Böser Kater Wildberry Colour Changing Vodka

Böser Kater comes from the Schleihauf fine fruit distillery in Germany, run by Adrian Schleihauf as the third generation since his grandfather founded it in 1982. The brand was named for the family cat, and part of every sale goes towards cat protection. This Wildberry bottling is built around a party trick: it pours a deep violet and changes colour the moment tonic water or another acidic drink is added, a pH reaction driven by natural plant pigments, though the exact method is kept in-house. Underneath the spectacle is a multiple-distilled vodka, the repeated passes cleaning the spirit for a balanced base, and it is made vegan and without artificial ingredients at 40%.

The nose is fruity with a note of dried fruit. The palate follows, soft and fruity with that same dried berry character, leading to a long finish. The serve is obvious once you know the trick, but it is the right one: build a tall Vodka Tonic, plenty of ice, a measure of the vodka and chilled tonic poured over at the table so guests watch the violet shift colour in the glass. The tonic's acidity triggers the change and its bitterness balances the berry sweetness, turning a simple highball into a bit of theatre.