As mentioned in the previous post, I have recently acquired a bottle of Witchmark Distillery’s single origin vodka, which is something I’m incredibly excited about since when I last tasted it at their distillery it was fantastic! But how does it hold up to more involved scrutiny?
Bottled at 40% ABV, it has a beautiful bottle using frosted glass that has won over pretty much everyone I’ve shown it to, including non drinkers! The Witchmark logo is of course stunning, bearing a resemblance to the real life Witch marks that can be found around the distillery it was made in.
Aroma-wise, this vodka lets you know what it’s about immediately with a sweet, creamy smell, though it’s not overpowering thankfully. It evokes imagery of bakeries that make lovely sweet creamy cakes. When drank neat it has little to no burn, and the creaminess is still present, but very gentle on the palette. There is a noticeable warmth, but it’s a “slow release” sensation, ramping up in intensity slowly the longer you hold it in your mouth. Once you swallow, it’s über smooth, going down the throat like silk with little burn to show for it.
One thing I find interesting about this vodka is how it plays with mixers. The flavour of the base vodka is rooted in a earthy palette, despite it’s sweetness. I was hoping that sweet mixers like lemonade or cola could bring out something interesting akin to a cream soda, but I found they became incredibly muddled in flavour due to this vodka’s complexity. Though that being said, tonic water works surprisingly well, especially elderflower tonic, thanks to it’s shared earthy roots and it’s more bitter tone complimenting the vodka’s sweetness very nicely.
This is through and through a sipping vodka, one to be enjoyed neat out of a nosing glass along to how one would enjoy soju, but as mentioned it can work with mixers (if your careful with what you pick). I love this vodka and how it’s approach is so different than many other vodka’s on the market, including their other English Single Origin/Estate competitors! I highly recommend trying it, but make sure you understand the best way to drink it if so!
A big thank you to Eddie Large for showing me around his amazing distillery and allowing me to try this vodka early. Keep and eye on Witchmark Distillery and their line-ups, especially with their awesome gins (the black lime one is great) and their whisky, which will be coming down the line in a few years!
Back again with a nice niché spirit I’ve found in the form of Quaglia I Classici Italiani Amaretto. This a beautiful little bottle made by Italians, for Italians, and it really shows in the taste! I happened to pick this up on a whim at a spirit specialist store when I was on a trip recently, and I’m really glad I did.
This review’s recommended song is: “Make Me Feel” – The Badgeman
