Au Vodka

Au Vodka is a British brand, its name taken from the chemical symbol for gold, and it is made in the UK from grain grown in the English countryside. The grain spirit is blended with pure spring water, then run through an unusual filtration step using gold, an inert metal that the brand credits for smoothing the texture into something soft and almost creamy. Grain gives the spirit a mild, approachable base to begin with, and the careful filtration and spring-water cut are aimed at rounding off any rough edges rather than adding character, keeping it clean and gentle at 40%.

The nose is fine and cereal-led with a light minerality and a touch of freshness. The palate is soft and round with that mild, near-creamy texture and a clean clarity, ending long with a clean aftertaste. Its smooth, neutral style suits a fruit-forward classic where the vodka should glide, so use it in a Cosmopolitan: 40ml Au Vodka shaken hard with 15ml triple sec, 15ml cranberry and a squeeze of fresh lime, strained into a chilled glass with a lemon twist, the soft spirit letting the citrus and cranberry lead.