Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind

Spicy and tantalizing.

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.