Lisan Jutras
From Saturday's Globe and Mail Published on Saturday, Jul. 19, 2008 12:00AM EDT Last updated on Friday, Mar. 13, 2009 10:06AM EDT
"Canadian vodkas just got more Canadian," announces Polar Ice, the country's premium vodka maker, introducing a new duo of flavoured boozes, Northern Maple and Arctic Berry. An informal jury of tasters put these vodkas - made with "all-natural" ingredients - to the test.
Northern Maple
What they say
Natural flavours of real maple sugar and subtle undertones of warm vanilla make this a unique and unquestionably Canadian vodka.
Our verdict
While unusual, this vodka's flavour bore a resemblance to whisky and we imagined it would pair well with coffee drinks, especially ones involving crushed ice and whipped cream. Other tasters were less convinced, and wondered if we were supposed to pour it directly onto pancakes.
Arctic Berry
What they say
An exclusive blend of wild raspberries and huckleberries -
a blueberry-like fruit found throughout the Maritimes -
make for a cool, crisp flavour.
Our verdict
"I don't even want to drink it, I just want to smell it," said one taster, breathing deep the grape-bubblegum aroma. While some of us enjoyed the novel, Coney Island fun-fair evocations, others felt the "cartoony" flavour of the berry vodka would stand out too much in a mixed drink.
$24.45 for a 750-millilitre bottle in Ontario (prices may vary in other provinces).
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