Fishing Vodka Red

Fishing Vodka Red is produced by the CARAT Distillery in Slovakia and aimed squarely at outdoor, sociable drinking, with the red bottle and fish motif doing the branding. The liquid is made from selected grain and multi-distilled, each pass tightening the spirit and removing more of the heavier congeners, before careful filtration leaves it crystal clear. Grain keeps the character neutral and mild rather than assertive, which is the point: this is designed to be a clean, dependable base. It bottles at a full 40%.

The nose is clean and lightly cereal with a gentle freshness, the palate is soft, round and pleasantly dry with a subtle warmth, and the finish is clear and medium length. A neutral, slightly dry vodka like this shines when it gets out of the way, so pour it into a tall Vodka Soda over plenty of ice with a thick wedge of lime squeezed in. The dry grain note keeps the drink crisp and refreshing, which suits the long, easy afternoons the bottle is made for.