Ketel One Vodka

Nose - clean soft grain, subtle vanilla, mineral water, mild ethanol burn. Taste - salted vanilla, sweet soft grain, grapefruit zest, black pepper, mineral water, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short and oily with vanilla, citrus, and clean grain flavors. Well, we have a new front runner in this vodka tasting series. The nose is very clean and neutral, with just a hint of vanilla and some minerality. What I notice most is the softness of the grain character, most definitely due to the distillate quality imparted by the wheat. It’s certainly inoffensive, even bordering on pleasant. The palate is where I feel this shines more brightly than the other vodkas I’m sampled thus far. There’s an arrival! It hits with discernible vanilla and citric flavors, followed by that same soft graininess and a bit of what I perceive as a black pepper kick. It’s clean and neutral, but there’s actually some noticeable qualities on the palate worth mentioning. Overall this is quite good, inasmuch as vodka can be good. It’s easily better than the Tito’s, Skyy, and Smirnoff, and you’ll pay a few dollars more a bottle for it as well. Now for the all important question. Would I rather sip this than Jim Beam Original? No, but we’re getting close, really close actually. Close enough to notch this above the others on my rating scale.

Nose: Crisp ethanol gentled by faint cereal and mineral aromas. A lemon fragrance builds after repeated sips and nosing. Palate: Sweet, clean almost aqueous arrival with just a tang of alcohol. This gives way to a little cracked black pepper, lemon zest and a soupçon of anise. The texture is exquisitely soft and silky. Finish: Medium. Clean, fresh with a mild peppery tingle. The long-term aftertaste is creamy and sweet. Good heavens. I have found a vodka that not only can I stand to drink neat, but which I would voluntarily pour as an aperitif. If you are, like me, a whisky dweeb who normally eschews vodka on principle because it is little more than characterless ethanol then take one more chance and try this. You will not be disappointed. It also makes a vodka martini that will reset your expectations. Vodka with character. Huh. Who knew? “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)

Ketel One is my go-to vodka for cocktails. It may not be on the level of Stolichnaya Elit or Absolut Elyx, in terms of smoothness, but it's close and you can get it for nearly half the price. The nose features lemon zest and a bit of wheat. The palate is light, but there is some vanilla and grain notes, with a bit of sweetness. The finish is short, with a touch of pepper, but overall very smooth. Ketel One in my area is often even cheaper when you buy the 1.75L size and so it's the first one I reach for when making it cocktails. The only vodkas that I would consider replacing this with would be Absolut or Sobieski. At 750ml those two are a touch cheaper, but I don't often find the large size. Either way, it's hard to go wrong with any of those three.

It smells like nothing. The palate is fairly neutral (as opposed to grossly bitter) with a somewhat viscous presence and some nice sweetness. A bit of mineral and some definite alcohol that doesn't overwhelm but does come with some bitterness. There's the faintest hint of fruit. There's some nice richness and a little spice (but not too much). The viscosity is nice. On the whole, I appreciate the richness and sweetness along with the grainy (wheat) presence. The bitterness is a bit disappointing, but it and the alcohol flavor are very minor. This is actually quite similar to Chopin Wheat. This is actually a very good vodka. There's surprising depth of flavor for a vodka and it generally tastes good.

#5 in the vodka lineup. A very simple and muted nose, just a hint of vanilla. Flat, grainy palate, the vanilla is there, but more savory. This is not a sweet vodka, if you're into that sort of thing. The wheat component is still there as well, but becomes what I would call "wheat thins" more than anything else. Good for when you want vodka that is a little flavorful, but not sweet. Dry martini? Character: Wheat thins Smoothness: 3, Overall: 3

"It'll take a few Vodka & Tonics to set you on your feet again." I decided to use THIS vodka to test this hypothesis. It turned out to be the one, right tool. It's got a full mouth feel, with minimal burn, and the wheat flavor isn't completely distilled away. It's prefect with Tonic, as it enhances the bittersweet taste. It's the perfect tipple for those who like things deep and complex.