Mountain Fresh.
I am familiar with New Zealand’s fine wines, and I am therefore not surprised that the country also offers a first-class vodka, in the guise of The Reid Single Malt Vodka.
The bottle is sleek and as rounded as a drop of alpine water, with great shelf appeal. It holds the promise of an equally polished spirit within. It doesn’t disappoint. It is made with pure Alpine water sourced from Mount Cardrona, in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. The other ingredients are locally foraged seasonally and combined to present a vodka of unique character.
Award-winning
The Cardrona Distillery is family owned and operated, and they produce handcrafted Single Malt Whisky, Gin, Vodka and Liqueurs. In 2011, craftswoman Desiree Reid decided to pursue her dream of making a New Zealand single malt whisky that would find a place in the international drinks forum. She began researching distillation and the crafting of spirits. The result is a range of award-winning whiskies, spirits and liqueurs produced at the Cardrona Distillery.
Flavour profile
The Reid Single Malt Vodka was awarded Gold at the World’s Best 50 International Awards in New York. On the nose, The Reid is sweet with a hint of spring blossoms and buttery shortbread. On the palate there are pear drops and perhaps a suspicion of red berries and liquorice giving balance and complexity. The finish is medium long and pleasingly soft. Each sip opens another facet of the flavour profile.
The Reid Single Malt Vodka is one of the most interesting vodkas I have tasted in a long time. Yes, one could use it as a base for one’s favourite vodka-based cocktail, but in my opinion that would be such a waste. I would serve this neat and well-chilled or over ice in a cut glass tumbler to enjoy the subtle layers. The Reid Single Malt Vodka is devoid of the harshness of many vodkas and would likely convert those who would not normally touch vodka with a ten-foot (or metric equivalent) barge pole. This is stunning and raises the bar for vodka in delicious fashion.
Currently available at Harrods and selected Waitrose stores across the UK