Black Thistle Vodka

Black Thistle Distilleries works in Brechin, in the heart of Angus on Scotland's east coast, a farming region with a long reputation for its fruit and vegetables. The vodka is distilled twice through a twelve-plate column still, where each plate acts as a small redistillation that refines the spirit and pulls out heavier compounds for a cleaner cut. Scottish water brings it down to strength, and the house adds wild thistle, the botanical that runs through its gin too, for a subtle herbal-savoury signature. That touch and a faint coastal salinity give it more character than a strictly neutral vodka.

The nose is gently cereal with a hint of citrus and light sweetness. The palate is soft and smooth with a fine cereal spice, and the finish is clean and long with a mild, slightly saline edge. That savoury thread is worth using in a dirty Martini: stir the vodka cold with a small measure of dry vermouth and a spoon of olive brine, garnish with a couple of olives, and the brine meets the spirit's own saline note rather than fighting it.