3 Vodkas Reinventing the World’s Most Popular Spirit

Unlike whiskey, rum, tequila or cognac, vodka can be distilled from just about any agricultural product grown under the sun. The possibilities are limitless — surprisingly so for a spirit that’s often stereotyped for its bland flavor. Adventurous distillers have made use of New York apples and honey, while others have traveled to the Andes Mountains in search of fair-trade quinoa. Peas? Visit the Black Eyed Distilling Co. in Fort Worth, Texas. Tulips? Thank the Dutch.

In honor of National Vodka Day, The Daily Pour is rounding up three recent launches that exemplify the breadth and depth of the category. With a tasteful touch. Rather than prioritize the wackiest ingredients, we’ve narrowed in on brands distilling top-tier spirits from unusual or otherwise hard-to-find recipes and techniques.

Weber Ranch 1902

(Photo: Weber Ranch)

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The emergent popularity of tequila has transformed every nook and cranny of the spirits industry over the past decade. Celebrities are pouring into the market at a breakneck pace, Mexican spirits are on the rise, and the margarita continues to reign supreme as America’s cocktail of choice. It was only a matter of time before the zeitgeist found its way to vodka.

Weber Ranch 1902 answered the call. The vodka begins with 100% Blue Weber agave — the very same used to make tequila — grown and distilled in the fields of Jalisco, Mexico. The liquid is then transported to Muenster, Texas, where it’s further distilled and blended with water from the local Trinity Aquifer. Though Weber Ranch isn’t the first brand to run with the idea, it’s by far the tastiest twist on the concept. And for good reason. The vodka was brought to market last year by John Paul DeJoria, the eccentric Austin-based billionaire who co-founded Patrón way back in 1989.

The aroma opens with a light, effervescent quality reminiscent of vanilla pastry and candied coconut. If you’re searching for a spirit that imitates the vegetal bite of a blanco tequila, Weber Ranch probably isn’t the best place to start. Instead, the flavor profile leans into delicate flashes of almond, lemon, minerality and homemade whipped cream, tied together with a lick of ethanol and citrus pith on the finish. It’s surprisingly flavorful stuff that stops just short of swerving into oversweet territory. Widely available at $30, Weber Ranch is best enjoyed in summertime cocktails like the Cosmopolitan and Lemon Drop.

Hard Cut

(Photo: Hard Cut)

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Swedish action star Dolph Lundgren splashed into the spirits industry earlier this year with the debut of Hard Cut, described as a firm response to a vodka category “gone soft.” Typical action star showboating. In place of wheat, the brand makes use of Idaho-grown russet potatoes distilled to a pleasantly high alcohol content of 45% ABV. The liquid is then poured into a minimalist, black-and-white labeled bottle and sold at $30 a pop, available most places spirits are sold.

We’re happy to confirm that Hard Cut lives up to every braggadocious claim Lundgren made on the press junket. At first, however, there isn’t much to detect beyond the ordinary. An aggressively neutral aroma undercut by a hint of buttery mashed potatoes gives way to some apple and nougat sweetness after a few whiffs. It’s on the palate that Hard Cut begins to truly flex its muscle. The liquid has this wonderful, ultra-creamy mouthfeel characteristic of the best potato vodkas, sinking in slowly with more than enough character to chew on. There’s some subtle sourdough bread and melon vibes, a hint of green apple and the faintest trace of wet earth rounding it all out. Yum.

Hard Cut claims that less than 1% of American vodkas are distilled with potatoes. And that’s a damn shame. The ingredient imbues a wonderful depth of flavor and mouthfeel, adding an almost oily edge that works wonders inside a Bloody Mary or Dirty Martini. For a vodka that punches far above its weight class, Hard Cut is the name to beat.

The Reid Single Malt

(Photo: The Reid)

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Many brands have attempted to put the ultra-premium twist on vodka. Few have done it quite as elegantly as The Reid. Produced at the woman-led Cardrona Distillery in Wānaka, New Zealand, the recipe begins with malted barley harvested from the nearby Canterbury plains. The liquid is then combined with Alpine water, fermented for over 70 hours and bottled at 44% ABV. It’s the kind of meticulously detailed product description that sounds right at home for a centuries-old scotch whisky. And the attention to detail shows.

The flavor profile is exceptionally smooth and bright, opening with cake-like scents of vanilla icing and red licorice. A gentle malt sweetness carries through from the palate to the finish, bringing with it soft hints of pear, freshly cracked biscuits, banana and leather. It’s the rare vodka that excels in terroir. A natural fit for spirits collectors and anyone with a passing interest in New Zealand’s criminally underrated alcohol industry.

The Reid was recently introduced to the U.S. at a suggested retail price of $75.