Vodka

[Dilbertian]

Which vodka has the most neutral taste? I want to make some fruit liqueur by macerating dried, sweetened fruit, and want the flavour of the fruit to be the main flavour.

I don't drink vodka, except when I make a fruit liqueur, and have never actually bought a bottle of vodka. Previously I have just used up leftover odds and ends of bottles that had been hanging around untouched for years. I noticed that some of my home-made liqueurs are smoother, and some have a 'tang' I find quite harsh.

Non-Russian vodkas are smoother - grey goose (French), Belvedere (Polish), Ketel one (Dutch), Absolut (Swedish).

I also never buy vodka but I have a cocktail making pal who texted me the above

Nice friend 😄

Haku is brilliant and very light tasting. Black Cow Vodka is beautiful and so smooth. However, both are relatively pricey, perhaps more than you would want to spend on a home fruit infusion.

Absolut is probably your best bet as it’s neutral tasting but not mega expensive. Asda currently have the 1 litre bottle on offer- £22 down from £27.

@Dilbertian in the first lockdown CocktailFriend used to make us up a flask of a fancy cocktail every Friday night - I'd leave a loaf of banana bread in the porch and he'd leave us the flask - and then we'd all drink the cocktails together over zoom!

I honestly just go for the cheapest vodka that Lidl sells when making fruit liqueurs. The longer you infuse them, the smoother they will be.

From experience - which vodka you buy won't matter. Once you have added the fruit and sugar those will be the most dominating flavours. I would buy the cheapest vodka you can find. I've used Tesco Value vodka several times and it's more than adequate.

i always use coop cheapest for sloe vodka/gin etc/