Outer Space Vodka

Outer Space Vodka is made in the United States by the Marsalle Company from American corn, distilled five times to push the spirit toward a sweet, clean neutrality. Corn is the right base for that goal, since it gives a naturally sweet, soft character with little of the grain bite you get from rye, and the result is gluten-free into the bargain. The novelty is the final filtration through genuine meteorite stone particles, and while the green alien-head bottle is the obvious selling point, the liquid underneath is a perfectly mild, easy-drinking vodka.

The nose is light, with cereal and a hint of citrus. The palate is silky and smooth with subtle sweetness and a clean character, finishing long, clean and mild. Because the corn base brings a gentle natural sweetness and very little of its own edge, it slots neatly into a Cosmopolitan: shake it with triple sec, cranberry and a good squeeze of fresh lime, where the spirit's sweetness rounds off the tart cranberry and the drink looks the part next to that outlandish bottle at a party.