GSN Review: Tuthilltown Indigenous Vodka

If you want to be technical, this is really an eau de vie, since it is distilled from fruit and unaged in wood.  However, it does differ in one important way.  Instead of the usual double distillation, Indigenous is triple distilled.  To arrive at the finished product, Tuthilltown Distillery (Located in New York State’s Hudson Valley) uses local apples pressed to cider and then distills this juice in a 20 plate copper pot still.

Indigenous Vodka (80 proof)
Visual: Clear.
Nose: Faint remnants of cider with a fruit brandy’s funkiness speak loud and clear.  There is a dark and almost brooding quality which reminds me of autumn.
Taste: Nothing like a typical grain based vodka, there is plenty of flavor here, but the apple remains subdued and fleeting.  Initially it seems somewhat fiery, but after a few sips it mellows out with some sweet notes of toffee and barley sugar.
Finish: The cider flavor comes out towards the finish in a rustic and hearty way.
Overall: An interesting experiment that will have its uses in some cocktails, but as with most eau de vies, this is best left on its own to fully appreciate the inherent character of the fruit and locale where it was harvested.
GSN Rating: B

For more information go to: Tuthilltown Spirits