We arrive here at a contradiction. We actually like this vodka, but then we do have to ask ourselves if this is truly a ‘vodka’ or if it should be labeled as ‘Underproof’. That’s because this rests at a 23.8% ALC/VOL or 47.6 proof. Maybe this is down to the specific distilling process, or watering down – but what you get is something that is nice, and yet fails to complete the job?
We’re not saying that all alcoholic drinks should be as strong as an ox, or that mocktails and other such things are weak. We are the folks who care that when you set out to do something – you do it. In the case of vodka, that’s to get drunk. You drink something like whiskey to relax, beer to hang out, wine to dine, and you drink vodka to get hammered – so this by being underproof feels – wrong.
What they Say: “At KEEL, we believe balance is as essential in life as it is in sailing. KEEL is crafted with a distinctly American spirit, for how men and women live their lives today, LIGHT, RIGHT, and BALANCED. Enjoy KEEL, a smoother, more refreshing, 100% American made spirit… Stay Balanced!” (also this image)
Taste: 8.5 – That is actually rather clean and refreshing to drink. It’s not super perfect and tasteless, but it’s damn close.
Aftertaste: 6.5 – Here you get a bit more of grain (although there is none) and cream like flavors. There’s a bit of off towards the tail end though.
Burn/Smooth: 7.5 – Again this goes down really rather smoothly and in a pleasant manner aside from that tail end.
Aroma: 5.0 – This is balanced between creaminess and cheap vodka smell – so kudos there?
Honesty: 1.0 – You use the text all caps bullshit, that K/V thing, the gluten-free and no protein? What? Truly though there is a fault here and we’ve already mentioned it above. It’s that fact that you likely bought this not knowing you were getting vodka-lite. Because who the fuck does that? We respect that in doing so you have made a cleaner more palatable vodka – but we have to face facts. A regular consumer would buy this, and in short, would be duped – it’s not honest.
Mixability: 7.5
Vodka Tonic: 8.0 – It’s a smooth as silk, creamy delicious white Russian.
White Russian: 7.0 – It doesn’t get in the way of the tonic, and manages to add just a little bit too it.
Value: 3.0 – You are paying far too much for half the ‘vodka’, and that folks is what we call in the biz – not a good deal.
Google Shop Average: $22
Website: https://www.keelvodka.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.5
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Metric Score: 39/70 |+| Metric Average: 5.57 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.5
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Final Thoughts: We certainly have our qualms about this product, but we simply can’t deny how nice it is to drink, and how well it mixes into stuff. Sure it’s weak so we’ll need to double our drinking habits or cut in some Grain Alchohol cocktails to balance out, but then again this maybe isn’t the spirit for this site’s reviewers. Our stomachs and tolerances have been tempered week in and out, but for the casual out there maybe this is there answer to having a few cocktails finally instead of being one and done (just make it cheaper ya?)
