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The final flight of the day, Vodka Liqueur, saw a Gold go to Edwards 1902 x Bottlegreen Elderflower Liqueur. It was praised for its “light elderflower notes” and “good acidity”. A single entry in the potato-based vodka round saw Nine Tines take a Gold, enjoyed for its “sweetness on the nose and palate, and nice balance – would be great sipped neat, or in a Martini”. Pulse Vodka won a Silver in the following flight, Vodka Base – Corn. Meanwhile, Pod Pea Vodka was the worthy recipient of a Master medal in the Vodka Base – Pea round. Chou particularly enjoyed this expression: “Expressive green, grassy, leafy, lactic notes on the nose. Very complex, with sweet caramel on the palate.” Meanwhile, a trio of Master medals were found in the Organic flight. The first went to Pluto Vodka, described by Rodriguez-Curtis as being “smooth, very well done, rounded, creamy and enjoyable. It would work in a killer Martini”. Sarah Lawson, head of marketing for softs at SHS Drinks, added: “While this is the first time we’ve put the brand name to an alcohol product, all Bottlegreen drinks are crafted using specialist, flavour-enhancing processes traditionally employed by winemakers, so the alcohol category isn’t totally alien to us.”
They set out to prove that quality produce, originating from our own farms across Lincolnshire, could create a premium single-estate potato vodka, from a simple ingredient on our doorstep that they already knew so well.
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As evidenced by our Taste Master winner, perhaps a renewed focus on flavours from vodka producers will help to drive growth of the category. Absolut Elyx also took home a Master, impressing Rodriguez-Curtis with its “clean nose, lemon and ripe stone fruit. The palate has a pleasant mouthfeel, good texture and well balanced alcohol”. Chou noted: “I can see some very expressive combinations of flavours, and some of them did very well in bringing different flavour profiles. The fruity ones were a little bit watered down, and too fake. But the more herbal, savoury ones did very well. There were expressive characters.”
Bottlegreen, a UK-based premium cordial and Edwards 1902, a vodka made from potatoes, have teamed up to create an elderflower vodka liqueur. And while rum is often associated with sunnier climates (such as the Caribbean), and tequila coming strictly from Mexico, vodka is a much more global spirit. We tested bottles from here in the UK and across Europe, with our winning bottle surprisingly coming from South Africa. How we test vodkaThe team at Edwards have control of the whole process from the sowing and growing to the brewing and distilling – a true British soil to spirit vodka. Once the potatoes have been harvested and washed, they arrive in the distillery where every step of the process is watched by the meticulous eyes of the distilling team.
The Smooth flight saw Desi Daru Mango Vodka take home another Master, enjoyed for its “lovely juicy mango on the nose” and “warming and smooth texture without excessive heat”. They are committed to supporting local farmers and businesses, their vodka bottle is made 60 miles away, their coffee comes from a coffee roaster 300m down the road, and their rhubarb comes from the Yorkshire Rhubarb Triangle. The largest flight of the competition, Flavoured/Infused Vodka, saw Desi Daru Mango Vodka come out on top. Jones said that it offered: “Lovely natural mango aromas and more pulpy on the palate with a hint of tannic structure. Smooth and well-integrated alcohol.” Six Golds and 13 Silvers were also awarded. Koskenkorva won three Golds for its 7 Botanicals, Lemon Lime Yarrow, and Sauna Barrel expressions.Louers Vodka walked away with the top award, described by Prousaefs as having: “Lemon peel and freshly cut grass on the nose. Excellent mouthfeel with very long aftertaste and a hint of bitterness at the end.”
While sales appear to be stagnant for the category in the US, producers continue to invest in new products, capitalising on trends such as sustainability, low-ABV and provenance. Even ready-to-drink brands, such as White Claw and Truly, have made moves into the vodka category as demand for hard seltzers falters.Emma Hamilton, co-founder of Edwards vodka, described the partnership as the result of “a very clear meeting of minds”. Their single-variety premium English potato vodka has secured four internationally-recognised awards since its launch in 2020. The multiple-award winning Edwards 1902 outscored some established vodka brands during the blind taste tests, indicating important industry support in its debut year. SHS Drinks has extended cordial brand Bottlegreen into alcohol with the launch of an elderflower vodka liqueur made with UK producer Edwards 1902. Located just a few miles from where their spirit’s main ingredient was first cultivated in Brigg, Elsham Wold Distillery have committed 8 years of passion and hard work to bring their vision of ‘soil to spirit’ to life.
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