Sloe Gins for 2011
Sloe Gins to try this Autumn
Well its been a while since we posted anything on our blog and with the summer long gone and the dark evenings finally here I think now is the right time to try our selection of Sloe Gins we have at the Vodka Emporium.
Since last year there is one noticeable addition to the range and that is the new Adnams Sloe Gin from the Southwold Distillery in Suffolk.
Its a pretty fierce marketplace right now for this growing niche market and to make a mark you need to have something pretty impressive. Luckily in the past couple of years we have had some welcome additions.
The majority of everyday Sloe drinkers only ever buy a bottle of Gordons Sloe at the local Tesco. This to me is absolute sacrilege, many a time have I heard someone say they don’t like the drink and whenever asked they have only ever tried the supermarket line. Nine times out of ten when they try an alternative they actually like it!
Two lines stand out as great value and are decent quality, these are Haymans and Plymouth. Both make great everyday gins and recently both offer a great Sloe Gin.
Plymouth has a 26% ABV which is what you come to expect, on drinking the first thing that you notice is how much smoother this gin is compared to that of Gordons, this is down to the soft Dartmouth spring water that is used to distil the spirit. The Gin has a peppery aroma to it and isn’t overly sweet. A common mistake for those home made sloe gin fans is over doing the sugar! Overall you get a lovely blend that isn’t too sweet or to bitter. Plymouth Sloe Gin is great value for money and a great starting point in this category.
Haymans gin was last year voted the Number One Sloe Gin in the world and to be honest when you taste it you can see why. Haymans isn’t too overpowering and has a nice plum flavour that gives you a lingering finish. Haymans like Plymouth isnt overly sweet and the distinct dark plum aromas don’t over power it. Again Haymans is great value for money and really once you’ve tried this you wouldn’t ever consider going back to Gordons again.
With Sipsmith we notch it up a level. The Guys at this micro distillery in West London have produced a truly stunning Sloe Gin. Last years batch sold out pretty quickly and we fully expect the same to be the case again with this years superb batch.
Sipsmith Sloe is stronger than many of its rivals and comes in at a 29% ABV, don’t let this put you off as the truly wonderful flavours do not make it overpowering. This gin has a great taste of cherry and has a wintry spicy aroma to it as well. For me the best on the market at the moment as not only is it subtly different but it doesn’t leave the traditional sloe flavour behind. An outstanding tipple on a cold day out.
Finally we bring Adnams Copper House Sloe Gin to the table. Brand new to the market in September 2011 this has been eagerly awaited since our visit to Southwold last year and first heard of them toying with the idea of a Sloe Gin.
Well I can say that the wait was certainly worth it, an unusually light taste. A nice plummy aroma and surprisingly a hint of marzipan, this really is a smooth gin when you sip it and has the balance between sweetness and bitterness bang on. What really won me over was the lingering taste of gin which is unmistakeably Adnams, again a great gin on its own.
Overall if you want to try something on a budget then Plymouth and Haymans wont disappoint. Sipsmith is my personal favourite but Adnams is certainly close on its heels.
Buy Thunder Toffee Vodka from The Vodka Emporium – Where Else?!
Thunder Toffee Vodka
We are delighted to announce a price crash for one of the most popular Winter season Vodka’s – Thunder Toffee Vodka.
Thunder Toffee Vodka is a sweet Vodka, at 29% alcohol by volume (ABV) and is made from triple distilled premium vodka and natural toffee syrup, free from any additives or preservatives. Thunder Toffee Vodka originated on the slopes of French ski resort Val d’Isere and is the tipple of choice for skiers and snowboarders alike.
Currently on offer at a fantastic price of just £17.49 for a 70cl bottle, buy online now at The Vodka Emporium!
Two new Gins for the Autumn
Sipsmith and Tanqueray release new lines
We have a couple of fantastic new gins for all you botanical fanatics!
We have a hugely traditional British Sloe Gin from the guys at Sipsmith and can’t wait to try it. This highly sought after sloe gin is from the Sipsmith micro-distillery. The usual great looking design and bottle adds to the quality liquid you’ll find inside.
