Two Trees Vodka

Two Trees comes from West Cork Distillers in Skibbereen, a working distillery on the south coast of Ireland. The base is wheat, a grain that tends to give vodka a soft, slightly sweet mouthfeel rather than sharp edges. The spirit is run three times to raise purity, then passed twice through activated charcoal, a filtration step that pulls out fusel oils and other heavier congeners so the liquid lands cleaner and smoother. It sits at 37.5%, a touch below the usual 40%, which suits a vodka built for easy drinking and mixing.

The nose is fresh and light, with cereal, a lift of citrus and a faint note of nutmeg. The palate is soft and balanced with a gentle sweetness and a little delicate spice, and the finish is mild and clean. With its lightness and lower strength, this is a natural for a Vodka Tonic: pour over plenty of ice, top with a good Indian tonic and squeeze in a wedge of lemon, so the citrus already in the spirit links up with the tonic's bitterness and the drink stays crisp.