Think that all vodka tastes the same? Think again.
The days of vodka brands boasting about their purity and the number of times their product has been distilled are numbered, as emphasis on character and craft products takes precedent. The industry is going through a seismic shift from flavourless to flavourful, and bartenders and consumers alike are starting to wake up to this trend.
“Brands that carry character and are established upon interesting stories are always preferred by consumers,” says Nik Kay, Sauvelle Vodka Brand Ambassador and Nomad Brands director, a drinks consultancy that works with nightclubs across London, including cuckoo club. “It allows them to feel a part of the brand’s journey, builds customer loyalty and offers talking points among industry specialists and consumers that stand out from the typical ‘purity’ talk.”
Anthony Peart, development bar manager at The Hand and Flowers, agrees. “Inherently, vodka is a spirit that has been stripped back to remove the flavour. But now we’re seeing a trend the other way. Big-name [brands] have a place, but then you’ve got craft brands which take more care in giving these flavour characteristics and profiles, which is great and really needed.”
There are numerous ways that vodka’s character can be encouraged in production, from using unusual high-quality ingredients and production techniques through to releasing separate vintages with distinct differences in flavour.
French brand Sauvelle is a wheat vodka made in Cognac, and the key thing that sets this craft product apart is the fact that the liquid is oak-smoothed using Chene du Limousin wood, which results in a smooth, luxuriant liquid with flavours of vanilla, caramel and cherry blossom.
“Sauvelle washing their spirit over the wood, and imparting vanilla flavours from the wood, I think is interesting for customers,” says Peart. “There’s a thickness to the mouthfeel which is really pleasing, it works well in a Martini, it mixes really well with loose-leaf tea. It’s definitely not a vodka you’d put in the freezer to shoot back cold.”
Kay has noticed an interesting trend when it comes to how vodka is being drunk in bars and clubs. “Within nightlife there has been a noticeable demand throughout the industry for higher quality mixers,” he says. “For example, the rise of Fever-Tree tonic and decrease in traditional Schweppes for use as a primary mixer reflects a shift in consumers’ attitudes towards how vodka is being drunk; a move from quantity to quality. There’s a rise in consuming quality vodka on the rocks, showing a clear trend in the rise of better quality products.”
With these shifts, vodkas such as Sauvelle are perfectly primed to meet demand. “Craft vodka offers bartenders flexibility and the ability to express their creativity,” explains Kay. “Craft vodkas are full of a variety of flavours and taste notes which allow bartenders free rein to try a wider choice of ingredients within cocktails.”
One of Peart’s favourite ways to serve Sauvelle at The Hand and Flowers is to pair it with 1724 tonic water and garnish it with a vanilla pod, further emphasising the vanilla characters that oak-washing Sauvelle achieves. The Debonair is also a very popular cocktail at the famed gastropub, combining Sauvelle, peach syrup and puree, Earl Grey tea and egg white. “Or you could just enjoy it on the rocks with a slice of lemon peel,” he smiles.
Because does something this tasty really require any other flavours in it?
