Awhile back, our friends at The Baddish Group asked if we'd be interested in trying two Vodka expressions from their latest client, Nemiroff Vodka. As I'm sure I've mentioned in previous posts, since I'm not much of a Vodka drinker, I was a bit hesitant to accept the samples at first, but then I remembered that I most definitely enjoy the occasional Moscow Mule, so I decided to accept their kind offer.
As you can see from the photo up above, I received samples of Nemiroff Premium Vodka (unflavored) and Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka. My plan, try them on their own to see how they smell and taste, then try them in the aforementioned Moscow Mule.
For the cocktail portion of the post, I begged and pleaded to My Better Half for some assistance, i.e. a second opinion as to which Vodka makes a better Moscow Mule. It took a little convincing, but she eventually gave in (kinda like the night that I proposed to her) and agreed to help me out.
Now that we have the backstory out of the way, let's get on with the reviews. First up, the Vodkas on their own...
Nemiroff Premium Vodka
- Appearance: Crystal clear.
- Aroma: Rubbing alcohol at first, then lemon oil, white pepper, and a hint of anise.
- Taste: Lightly oily mouthfeel. Mild pepperiness. Very crisp and clean with a mild heat from start to finish. Some lemon zest and anise flavor in the aftertaste.
- ABV: 40%
The Verdict
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I'm not much of a straight Vodka drinker, so I'm not sure how it compares to other brands. That being said, this stuff was pretty nice and easy drinking, with way more flavor than I was expecting. This would work well over ice with some citrus and sparkling water, which would make for a lovely summer refresher.
Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka
- Appearance: Pale honey color which makes perfect sense to me.
- Aroma: Much less of that rubbing alcohol scent. Again, lightly peppery. Less lemony with definite honey notes coming through.
- Taste: The mouthfeel is less oily than the Premium expression. It more of a lightly syrupy mouthfeel this time around. Less spicy with definite honey flavors coming through. The finish gets more peppery with lingering mild honey sweetness.
- ABV: 40%
The Verdict
Much more interesting than I was expecting and quite enjoyable on its own thanks to that honey goodness. The cocktailing possibilities for this are endless!
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For the cocktail portion of this review, I used the following Moscow Mule recipe:
- .5 ounce of fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1.5 ounces of Nemiroff Premium Vodka or Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka
- Crushed ice
- 3.5 ounces of Fever Tree Ginger Beer
- Wedge of lime
Method: Pour lime juice and Vodka into a Collins glass. Add crushed ice to fill 2/3 of the glass. Using a bar spoon, stir the lime juice and Vodka as you add the Ginger Beer. Garnish with the wedge of lime.
In addition to being a spicy, refreshing and delicious drink, the Moscow Mule is ridiculously easy to make (provided that you have all of the ingredients on hand). Here's what Mrs. G-LO thought of them...
Moscow Mule - The Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka Variation
Mrs. G-LO says, "Kickier. Sweeter. Lingers a little longer on the tongue and in the back of the throat. Brings out the punch of the Ginger Beer. We need to add this to our Summer Cocktail Menu!"
Moscow Mule - The Classic
Mrs. G-LO says, "Quite good but much less kick than the Honey Pepper Vodka version. Don't get me wrong, I'll definitely drink this again, but the Honey Pepper version is just a bit better thanks to that Honey Pepper goodness!"
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As far as what I thought of how these Vodkas performed in the Moscow Mule, I'm in complete agreement with Mrs. G-LO. While both versions were very tasty and refreshing, the Honey Pepper Vodka version added something special to this cocktail which kicked it up a notch or two.
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