The most curious one I have tried is bacon vodka.

Did you drink it straight up or in a bloody mary?

Never heard of it until now.

You likely haven't tried homemade infused vodkas then. There's a difference.

I had it both ways. It was good in a bloody mary and wasn't so good straight up. My friends tell me it is a good pork marinade.

Flavored vodka is for people who are too lazy/ignorant/cheap to mix proper cocktails using digestifs, bitters, liqueurs, cordials, and real fruits/juices.

...and bacon...

Flavored vodkas, in brazilian "caipirinhas" are great. Always works with fruit mix.

I'm not really a big fan of flavoured alcohol, but Zubrovka with apple juice is one of my favourite drinks.

Except that its no longer a caipirinha, just flavored vodka with lime and [more] sugar.


Hangar One used to make a wasabi vodka that was...interesting

If you use vodka, be it flavored or unflavored, the damn drink does not even closely resemble a "Caipirinhas". The raw cane distillate that gives the drink its character (and the more than subtle hint of rotting vegetation and spilled kerosene) is an essential ingredient. Even the rawest of branded white rums don't quite offer the essence. Now "Cana" (little curlicue over n) from Paraguay is a suitable substitute.

In general, commercial flavored vodkas except for old familiars such as Pertsovka and the Polish brand with buffalo gress simply don't match simply adding a bit of the fresh ingredient to a decent vodka. One fancy brand "au poire" recently offered me as a sample tasted of nothing so much as bargain vodka dosed with canned pear nectar.

Natural infusions work pretty well, and combined with simple syrup some "better than store brand" fruit cordials can be made at home. Meyer Lemons and bitter oranges from Seville work well, while most limes have too much residual bitterness for infusing (and besides, fresh "key" limes are widely available, inexpensive and a fresh joicy complelemt to coutless mixed drinks, some of which fall flat without this essential component, especially Margaritas, Mojitos, G&T, Daiquiris, Capis, and several more).

I recently received a promotional sample bottle of "coconut flavored vodka" -- don't know why, I usually write about beer instead of spirits -- that I haven't opened yet. First off, vodka is not supposed to be milky white so that part's actually a little scary.

I'd have to agree with your tasting notes on cacha�a

The vodka version, aka Caipiroska, is the equivalent of calling a Kamikaze the vodka version of a margarita. Good, but completely different flavor.

Three O Bubble vodka smells pretty amazing, I love the bubblegum smell. Although it tastes like cinnamon

Gin of course. Been making some funky limoncellos at home too. Always liked Soli's Zubrowka, the stuff with the Buffalo Grass. A bit fondness for Akvavits as well. Kinda like drinking rye bread. wj

add 2 pinches of wasabi powder.