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WE go to great lengths to try new Vodkas. At the end of the day, many on the market are very similar. They are made largely from the same ingredients, differentiated by distilling processes which most distillers try to sell the client that their method is truly different from the others. Ocean Vodka (click on link for website) also differentiates itself……but, they truly do have a different approach than most we have seen.

Ocean Vodka, A Unique Change From Others

Distilled on Maui, Hawaii, this vodka is made out of sugar cane. Most vodkas are distilled from grain or potatoes. Given this, I was greatly interested to try this vodka when offered by a local sales rep in Wisconsin who represents the distributor of the vodka for the local region selling restaurants and bars in the southern Wisconsin area (thank you Ashley).  I was a bit skeptical given this made from sugar cane.  This is not a rum, after all. But I tasted the offering several times to make sure that it was consistent in its taste, no matter what I thought of it. True to form, it was very consistent, and very smooth. The effects of the sugar cane stood up upon first taste. On first sip, it proved to be very smooth and a comforting taste, if not a bit tropical.  I understand that sounds a bit cliche, but in the end, this product is made out of sugar cane. And that ends up being its differentiation from other vodkas.  The taste begins very smooth and even. After swishing in the mouth a bit, a very stealthy sweetness presents itself.  Hence the sugar cane. This may take some getting used to for those of you used to grain or potato based vodka offerings. But this works. It really does. The drinking experience is very consistent throughout. The main criticism one could levy on this product is that it does not taste quite like vodka.  Perhaps, pure vodka drinkers who adore the grain or potato based products may not enjoy this vodka as much. I tend to be in this category, but I went in with an open mind.  The vodka is definitely refreshing. If anything, the fact that I was in Wisconsin in the winter time tasting and reviewing this product was a draw back.  I see this product as a great refreshing vodka for outdoor gatherings in the south, even when maybe it is a bit too hot to be outside.  Cool off with Ocean, and you will nearly, (I said nearly) forget that it is really too warm to be outside.

The one area I did not like is the packaging. Please let me explain. While the packaging itself is OK and it definitely represents the branding they are trying to achieve, the fact that this vodka competes directly in price and placement with the Belvedere’s and Grey Gooses of life makes it more of a tough sell.  And while they are branded appropriately for thier product, I question that their packaging can compete in the premium market. Now I know most of you do not drink vodka based upon the packaging. Hell, if that were the case, none of us would drink Kettle One. But I do pay attention to packaging and product placement.  And Ocean, in my opinion does not do well here.  They could so carry the brand and its uniqueness with so much more.

Another area which Ocean will try to sell you is the fact that their product is made naturally and gluten free. OK. Fair enough. I must admit that I do not suffer from whatever ails those who flock to Gluten Free, but the people at Ocean evidently believe there is a market for this accordingly.  Again, setting aside all of the marketing, this product does well in the taste test.  I am unconcerned with the other market hooks.  I believe those of you who try this with an open mind will appreciate this vodka.

At retail, Ocean Vodka falls a bit below other premium brands. I personally believe it is worth the $45-50 you will spend on a 1.75 liter bottle.  Try some, and let us know what you thin

Deep Eddy Vodka, distilled in Austin, Texas is yet another product that comes from the ever growing field of micro distilleries that figure out how to out in place some kind of marketing scheme to grow to at least a regional following.  Deep Eddy Vodka does much of the same. In this case, the Deep Eddy Vodka rides the wave that is Austin Texas self pretentiousness (do not worry Austin, I still love you and the area, but you’ll are very hung up on everything Austin), more specifically the unofficial sound bite of the area:  ”Deep Austin Weird”.

Deep Eddy Vodka and Austin Weird

Deep Eddy Vodka succeeds on several levels, but overall I was not that impressed.  Its presentation in the glass comes across crisp and clean.  A good start.  First jump into the vodka, however, the taste leaps onto the tongue quickly with an overly grainy taste mixed with that aggressive chemical tastes that all vodkas have. It smooths out a bit in the middle of the swirl, and then with a brief return of the harshness, it then falls off in taste as if you have worn out the sugar taste in your chewing gum. With a flat finish, you never completely gather the character of this vodka. Again, all of our tests are with straight, unflavored vodka unless we indicate so on the review title.  Deep Eddy Vodka seems to have a bit more potency in its taste, although this can easily be confused with the chemical burn in this vodka.

