Review – Purity Vodka
In the world of vodka marketing, purity = profits. There are many dozens of brands available (many of which are very successful) which make often quite obscure claims about using particularly pure water, multiple distillations, and filtration through anything from charcoal to diamonds in order to lure customers into thinking they have achieved that holy grail of vodka success. It is not without a touch of cynicism therefore that we learn of a vodka going one step further an even naming itself ‘Purity’. Although distilled a huge 34 times from winter wheat and barley, this vodka from Seweden does stand out for not using charcoal (or allegedly any other filtration) filtering. Using a copper pot still, it is claimed that only 10% of the distillate makes the cut, which is then blended with a mix of deionised water, mineral-rich water and column-distilled wheat spirit. That last bit sounds intriguing, but the producers are strangely tight-lipped about what it actually means.
Nose: Smooth and creamy upfront, with just a hint of bell pepper and grass in the background. Neutral, but also rounded in profile with a hint of sweetness and not a whisper of sharpness.
Neat: Sweet on the entrance (so much so that you would be forgiven for asking if sugar has been added) with the rounded mouthfeel this generates being replaced by a pleasant oiliness on the mid-palate which lingers onto the finish. As suggested by the nose, flavours of cream and vanilla combine with the merest hint of pepper, almond and grass to create a vodka that is in fact more complex than might have been expected. The finish ramps up the spice and adds a dash of citrus for good measure. Whilst the word purity conjured images of neutrality, there is in fact a little character to this vodka. The flavours are indeed ‘pure-tasting’ but not entirely at the expense of interest for the palate; this is an excellent example of a ‘plain’ vodka.
Mixing: Although this vodka is one of the more characterful ‘neutral’ vodka’s, it is not sufficiently bold in its flavour so as to be identifiable in cocktails with other assertive ingredients such as the Espresso Martini. Such drinks taste just great using Purity, but you won’t be able to tell that it is Purity in your drink or any other quality vodka. Although a decent example of it’s kind, this vodka therefore also highlights the downside to this category of spirits in that fans of punchy flavours won’t find themselves reaching for a Milano over a Negroni. The most pleasing results are therefore to be found in shorter, vodka heavy cocktails such as the Kangaroo or Jasmine Lassi Cocktail which, although composed of flavoursome ingredients, benefits from the viscosity and full-bodied character this vodka brings. An interesting, and delicious serve can be created by using the technique of infusing mineral water overnight with fruits and/or vegetables then stirring with the vodka in so-called H2O cocktails such as the Berry Purity H2O. The signature Ellinge Flower is a less time-consuming example of a similarly light cocktail that allows the character of this vodka to just about peek through the other ingredients.
Signature Cocktail – Ellinge Flower
2oz Purity Vodka, 0.25oz Elderflower Liqueur, 0.25oz Lemon Juice, Barspoon Apricot Preserve
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with elderflowers.
Purity vodka is an excellent example of its type. Delicate in both its aromas and flavours, but not entirely neutral in either, it maintains sufficient character to offer some interest in an otherwise dull sector, whilst retaining its raison d’etre of being a smooth and clean-tasting vodka.
Rating: ★★★
Purity vodka is available to buy from Master of Malt.
★: Terrible, only drink for a dare.
★★: Meh, not undrinkable but best left alone.
★★★: Reasonable, middle of the road.
★★★★: Tasty stuff, well worth seeking out.
★★★★★: Incredible, booze doesn’t get better than this. You need a bottle in your life.
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Purity is without a doubt, the best vodka – hands down, and is now my top vodka( prior to purity I was a Titon Glacier drinker).
In my opinion, the top vodkas are:
#1 Purity (Sweden) $40-$50/bottle
Definitely the best vodka hands down. Made from soft winter wheat and pot distilled 34 times. No filters are used, all this distillation makes the vodka so pure that it is not necessary. Purity is pricey, but still not as pricey as Grey Goose, which is really just a mediocre vodka with a high price and a good marketing department. This is what vodka should be (no taste, no color, no odor, just the right amount of burn with a sweet finish.
#2 Teton Glacier (Idaho, US) $20-$30/bottle
This potato vodka uses a four stainless steel column distillation process, after which, the vodka is filtered through charcoal. Comes very close to the quality of purity, but has a hint of alcohol in the nose, burn is a little more harsh, and the finish is less sweet.
#3 Belvedere (Poland) $30-$40/bottle
Consistently finishes among the top five vodkas by the beverage tasting institute (BTW, Grey Goose doesn’t even make the top 20). Like purity, this vodka is make from soft winter wheat in a pot distillation process. It is almost as pure as Teton Glacier with a sweeter finish.
#4 Sobieski (Poland) $10-$15/bottle
While there are still a few premium vodkas that may beat Sobieski. Sobieski is my everyday vodka. First, it is very reasonably priced. Unlike Purity and Teton Glacier, it can be found anywhere. In fact, I caught my 22-year old daughter and her friends drinking SKY (which BTW, is so high in methanol impurity that the nose smells like rubbing alcohol. This is also why the stuff is so harsh). When I asked, why she was drinking SKY, she said she doesn’t have very much money. I turned her on to Sobieski and told her that she can actually get a good vodka for less money than SKY.
If to put it mild, the review is rather unorthodox. If to put it bold, the review is nothing but a bad taste épatage. The reviewer should consider checking his/her abilities to identify, recognize flavors and to estimate their strengths and values. Even to mention this quality vodka as something that can be considered for making a cocktail is ridiculous. By far, this is THE best vodka, smoother and better than Grey Goose (although I like this birdie, too). Verdict: the “expert” must resign his duty and take a job at a car wash shop.
That’s a better review of the reviewer than the review itself
This is hands down the best vodka I have every tried. I was shocked at how smooth it was. I have been a Grey Goose vodka drinker for some time and that is a great vodka. That said, Purity is just at another level. As the review touched on above, if you are looking for a mixing vodka stay with the regulars, but for a pure experience, chill this up and sip it straight.
I had the pleasure to try Purity last night from Gerald – a local rep. Wow was it great. Very smooth and no bite or alcohol taste. Highly recommended.
Not all cocktais are mixed with juices to taste fruity! This. vodka is excellent all by itself
Just tried this vodka and hands-down is the best I have a drink
Honestly after reading several other reviews about Purity, and actually purchasing a bottle (on sale at ABC for a scant 30$) I believe this review is not the best. While the acticle is well written and does offer a lot of good information, the flavor profiles are only somewhat accurate and in terms of the actual amount and depths of flavors detected, to me it seems a little overblown. This is a super clean vodka and only the most discerning palette as only our author obviously possesses would detect any serious tastes of cream, bell peppers and grass? But even as the author seems to rave about the mouthfeel and taste of Purity being clean and crisp, yet labels it “plain” and rates the vodka a 3 out of 5. Maybe our author would prefer more robust tasting vodka like Grey Goose but to me this vodka is quite a cut above.. It is easy to tell a immense amount of craft goes into this bottle , easily a 91 out of 100 in my opinion.