Jonathan Drake Vodka

Rating: 14/23 Nose: There's a softness, but also some ethanol with a slightly chemical edge. A little sweetness with the faintest hint of vanilla. Perhaps a touch of pepper. Not a bad nose. In fact, it would be good, if not for the pepper. Palate: Surprisingly sweet, yet also surprisingly harsh. I detect ethanol along with a hint of a slight rubber flavor. Hints of lemon are deep in the background, as is a peppery flavor accompanying the burn. The sweetness evokes a bit of curaçao and hints of vanilla. Finish: Lingering harshness and peppery burn, combined with a more watery sweetness and very faint hints of lemon. - Conclusion - This honestly tastes better than anticipated, but it has the burning issue I expected. It's not great, but it could certainly be worse. I'm enjoying sipping this enough that I'm considering giving it a 13 or even a 14. Revisiting this (on a hot day), the tropical fruits and turbinado sweetness are decadent. This also tastes smoother than I recall. I think a 14 is well-deserved.

Extremely pure and mellow