Given this vodka is from Austin, it is not surprising that they have a twist that satisfies the Austin attitude.  They advertise the vodka as being gluten free.  Not sure this does anything for the taste good or bad, and, well, I am not from Austin, so maybe one of those folks would have to tell me what the true advantage of a gluten free vodka is……I suspect there is not any and this is just a marketing gimmick. They also advertise it is distilled 10 times.  OK. Whatever.

This vodka is priced in the lower line of vodkas.  averaging around 17.99 for a 750 ml bottle. A mixer, Deep Eddy Vodka shines a little better.  It is a good mix with the energy drink of your choice, and certainly the pricing above lends itself better to this approach.  Deep Eddy Vodka also has other flavors. The sweet tea vodka is quite popular locally

On a scale of 10, I give Deep Eddy a 6. Pricing and mixing personality drive this rating a bit north.  Overall, I was just not impressed straight.

360 Vodka is reviewed today. Frankly, I am long overdue in providing this review of a most vibrant brands on the marketplace. I guess you can kind of gauge how this review will turn out, but read on anyway. 360 Vodka is manufactured in tiny Weston, Missouri. This town of less than 2,000 now boasts a vodka brand that has ridden the vodka popularity ride and has done a great job in the making. As you can see from the map below, the city is near Kansas City, and Levenworth, Kansas, with its prisons and military installations. The region near Weston is generally void of the hills of Missouri, the town itself is actually quite picturesque as it borders the Platte river, and the hills that the river basin has formed over the years.  This vodka is made from grain, and distilled, and filtered 5 times overall resulting in a taste that is clean and crisp, smooth, yet not too much so to leave itself in the pack as a a vodka imposter.  Lets face it, some of the allure of the taste of vodka that differentiates itself from other alcohol is its unique bite.

This 80 proof product (that’s 40% alcohol, and standard for most hard liquors) begins with a fairly instant and strong rush of that vodka push which I often refer to the chemical taste (that which a lot of drinkers cannot stand about vodka). The tastes rushes in with a blast, then slowly fades into a smoothness that leaves you actually appreciating it’s grain origins and multiple filtering process. While I cannot quite taste the difference this makes, the last filtering is through coconut shells….do not ask me how or the advantage. But the result is a very satisfying vodka that I prefer to drink over ice straight. For those of you who shy away from the strong rush of vodka but enjoy the overall taste, you should mix with a dash of water or pour over ice and let the ice melt a bit……of course, remember, all of my vodka drinks are served straight from the freezer, and great 360 should be no different.

Another interesting point of this vodka is the branding. First of all the pricing.  This is considered a ‘premium’ vodka by the marketplace.  It is priced lower than most of the premiums and those that have been reviewed in this site. It ranges from $35-40 generally all over for a 1.75 liter bottle (we only price 1.75 liters here, I mean, what the use of the smaller bottles anyway?). There are also deals out there to be had since this brand is less known to the masses.  But they are working hard on the branding from another approach. They present a very friendly image. Along those lines, they have positioned themselves as a ‘green’ vodka.  What this means is: Although they do not advertise using organic grain, they do emphasize recycling by donating $1 for every bottle cap contraption sent in. They donate it to a green cause, and their website Vodka360 (click here for website) boasts that they have donated over $50,000 for this cause for caplet contraptions sent in.  They even pay postage.  Couple that with a very cool, clean, no nonsense packaging, leads to a brand approach  that can work for you hippies of the world. No data is available if their marketing budget dollar spend is higher in places like Boulder, CO, Austin, TX, or the Bay Area.  Their website has a list of stores.  You can check it out for your self.

On a scale to 10, I give this a solid 8 martini shakers……….

From VODKAFACTS.COM

It had been several years since a customer of mine suggested I try Kettle One Vodka.  This was during the initial boom of the popularity of Vodka that resulted in this explosion of choices we now have in the marketplace.  I recall I liked it then.  However, I was relatively new to the Vodka scene, and many were good in my mind back then. So this was my first passage back to the Kettle in nearly a decade.

