Since we found it almost a year ago we’ve hailed New Amsterdam’s Gin as one of the “Best things about doing Booze Reviews.” it’s the reason we do this, because not only can we find the best tasting stuff we find something that completely changes the way we view spirits. We now subconsciously rate gin as yes it’s good, but is it twice as good as New Amsterdam, because that’s the price point it has to beat.
We’ve yet to find a gin for day to day use/mixing that can topple New Amsterdam. Sure there are better gins out there, but when we’re buying not for a review or special occasion – we buy New Amsterdam. Which is why we’re actually a little disappointed in the vodka here.
Carrying the same name and price point we were hoping for a great 2-hit combo of an above average vodka for that low price, but sadly what you get is a mediocre vodka instead. Rather than seeming like a great deal for a good vodka it just seems fairly priced. I mean between Wodka and this is more a point of preference and a couple bucks, and at the end of the day we’ll stick to getting handles of Three Olives.
Much like the Johnnie Walker Green Label from a while back it’s always disheartening to get a new product from a line you love only to be disappointed. What’s especially disappointing is the lies they try to hide behind.
What they say: “A premium vodka with unparalleled smoothness. Five time distilled to deliver a clean crisp taste. It’s smooth enough to drink straight, distinctive enough to enhance any cocktail.”
They mention smoothness twice here, a word that shouldn’t even be considered when discussing this, and if it’s one thing we hate, it’s when you outright lie to us.
Taste: 5.875 – It’s not a bad taste, slight bit of creamy-ness but it’s standard fare for vodka here.
Aftertaste: 5 – Bit of bitterness, and it leaves a nice aftertaste, but overall nothing to wow you besides it being mediocre.
Burn/Smooth: 3.25 – This does have a nice kick, surely not a sipping vodka.
Aroma: 5.33 – It smells like vodka, there’s a bit of subtleness to the smell but not much.
Honesty: 5 – We prefer the green bottle to the blue (nice blue but doesn’t work here), although they are both nice looking bottles. They lie about the smoothness and ability to drink straight though which balances out any sort of honesty they would have gotten.
Mixability: 5.52
White Russian: 5.875 – It’s okay, it disappears in a Russian, but it doesn’t add anything.
Vodka Martini: 5.167 – It makes a decent martini, but nothing you’d feel compelled to try again.
Value: 6.125 – Now their gin scored really well, one of the highest values we’ve ever seen, but it’s just not here, the price feels about right if just a little bit of a good deal. It’s like Wodka, yes it’s cheap but that’s more what you expect than a pleasant surprise.
Google Shop Average: $12
Website: http://www.newamsterdamspirits.com
Reviewer Scores:
William Henri Neve the IV: 5
Justice: 5.5
BuffaloJern: 6
DJ_Lvl: 6
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Metric Score: 36.10/70 |+| Metric Average: 5.16 |+| Reviewer Average: 5.63
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Final Thoughts:
Not as great as their gin, and overall it’s just average. This is the kind of thing though that it’s only real redeeming quality is that it’s nicely priced for it’s mid-tier-ness. We’re big loves here of New Amsterdam’s gin because it offers mid-shelf quality at bottom shelf prices. Sadly what you get here is low tier for low price and that’s disappointing.
