Vermont Gold

This is another unusual vodka. Vermont Gold is actually distilled from the sap of a maple tree, rather than just flavored with maple, after the fact. So the effect is subtle and sweet, not some over-the-top, cartoon flavor.

Nose: The nose is a light, sweet one, mostly of maple and a hint of sweet pecan. It smells like a dessert, or a sweet breakfast, with little or no vodka-harshness to the nose. Looking at it, while it’s clear as any other unflavored vodka, it looks sticky and sugary, with legs that run all the way down the glass. Apparently more residual sugars than most vodkas.

Taste: Gentle maple flavor up front spreads out over the tongue with a bit of sharpness at the tip of the tongue, but that fades quickly. It’s sweet and mellow, and as vodkas go, even in a small sip it feels big.

Finish: The finish is malty and toasty and then becomes a little astringent like it has a woodiness too it even though it’s not aged. Maybe it’s the suggestion that it literally does come from a tree; it takes a whole tree’s worth of sap in fact to make one bottle of Vermont Gold.

Notes: While I would be tempted to suggest that maple goes with other breakfast flavors such as bacon, I would not mix this with something like the Bakon vodka, or all of the smooth sweetness would be lost. I would sip it, or pair it with a light mixer. It could pair with dessert flavors like vanilla, and chocolate, or some nut liqueur, but you risk burying the delicate flavor. Another thing to try is to drop a few grains of sea salt into the glass, and swirl it around. That brings out an interesting flavor similar to sea salt caramel.

Vermont Gold Vodka, (Vermont Spirits, St. Johnsbury, Vermont), 80 proof, $39.99 in Oregon Liquor Stores

(Sample provided by Vermont Spirits)