Next we have a line previously available only in the US, Tanqueray Rangpur Gin. This Gin features the rare Rangpur lime, both zeisty and juicy. These exotic lines are added to other botanical ingredients, including juniper, corriander, bay leaves and ginger. Tanqueray Rangpur Gin is subtle, smooth and supremely mixable.
Vodka Emporium Presents Koskenkorva Vodka
Koskenkorva Vodka lands at the Emporium
With the Autumn well and truly here, the evenings getting darker and the heating being turned on, we thought this was a good a time as any to bring a new vodka range on board.
During the first decade of its existence, Koskenkorva gained a steady standing as the number one in sales of strong spirits in Finland. In addition to the traditional black rye bread and the sauna, Koskenkorva has become a symbol of what is essentially Finnish. The Finns, who are often seen as courageous, honest and reserved, have adopted this drink as a way of enjoying themselves when letting loose.
Koskenkorva Vodka is a premium vodka. Distilled over 250 times, produced from the purest glacier water and selected barleys from Koskenkorva´s own fields. In 2009 it won the Master in the Premium category of The Vodka Masters 2009.
Koskenkorva has a variety of different flavours in its range as well.
The vanilla variety is a smooth flavoured vodka. It was the first flavoured variety of Koskenkorva Vodka, giving a tasty zing to cocktails.
We then have the Koskenkorva Green Apple which is a crisp, apple flavoured vodka. The green apple tastes fresh, like it was just picked from a tree.
The final flavour we have in this range is the Nordic Berries that is a fresh and natural berry flavoured vodka. It is like a fresh breeze from the Scandinavian nature.
The products from this brand dont end with the vodkas either! We have two liqueurs on board that are quite an interesting offering.
Koskenkorva Salmiakki is the original salter liquorice liqueur, and has the wonderful spicy taste of Scandinavia´s favorite candy.
Koskenkorva Minttu is a fresh and cool strong mint liqueur. It can take you back to a brisk, sunny winter day on the slopes, or some other special memory. Either way it tastes great, and is best enjoyed as a shot or mixed with hot chocolate.
All of the Koskenkorva range can be purchase on the link below.
Absolut Glimmer
Absolut Glimmer the Ltd Edition for 2010
Because Absolut rhymes with purity and transparency, the famous Swedish vodka revisits the iconic shape of its bottle for Christmas of 2010: the decanter bottle becomes a coat of glass, finely carved crystal, which highlights refinement of its development. This glittering envelope and expresses a strong character top-end of Absolut. This limited edition will go on sale in Mid Oct 2010.
Available for pre-order now!
Iceberg Vodka, a 12000 year wait.
Iceberg Vodka
Well its been a little while since we’ve reviewed a new vodka on our blog so its time for a bit of catch up!
Looking through the recent releases in the UK in the last few months we thought that we’d try the Canadian produced Iceberg Vodka. Looking at the detail on the home site of Iceberg we were looking forward to cracking open a bottle. 12000 year old naturally pure iceberg water. High quality control resulting in an ultra smooth vodka. What wasnt there to look forward to?
The bottle is quite unique with it looking like a small iceberg itself with its jagged face. This is as good as it gets in all honesty. Upon opening it soon became clear that this may well not be the quality vodka we were expecting. The smell was, well reminiscent of paint stripper, so not looking good.
On tasting Iceberg it wasnt as awful as I was expecting, quite a neutral taste with a hint of pepper but nothing to differ from other mass-produced vodkas that line the supermarket shelves. I would say that this vodka is distinctly average and in the Uk with a price pushing £25.00 this is certainly not an average price. This is when you realise that we’re meant to be sampling an Ultra Premium vodka from Newfoundland in Canada. That is when disappointment sets in.
So what do we think overall? well this certainly isn’t a dreadful drink but again this isn’t the high quality liquid that it’s pushed as. It isn’t offensive but the price is! Only try this if you want something different from Smirnoff or Absolut and don’t mind paying a premium for that pleasure.
Looking at our other new products we’re hoping for better luck next time!
Latest Gins From The Vodka Emporium
Try out some great new Gins for the summer
We have had some fantastic new gins that have arrived over the last few weeks. With this market becoming ever more diverese there truly is some weird and wonderful offerings as well as the more classic based Gins.
