Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka

Sausage Tree is made by The Shed Distillery in Leitrim, the Irish producer behind Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin. The base is a multi-distilled Irish grain spirit, which gives a soft, clean foundation, and onto it the distillery brings two unusual flavourings: the fruit of the Kigelia africana, a West African tree whose long fruit resembles sausages and lends the bottle its name, and a note of Irish nettle for a green, local edge. At 43% it is bottled a little stronger than the standard vodka, which gives the fruit and grain more presence on the palate.

The nose is fresh and clean with cereal and a light alcohol lift. The palate is soft and round with mild grain, a hint of vanilla and an almost creamy texture, and the finish is clean, long and gently fresh. Given the fruity, slightly creamy character and the extra strength, sip it neat at room temperature or over a single ice cube, so the Kigelia fruit and nettle have room to show. A twist of grapefruit peel over the glass lifts the fruit note without crowding the spirit's own character.