Flavored Vodkas Continue To Climb at High and Low Ends
Liquor store owners are becoming shelf challenged to handle all the flavored vodkas spirits companies are turning out. It's gotten to the point where industry experts aren't sure if the proliferation of flavored vodkas is answering a demand, or if the growth of sales isn't literally being driven by the avalanche of products.
Flavored vodka sales were up 16% last year, compared with a 1% gain for traditional vodka. So, it's easy to see why the liquor marketers keep the flavors coming. Burnett's Vodka now has 20 flavors! The addition of flavors ranging from coconut to root beer has the obvious and intended result of attracting more women to spirits, especially young women But the flavors attract the young men as well, and have been a force in taking them away from beer.
After all, vodka is the least expensive spirit to actually manufacture. It is usually derived from grains, grapes or potatoes, and doesn't require any aging. The flavors are pretty easy to come by. So the task for the distiller, in the end, is to find the right flavor of quality to achieve the mouth-feel and finish that is desirable.
A round-up of recent flavored vodkas shows that there is no end of flavors hitting the shelves. The other reason so many are coming is that it is cheap to test the market to see what sticks. If a particular flavor doesn't stick, the changeover or elimination of the flavor happens easily and with minimal cost.
What can you look for? And what is good?
CÎROC, a French ultra-premium vodka, made from select Mauzac Blanc and Ugni Blanc grapes grown and harvested in the Cognac and Gaillaic regions of France, is one of the finer and more interesting vodkas to hit the market in the last several years even without the addition of flavors. And I was surprised to see that Red Berry and Coconut were the first ones out of the gate. I was expecting flavors from CÎROC more reflecting the French sensibilities: Elderberry or perhaps Apple to suggest a Cognac and Normandy fusion.
CÎROC Red Berry and Coconut: 70-Proof, $34.99. The Coconut infused vodka is nicely buttery and carries the scent of a tasty macaroon. I drank it frozen, and was happy. then tried wit a splash of pineapple juice and ice. After sipping that, I added a bit of cream and a dash of Angostura Bitters, which pleased my group the most. The Red Berry is fruity as you would expect, but maybe a tad sweet. I drank this frozen, as well as with a bit of soda and ice. I would prefer a dryer fruit finish, especially with an ultra-premium, but I still like the base grape vodka of CÎROC, and believe it works as a better mixer than some cheaper flavored grain vodkas.
Ketel One Orange also launched this summer. The Dutch distillery spent years, it says, selecting the orange flavors for this spirit. Priced at about $30.00, it is the best of the citrus vodkas I have tried, and works extremely well frozen.
I have always found that 70-proof or 80-proof vodkas were enough for me, but Smirnoff launched Smirnoff Blue this year, which are 100-proof vodkas. Smirnoff Blue begins with Smirnoff Vodka, the best-selling vodka in the world. The vodka is then triple distilled and ten times filtered in a proprietary process. Smirnoff now has flavors in its standard line, as well as the Blue line.
New flavors in the the Smirnoff (red lable) standard line include Peach, Mango, Pineapple and Pear. These are 70-proof vodkas, and run between $14.99 and $16.99. These vodkas beg to have actual fruit added to them for cocktails. And I found drinking them frozen or with a fruit juice hoer than the flavor already infused worked fine too. Both stood up to cranberry juice. I also tried adding a bit of nectar juice of the same flavor to intensify the fruit flavor that is already there, with ice and bit of soda. That worked extremely well.
The 100-proof Smirnoff Blue, $16.99, came with Espresso and Spiced Root Beer. As with all vodkas, I like to try them moderately chilled, and frozen. Mixing was a challenge. With Espresso, I went with a touch of cream and freshly brewed espresso, Creme de Cacao and ice. It was not my usual drink, but stood up nicely. I then substituted Bailey's Irish Cream for the Creme de Cacao with good results as well. The Spiced Root Beer was a bit more challenging, though I found some success with adding some spiced rum, and in another attempt, some aged Tequila, ice and soda.
The branded websites for these brands, of course, have recipes to try.
Swedish vodka RÖKK also got into the flavor game. RÖKK is a Swedish vodka crafted with pure, spring water and a freeze filtration process where the vodka is chilled to sub zero temperatures and then frozen charcoal filtered. This unique freeze filtration process creates less "throat burn."
RÖKK Original comes at 80-proof, while the flavors, priced at $12.99, are bottled at 70-proof. The flavors at launch include Orange, Rasberry, Citrus and Apple. Of these, my favorites were Apple and Orange. The Apple was very nice over ice with a splash of soda. It also worked well to boost some fresh apple cider. The Orange was fine frozen, as well as a mixer with spiced rum. Rock on!
I have always found that 70-proof or 80-proof vodkas were enough for me, but Smirnoff launched Smirnoff Blue this year, which are 100-proof vodkas. Smirnoff Blue begins with Smirnoff Vodka, the best-selling vodka in the world. The vodka is then triple distilled and ten times filtered in a proprietary process. Smirnoff now has flavors in its standard line, as well as the Blue line.
New flavors in the the Smirnoff (red lable) standard line include Peach, Mango, Pineapple and Pear. These are 70-proof vodkas, and run between $14.99 and $16.99. These vodkas beg to have actual fruit added to them for cocktails. And I found drinking them frozen or with a fruit juice hoer than the flavor already infused worked fine too. Both stood up to cranberry juice. I also tried adding a bit of nectar juice of the same flavor to intensify the fruit flavor that is already there, with ice and bit of soda. That worked extremely well.
The 100-proof Smirnoff Blue, $16.99, came with Espresso and Spiced Root Beer. As with all vodkas, I like to try them moderately chilled, and frozen. Mixing was a challenge. With Espresso, I went with a touch of cream and freshly brewed espresso, Creme de Cacao and ice. It was not my usual drink, but stood up nicely. I then substituted Bailey's Irish Cream for the Creme de Cacao with good results as well. The Spiced Root Beer was a bit more challenging, though I found some success with adding some spiced rum, and in another attempt, some aged Tequila, ice and soda.
The branded websites for these brands, of course, have recipes to try.
Swedish vodka RÖKK also got into the flavor game. RÖKK is a Swedish vodka crafted with pure, spring water and a freeze filtration process where the vodka is chilled to sub zero temperatures and then frozen charcoal filtered. This unique freeze filtration process creates less "throat burn."
RÖKK Original comes at 80-proof, while the flavors, priced at $12.99, are bottled at 70-proof. The flavors at launch include Orange, Rasberry, Citrus and Apple. Of these, my favorites were Apple and Orange. The Apple was very nice over ice with a splash of soda. It also worked well to boost some fresh apple cider. The Orange was fine frozen, as well as a mixer with spiced rum. Rock on!