Gin Mare from Emporium Drinks Limited
Gin Mare is a new super premium Gin inspired by botanicals grown in the Mediterranean. These are individually distilled in a custom made still and then hand blended to produce an outstanding and unique taste. The result gives you the first & unique mediterranean Ginm distilled with Arbequina Olives, Thyme, Rosemary & Basil.
No.3 Gin from Emporium Drinks Limited
No.3 is the London Dry Gin distilled to a proprietary recipe of Berry Bros. & Rudd, London’s oldest wine and spirit merchant. The name No.3 refers to the address in St James’s Street, London: our home since 1698. No.3 was created to be the last word in gin for a Dry Martini.
‘A Taste of Tradition’: With juniper at its heart, it unashamedly celebrates the integrity and character of traditional London Dry Gin: three fruits and three spices distilled in traditional copper pot stills.
Sipsmith Gin from Emporium Drinks Limited
To create the Sipsmith London Dry Gin, Sipsmith distil English barley spirit with a selection of 10 botanicals including Macedonian juniper, Bulgarian coriander and Seville orange peel. Blended with pure water from Lydwell Spring, the result is a particularly dry gin with a zesty, citrus freshness
SW4 Gin from Emporium Drinks Limited
A super-premium Gin
SW4 is a super-premium London Gin for the silent majority of people who love to drink Gin and Tonic.
With its contemporary, distinctive packaging, SW4 clearly stands out from the crowd.
“SW4 London Distilled Gin, is a big and complex gin made in the style of the original London Dry Gins of the mid to late 19th Century. It has 12 botanicals in its recipe, with Juniper being heavily predominant, but then behind it come the citrus and spice notes, from botanicals such as lemon peel and cassia, which give it the fullness and complexity. The whole is then brought together by the Orris Powder.”
“Distilled gins of this style pre-date the Cocktail era of the early 20th Century, which tended to give rise to the somewhat more austere and less complex gins of that time. The older style gins being made to show at their best when mixed with water, ginger beer and most especially tonic, that eponymous drink of the British Empire. SW4 has taken this heritage and using up to date small batch distillation techniques brings you the 21st century version of the classic original gin style.”
Charles Maxwell, Master Distiller – November 2009
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© Emporium Drinks Limited
New Vodkas For Summer 2010
Hot vodkas to cool you down for summer 2010
With the summer in full swing we have a wonderful variety of new vodkas that you can now buy from the Vodka Emporium.
Mamont Vodka
Mamont vodka is crystal clear and like no other vodka. Outstandingly smooth, delicate and rich toned, Mamont Vodka’s secret lies in uniquely Siberian ingredients and craftsmanship.
Production begins with exceptionally pure water from Siberian artesian wells, filtered through layers of volcanic rock. Grains of finest local wheat are carefully selected. These are painstakingly distilled again and again. A unique treatment with Siberian birch charcoal and triple filtration allow the vodka to achieve a purity, clarity and smoothness close to perfection.
As a special touch, cedar nuts are added as they used to be eaten by the mammoths who roamed the area. Today, like the unique tusk-shaped bottle, they are a reminder of Mamont’s Siberian heritage.
Belvedere Pink Grapefruit Vodka
Belvedere Pink Grapefruit is the most naturally expressive, authentic, fresh grapefruit essence available in the flavoured super premium vodka category, Belvedere Pink Grapefruit is distilled from whole pink grapefruits – another first for Belvedere Vodka.
The Argentinean grapefruits are beautifully combined with fresh ginger and Spanish spring lemons to produce a delicious citrusy finish, making it the most versatile Maceration flavour to date. An aromatic and refreshing vodka base, Belvedere Pink Grapefruit is designed to be enjoyed chilled, or combined with complimentary mixers such as cranberry juice, tonic water and even carbonated mixers.
Chase Marmalade Vodka
Chase Marmalade Vodka is a limited edition Vodka of just 1000 bottles.
As the latest Vodka from the award winning Herefordshire distillery, you can be assured Chase Marmalade Vodka maintains the wonderful quality expected of Chase.
