Blue Lake Vodka comes from Humboldt Craft Spirits in California. The independently-owned craft distillery produces and bottles everything on site. In this case, everything consists of that vodka, plus a rye whiskey that’s currently resting in barrels and a gin that’s in development. So they’re not just a one trick vodka pony.
Blue Lake is a 100% barley vodka that’s triple distilled and charcoal filtered. You don’t see a lot of barley vodkas, with most distillers opting for other ingredients like wheat, potatoes or corn.
On the nose, Blue Lake Vodka is creamy and clean, with notes of buttery vanilla, grains, mild spice, minerality and the smallest hint of solvent. Take a sip, and the vodka is rich and oily, coating the tongue with sweetness, white pepper and cooling menthol. Toward the medium-length finish, that mouthfeel moves from buttery to dry and grippy.
This isn’t a flavorless, odorless, neutral spirit, as vodka is often classified. Instead you’ve got some real flavor here, and enough is going on with those textures to keep us coming back for more. A solid effort from Humboldt.
Stats:
— 40% ABV
— $25
CE Rating: ★★★
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