Reyka Vodka

Rating: 16/23 N: Not much here. It's a vodka. I do get a little bit of earthiness though. P: Fairly smooth. There's an interesting earthy presence to this and a bit of pepper with a hint of cinnamon. Perhaps something a dash grassy. It's all quite subtle though. It's an interestingly different vodka and I kind of dig it. It's mostly neutral, but it has some funk in a way that is less aggressive than Kirkland's French Vodka. Side-by-side with Russian Standard, this comes off as substantially more refined and less harsh. It's hard to guess what this is made with. It doesn't have the same decadent character as Beluga Noble, but it also isn't as harsh. The mellowness and balance here are really effective. Ocean is richer, but this has more going on. Chopin Wheat has this richer yet more refreshing character to it. F: A little drying. Kind of earthy with a little bit of alcohol vapor, faint remnants of the spices, and a teeny suggestion of lemon. - Conclusion - This one really blew me away (by vodka standards). It's a refined expression. Based on my side-by-siding, I think that this is probably a hair better than Ocean, but not quite as good as Chopin Wheat. I currently have both of those at 16, though I could imagine Ocean being a high 15 and Chopin being a low 17. This being in the middle, it earns a 16. What a find! This isn't a budget vodka, but it isn't one that costs a ton either. It's priced similarly to Chopin Wheat, but they're pretty different beasts and they're cheap enough that you can just get one of each.

I am on my second bottle of this very solid to remarkable vodka. I have been very impressed with the ease at which I can drink this straight and how nice it blends with other things to make amazing drinks. I bought my first bottle a while back on a business trip for $13 or $14 a bottle and the second bottle a bought at my local store on sale for $20 and in that price range, it is amazing. On the nose, I smell a slight sweetness almost a gently sweet grain bread smell. The body is true vodka with nearly no flavor and even at room temperature, there is very little ethanol burn. There is a little sweetness in the finish or it could be my imagination but the liquid is smooth. I have made several cocktails with this and they have all been excellent. I have made Vodka Martinis with Dolin Dry and Noilly Prat Extra Dry that were excellent at a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio. It makes a GREAT Vesper Martini with Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin, Sutlers, or Fords and Cocchi Americano, plus, Gimlets, Harvey Wallbangers, and Screwdrivers. This is an outstanding vodka and one that I will keep in my bar rotation as long as the price holds out. Enjoy!

I was really excited to see how this tastes. I'm not a big fan of vodka, so it shouldn't be surprising that I'm not the biggest fan of Reyka either, but it's still a pretty good vodka. Nose: strong ethanol. Not much else. Taste: very clean mineral taste. A very hidden hint of sweet citrus. Kind of a full body, which was surprising. Finish: still clean, then a strong burn, then it leaves with some warm peppery notes. Overall nothing spectacular, don't expect too much from this. I have to say though, I was surprised by the contrast of the strong burn and the still very smooth mouthfeel. Also, the bottle is very pretty, so I still am happy to have this standing on my shelf, I would recommend other vodkas over this though. Absolut Vodka is way cheaper and definitely not worse, and there are definitely better bottles in similar price ranges, like Tito's or Chopin. That said, this is definitely a good choice for a lot of cocktails as it is very clean and therefore a great base, although I wouldn't recommend it for a Vodka Martini (due to the strong burn).

Nose - chalky grain, sweet oat, black pepper, mineral water, dry herbal notes, lemon pith, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - chalky grain, lemon and grapefruit zest, mineral water, black pepper, sweet oat and honey, dry herbal and floral notes, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with soft grain, sweet oat, and citrus zest flavors. The nose is slightly more ethanol forward than I prefer, but it has the same chalky grain forward quality I appreciate in vodkas like Russian Standard and Stoli. Additionally, there are nice oat and subtle honey notes that I assume come from the barley component of the distillate. I don’t think I like this as much as Ketel One and Stoli, but it’s close to Russian Standard for me, albeit less austere and more fruit forward on the palate. This is solid vodka, and it’s about on par with Jim Beam Original for me.

Reyka Vodka has aromas of spices and citrus peels with a hint of vanilla.The entry is smooth with vanilla and grapefruit ,The finish is spices and hot peppers .Rekya Vodka tastes great straight and mixed in cocktails.

I think Reyka is xlnt. A very bold, fresh taste... unique. Great on the rocks with a squeeze... BIG flavor! For vodka martinis... I prefer a smoother vodka... Kettel One, Beluga, Tito's, Stoli Elite...