Chase Marmalade Vodka is created by infusing Seville oranges during the distillation process of Chase Vodka.
Each bottle is numbered and signed and commemorates the second anniversary of the launch of the original Chase Vodka
Black Moth Truffle Vodka
Black Moth Truffle Vodka has an individual taste that has been developed using authentic artisanal techniques handed down through generations, and the fermenting and distillation process has a fundamental effect on the sublime result.
Unlike other vodkas, Black Moth is five times distilled and three times filtered, creating a spirit that is noticeably soft on the pallet and delicately flavoured.
Made from grain, Black Moth Vodka has a warm and mellow taste, perfectly complementing the wonderful flavour of the black Périgord truffle.
We hope to bring you reviews on these new vodkas as soon as we can!
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© Emporium Drinks Limited
Vodka Noodles? Whatever next!
Akvinta gives vodka an experimental new form
Who said vodka was boring? Akvinta has come up with some seriously experimental recipes for Hush in west London.
Strangest of all is a drink topped with Akvinta ‘noodles’.
Let the experts explain: ‘There are two powders. One is sodium alginate, and the other is calcium chloride (these are available to buy from www.infusions4chefs.co.uk).
Akvinta vodka is mixed with sodium alginate which is stirred till dissolved. This is put into a syringe.
In another boston glass, calcium chloride is dissolved in water. The noodles are made by pumping the Akvinta/sodium alginate mixture in a slow but steady stream into the calcium chloride and water mixture.
As it hits, there is a chemical reaction which forms a ‘skin’ around the stream of liquid, leaving just the noodles. They’re served as a garnish on a Mayfair Cosmo, featuring Cointreau shaken with lime juice and topped with a cranberry juice foam.’
Other options include a deconstructed Gimlet, made with chilled Akvinta topped with a lime-spiked Gimlet foam.
Story courtessy of www.imbibe.com
Chase Distillery: Making Us Proud To Be British!
Chase Vodka from Emporium Drinks Limited
It takes something special to remind us of who we are, how proud we should be of this great country. A last-wicket win to snatch the Ashes back of the Aussies perhaps, a British Formula 1 World Champion or the impeccable performance of our Forces overseas. This little Island against the World!
In 2006 Chase Distillery in Herefordshire set about creating something magical. Something built through love and devotion. Something great. It took two years to refine, but in 2008 they launched the first Chase Vodka, a true labour of love, using traditional methods to produce a truly artisan Vodka.
The idea to produce a Vodka, came from looking at ways in which to use the cast off potatoes that were too small to produce crisps (for Tyrrells). The potatoes are grown locally on the farm, so there is a minimal impact on the environment in terms of transport and once the alcohol from the potatoes is stripped out, what’s left is fed to the cattle herd! So not only do Chase produce great drinks, they are a shining light in terms of diversification for modern British farming.
Chase are certainly not alone in creating a small batch Vodka in the UK, however what they have done is make a Vodka that can take on the World, most recently winning a double gold medal for ‘Best Vodka’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. When you consider how many different Vodka producers there are in the World, this is an amazing feat.
However, Chase are not content with that. Since 2008 more products have been developed turning this little distillery into one of the biggest players in the UK, consistently releasing high quality drinks to exacting standards.
The range of drinks produced by Chase Distillery now includes:
Chase Vodka
The original Vodka is a creamy smooth potato Vodka. Serve it cold over ice or with soda.
Chase Smoked Vodka
Chase Smoked Vodka is the super-premium option within the Chase range.
Naked Chase Vodka
Chase Naked Vodka is crafted in the same way as normal Chase Vodka, but made from apples instead. This gives a freshening taste on the palate. It is then gently infused with wild botanicals and naturally pure water to give a true taste of juniper, highlighted by the sweetness of apples, elderflower and hops.
Williams Gin
Williams Gin is produced from apples, also grown on the farm. It’s not commonly known that Gin is made from Vodka. So Chase had to first produce a perfect Apple Vodka (Naked Chase) to turn into Williams Gin.
Chase also produce a range of liqueurs:
If you’ve not tried one of these yet, you are missing out! Get yourself along to The Vodka Emporium and place an order!
