Puffing Billy Steam Vodka
40% ABV
Nose: A feisty and fruity five-a-day of blackberries, Longley
Farm blueberry yoghurt, lychees, passion fruit and mixed citrus peel. Along with icing
sugar, Cadbury’s chocolate eclairs, Edinburgh rock, a tease of palma violet infused cream soda, pink grapefruit juice, malted barley, ground almonds, dried grass, rosemary
and subtle suggestions throughout of charcoal smoke.
Palate: Sweet smooth swirls of something rather toffee liqueur-esque, along with gooseberry jam, blackberries, blueberries, pink grapefruit, lemon sherbet, aniseed twists, sweet malted barley, white pepper and the tiniest tease of something menthol fresh.
Finish: A fabulous cream led, fresh finish, that makes you double check the bottle to see whether or not you've actually just been sipping a vodka.
Summary: Being completely honest, I have to say that it normally takes
a lot for me to get excited and enthused about a vodka, but Puffing Billy (from
The Borders Distillery) which has been produced using malted barley and
filtered by being steamed through charcoal inside their rare Carterhead still, is
a vivacious fully rounded, flavour flooding out kind of a vodka.
It’s a superb solo sipper (ideally served very chilled) but concocted
it elegantly elevates everything from a Cosmopolitan to a White Russian (I’m
sure the Dude would most definitely abide). Its flavour and feel also works magnificently well in a Martini.
