell of a wheat vodka lazily floating down a sweet, alcohol river. The alcohol presence is there but just barely. This doesn't sting the nostrils. Just gentle ethanol scent exists, a medium to support the sweetness of the wheat. Let it sit for a bit and a spicy citrus zest begins to emerge as well, tucked even further away in the background. Sweetness continues once imbibed. It's not the upfront sweetness of corn vodka nor is it the distinct bready sweet of other wheat based vodkas. It's a happy, pleasant in-between; a compromise between those two extremes that's happy to be pleasant in how unassuming it is. Only when you swirl it around in your mouth do you get more defined vanilla and bread flavors. Otherwise it's an undefined, almost neutral sweetness. On the finish you get a some of that citrusy zest from the aroma and a bit of a spicy pepper "kick." For a vodka it's pretty muted but it's noticeable from the previous sweetness. That's not to say it's out of place. It rounds out the experience quite nicely. Texture wise it also strikes a balance between oiliness and being watery, which fits nicely with the rest of the experience. I only have two complaints about this vodka. The first is that it's perhaps a bit too standard and nondescript. It just isn't exciting to drink by itself. But for the price point that's a mild concern especially in a category that means to be neutral. Second complaint is that it does have a bit of a burn going down which makes the product feel just a bit rough around the edges. It is *not* a burn that makes it undrinkable. Rather, just a burn that reminds you there are better products out there--for a higher price. This is a great vodka to use for smooth mixing and as a baseline against which to judge all other vodkas.
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Tanduay is a particularly sweet, additive filled rum that almost reminds me of a spiced rum. There's nothing wrong with this, though it may be a turn off to rum purists. For those of us more open to sugary outings, Tanduay has quite a bit to offer. The nose is enticing. Vanilla, caramel and butterscotch immediately jump out though despite how pleasant they are it's obvious they are the result of additives. Dig deeper and you get a particular banana smell. Like it's been toasted. It's potent, sweet and just a bit bolder than most banana aromas of other liquors. In the back you can sense oak and some particular spices I can't quite pin down. Maybe some ginger? It's very spice addled though which is why I stated that it reminds me so much of a spiced rum. I was taken by surprise once I imbibed this spirit. In its taste it departs from spiced rums instead focusing on its fruity flavors with a nice woodiness subtly playing in the background and bringing some mild spices. Toasted banana is most evident in the front along with a luscious coconut goodness. The mid palate has the molasses and more traditional taste of rum appear coupled with the spices from the aroma but they complement the fruity flavors rather than replace them. Throughout there is a taste of additive vanilla and butterscotch but it doesn't detract from the experience. Merely rounds it out, albeit in a sugary, almost opulent way. As it comes to a close the vanilla and oak flavors make a gracious appearance. It's interesting that the finish showcases various emerging spices from the oak that seem we balanced and in tune with the rest of the experience. It makes me wish they hadn't added so many additives and instead let the oak do the talking. In closing, I think Tanduay is not really meant for sipping. It's a tad too sweet and almost liqueur like for it. But it's a magnificent mixer that can serve as a less aggressive spiced rum substitute or make a mean eggnog for the holidays. A bit of a niche rum, it's still a worthy addition to any bar.
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New Amsterdam Vodka
Unflavored Vodka — California, USA
Reviewed April 30, 2021 (edited July 8, 2023)New Amsterdam stands out as one of the most consistently cheap vodkas with a surprisingly sleek bottle to boot. A perpetual mainstay of Millennial's budget drinking, New Amsterdam always stood out to me as a vodka I could enjoy back when I loathed vodka (oh how things have changed!). Returning to this vodka after sampling so many vodka offerings is quite eye opening: for the price, New Amsterdam is an amazing vodka that can't be beat. The nose is pleasantly muted and gentle. There isn't a burst of alcohol fumes or any unsightly chemical smells. The prevalent scent is of sweet corn underpinned by a faint trace of alcohol. There's not much else to say here. This is as simple as aromas get. Uncomplicated is the name of the game when it comes to the palate. You get a very prominent sweet corn taste throughout the entire experience. It doesn't waver or taper off nor does it feel like sugar was added in an attempt to make it sweeter than it naturally would be. It's a nice, natural corn sweetness that makes for a simple, smooth experience throughout. A light bitterness marks the finish but as far as corn vodkas go it's quite a tame, gentle bitterness that doesn't detract from the proceedings. Even the burn is very mild, registering as a light-medium sensation for me. The texture is nothing remarkable. It's a bit more on the oily side, similar to Tito's albeit less prominent. Everything about this vodka is simple, accessible and well executed. There's nothing exciting here but by the same token, there's absolutely nothing wrong here either. It's a well made vodka and for $10 it soundly beats out many competitors at higher price points. -
Another vodka offering that seems limited to Total Wine stores, Two Founders 80 Acres isn't afraid to proudly display it's a corn vodka, with two corn cobs adorning the sides of the bottle. If you're a vodka drinker, you know what corn vodka means: lots of sweetness followed by a bitter end and 80 Acres vodka is no different. The nose is extremely straightforward and very neutral even for a vodka. There's the usual smell of alcohol but it has this faint chemical veneer. Weirdly it's not unpleasant but it is noticeable. The other aroma is of creamed corn. Both of these smells are present in a 1:1 ratio but are quite muted. The palate follows the nose. Creamed corn greets the front palate and lingers up to the mid palate providing a nice, almost cream-like sweetness to the vodka. From the mid palate on though you get this faint chemical taste. I can't explain why it doesn't feel as off-putting as it may sound. To be sure it isn't pleasant but it didn't ruin the experience for me. The finish is the expected bitterness inherent of corn vodkas intermingled with the faint chemical taste of the midpalate. It lingers a bit longer than usual, lasting for about 40 seconds before tapering off but it's not all bad news. As the faint chemical taste recedes, a nice sweet corn begins to emerge making the finish feel decent if underwhelming. There's a medium, fairly harsh burn to it as well that makes this one of the less smooth bottom shelf options on the market. Texture wise this stuff feels exactly like water. Matter of fact, from it's nearly neutral aromas to water-like texture and bitter finish, this reminds me a lot of a rough Smirnoff imitation. Like Smirnoff this is one of the most neutral vodkas on the market and it's cheaper too. If you're willing to put up with just a bit more harshness and neutral vodkas as your favorite, this may well be a decent budget option.
