Ghost Vodka The Gold Skull

Ghost Vodka is built around summer wheat grown in Cambridgeshire, an arable county whose mineral-rich soils give the grain a clean, soft profile. Wheat is the gentlest of the vodka grains, contributing a rounded, almost creamy mouthfeel rather than the pepper of rye, and Ghost Drinks puts the spirit through a five-fold distillation. Each pass strips more of the heavier congeners and fusel oils that carry rough edges, raising the purity and leaving a mild, polished base. The Gold Skull is the gold-finished edition of the brand, presented in its signature skull bottle.

The nose opens with fresh citrus and a clear lift of honeydew melon over light wheat grain. The palate is smooth and full, the melon note running through a gentle grain sweetness, and the finish is long and soft. That ripe melon character is the thing to play to: build a tall highball with the vodka, fresh pressed honeydew juice, a squeeze of lime and soda over plenty of ice, which stretches the fruit without burying the grain underneath it.