I was surprised by the initial impact of Kettle One.  I was expecting the bite to leap out upon first glance. To the contrary, it was as if there was not much of a taste at all. While you could certainly taste that you had a powerful vodka on the palate, it did not present that overriding chemical tastes that ends up biting the tongue in so many Vodka brands. As you the drinking experience continues, Kettle One transcends into almost a fruit taste as it finishes.  This is quite unusual for any Vodka brand. As Kettle One finishes, the aroma and the after taste introduce the more familiar chemical taste, one that is quite unpleasant. This finish just does not seem to fit with the initial smoothness of the start of the drinking experience. The second martini (for reviews, I always prepare them straight up, no fruit or twists, and shake them well and use a frozen goblet) the taste seem to jump out a bit more from the start.  Kettle One then started reminding me more of some of its brethren in the high end Vodka market.

Kettle One is a 100% wheat based product, distilled in copper tanks over charcoal. This is a bit different type of approach for Vodka distilleries. Kettle One is produced in Schiedan, Netherlands by Nobit Distilleries. It is considered in the high end Vodka marketplace, but priced a bit lower than the Grey Goose and Belvedere of the marketplace. It will run you between $45-55 for a 1.75 liter bottle, unless you live close to Mexico as I do, where I recently gave less than $20 for a 1.75 liter bottle in a border town while trying to avoid the bullets and kidnappings of the drug trade there.

Overall, Kettle One is a fine Vodka to begin your journey if you are not a normal Vodka drinker. Its smoothness is less harsh on the normal palate. I also consider this a good Vodka to mix into other Vodka related drinks.  Since it has less of an impacting taste by itself, it is a great marriage partner to mixes to make chocolate martini’s, cosmo’s, and the like

On a scale of ten, I give Kettle One a 7. Try it and let me know your thoughts

Ciroc Vodka has gained popularity in the marketplace lately with the teaming of P. Diddy, in 2007, as the pitch man for the product.  The result is a significant increase in the popularity, and stocking at your local watering hole or restaurant. This product sits in the high end market with others dominated by Grey Goose, Belvedere, and a host of other upcoming brands.

CIROC

 

Ciroc is manufactured in France.  It differs from other vodkas in that it is made from grapes, more specifically, grapes from the Gaillic region of France.  This vodka is also not aged in any significant manner, which lends to a more efficient production method. Knowing this, I was interested to give this vodka a good shake down. What I found was a rather interesting taste.  If taste differentiation from other vodkas in this category is a goal, they succeeded.

The aroma is the same as other vodkas.  It does not come across quite as pungent as others. It has a clear, crisp color. Ciroc takes full advantage of this in the packaging.  I test all vodkas straight up, well shaken, and in a frosted martini glass. No fruit. The first touch of Ciroc to the palate yields a somewhat confusing taste. It starts very smooth. So smooth, in fact, that it basically lacks a taste.  It is as if your first sip is that you are drinking a slightly flavored water. This tasteless sensation lasts for a few seconds, then is followed by the more characteristic, stronger vodka taste.  Once into this taste, it is not appreciably different tasting from other vodkas in this price group that are made from grains or potatoes. The taste remains consistent until the finish. At the finish, you are overwhelmed by a more chemical taste…much like drinking gasoline. Understanding, vodka is a developed taste, and to the normal person, all vodkas have a chemical taste. But to vodka drinkers, there is a fine line of difference between this taste of the masses, and that of the subtle taste of ingredients that vodkas are made from. The finish of Ciroc fortunately does not last long before you are into the next sip where the initial taste (or lack thereof) takes over. This is a product of tasting extremes.  I am not suggesting that this product is a complete waste, but its inconsistency is a bit surprising given its placement in the marketplace.

I give Ciroc an average rating overall. I rate it about a 5 out of 10, (10 being perfect). If it was in a lower price line, I would likely rate it higher, but I consider value as well.  This is a product that is place in the higher end market.  It runs between $55-65 for 1.75 liter bottle. Try this for yourself.  You may disagree with above. I also did not try this vodka mixed.  It may work decently in specialty vodka drinks.

Either way, they are now very popular due to their aggressive marketing campaign. This is a very popular vodka among the 20 somethings out there.  Me, I just cannot quite get there…..I guess I am not a Sean P. Diddy fan.Bar Boy 6 Bottle Alcohol Dispenser