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Without a doubt Crafthouse Cocktails are making the best RTD's on the market. At 14.9% for less than $5, not only does this register as the most boozy RTD by Crafthouse but it even surpasses it's cheapest competition in Monaco Cocktails, a cheap brand that takes pride in providing two shots in all it's canned mixed drinks averaging 9% ABV. Monaco usually sell for around $3.50 so for not much more you can get a much tastier RTD that packs close to 6% more punch. Seriously, let that sink in. This is hands down the best value on the market both in terms of taste and booziness. How amazing is that? Now on to the actual experience. The aroma is pleasant and hits the check marks of all the listed ingredients. It smells overwhelmingly of lemon juice and honey and despite the high ABV you cannot make out an alcohol smell. Dive deeper and you get the smell of the bourbon. Yes, you can actually tell it's made from bourbon, all the more impressive given that it's so far in the background. Rounding out the smell is a bitter smell that's hard to pinpoint. And wouldn't you know it, this does have aromatic bitters in it. Amazing. Now the Gold Rush cocktail can be thought of as an American, contemporary twist on the Whiskey Sour. Indeed the ingredients are pretty similar save for the use of bourbon over a rye and honey instead of sugar and it's usually not served with egg whites as the thicker presence of the honey makes the cocktail feel well rounded. If you drank this without knowing what, exactly, a Gold Rush should taste like you would immediately assume you had been served a Whiskey Sour with a sweeter character. Indeed the honey does a great job of providing well-defined sweetness that counterbalances the prominent tartness from the lemon. The bitters reveal themselves at the mid palate and add some great complexity at the finish. They're present but they don't overpower any of the other ingredients. It's a perfect balance between sweet, sour, bitters and bourbon. I'm shocked at how sophisticated this tastes. Matter of fact, this tastes like an actual cocktail you would get at a mid level bar that has a Whiskey Sour variant on the menu on a particularly busy night where the bartender took an extra 20 minutes to hand you your drink after you ordered it. The only give away that this is an RTD is that the bourbon tastes fairly stale which unfortunately stands out given that the rest of the ingredients taste fairly fresh. But as far as RTD's go, I'm impressed if they taste better or at least comparable to what a dive bar has to offer. For this to come close to what a mid level cocktail bar has to offer on their off night is absolutely stunning. Perhaps one day we will figure out exactly how to replicate the fresh taste of a cocktail. Until then, Crafthouse Cocktails has absolutely knocked it out of the park with this offering.
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Total Wines' answer to Tito's, Tower Vodka is proof that while imitation is the best form of flattery, flattery is cheap for good reason. What little aroma Tower Vodka has is extremely hard to describe. It smells like dusty crops, a potent sweetness that is completely non-descript and a whiff of ethanol. At first smell it immediately reminded me of Tito's with it's muted, dusty aromas but it doesn't have that nice yeasty quality of Tito's. There's not a lot going on when you drink it either. There's a noticeable, pleasant sweetness in the front and mid palate that comes from the corn but it's nothing exciting. Starting in the middle of the mid palate there's a bitterness that comes into play which I find in most corn-based vodkas. It reminds me strikingly of a citrusy zest that's impossible to pin down. The kind of zest you get from a generic big chain restaurant's salad topping. Not bad but completely forgettable. There is also the faintest trace of a corn flavor here. Ghost corn, if you will. You have to search for it hard and deep to notice it but it's there. Barely. The finish showcases a medium-light burn that I would say is just slightly more potent than Tito's but doesn't register as much ironically because the preceding bitterness prepares you for the burn. I would not recommend Tower Vodka for sipping. Much like Tito's it's meant to be a fine mixer playing it's potent sweetness as it's calling card. It also makes for a decent shots vodka albeit with a more potent burn than the brand it's trying to imitate. I'll be honest too, I'm not sure I would be able to differentiate this from Tito's with one exception: texture. This feels much more watery than Tito's which is oilier. In many ways this feels like if Tito's and Smirnoff had a baby. The aroma and sweetness are from Tito's while the watery texture, strong neutrality and bitter finish remind me of Smirnoff. Too bad it's just a more boring version of both. Still, if you want to save a few bucks for your next party, Tower Vodka is a decent if unexciting option.
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