August 3, 2007

Cold River Vodka Review

It's time for us to review our second potato vodka in the last few weeks (the other being Zodiac) and we're excited for this one. Cold River Vodka is distilled in Maine from local potatoes by some local folks, and we've been sort of tracking its progress ever since its release a couple years ago.

We've heard some mixed anecdotal reviews about the stuff, but that's mostly from inexperienced drinkers who expect a robust potato vodka to taste like their wussy wheat ones. It's time for us to finally dig in and check out this starchy goodness for ourselves.

Cold River Vodka
Super-Premium Domestic Potato Vodka from Maine
80 Proof (40% ABV)
Typical Price: Between $30 and $35 for 750ML
Website

The Company Line:
Cold River is triple-distilled in small batches to create a clear, smooth vodka with a subtle sweetness. Our vodka is 100% gluten-free.

The Look:
Cold River stands tall in a frosted bottle that reminds us a bit of the other top shelf vodkas, like Belvedere and Grey Goose.

The Nose:
We detected that sweetness they were talking about, maybe even a slight tinge of vanilla. There was a very faint hint of the sourness we've come to expect from potato vodka as well.

The Taste:
A nice, round mouth, with a bit more burn and a lot more flavor than your typical wheat vodka. If you're an Absolut drinker, you may not like this stuff, but give it a try if you're feeling adventurous. We liked it best chilled or on the rocks, and it made beautiful cocktails if your mixers can stand up to its bigness.

The Verdict:
What is it about potato vodka that makes us want to whip up some Russians? We swear there's something genetic. We also flirted with the idea of creating some kind of meat-based cocktail (meat 'n potatoes, get it?) but refrained. We really liked Cold River, though our gluten-sensitive intern hogged most of the bottle because he was so excited to have a vodka he could enjoy for once.