Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit & Rose

Aromas are all ruby red grapefruit. Flavors are when you get the rose. The grapefruit stands aside until the finality of the final finish. Almost taste like gin it’s so floral.

Not my favorite botanical but it's certainly not a drain poor

Without a doubt Ketel One have crafted something extremely special here. From the nose alone you get an elegant, sophisticated aroma of grapefruit. It's strong without being overpowering or overly assertive, almost as if some grapefruits had been freshly squeezed and you were standing next to their husks. There's a nice floral hue to the fragrance as well that is in perfect balance with the more fruity aromas. If I didn't know any better I would imagine I was smelling a fine grapefruit extract or perfume rather than a flavored vodka. Amazingly the taste is even better than the nose. It begins with a nice grapefruit zest that gradually expands to the full bittersweet goodness of a fresh grapefruit. I legitimately felt as if I had just chewed into a juicy fresh fruit. The back palate is where the rose flavors come into full bloom complementing the rising fruity sweetness perfectly with just a trace of floral bitterness. Meanwhile the finish is like a careful, bittersweet dance between the complexity of the grapefruit and rose. If anything I felt like I had just drank a two-ingredient gin rather than a flavored vodka with the botanicals each serving a clear sense of purpose. Texture wise there is a distinct oiliness to the proceedings that won't be unfamiliar to those acquainted with extracting the oils from citrus peels. This feels like an all-natural, carefully crafted affair and it is one of the most stunning products on the market. Highly recommended.