New Drinking Game: Have a shot of this every time we say wheat in this review. Spoiler you will be smashed by the end, because fuck is the French wheat on full throated display here. We’ve had a mixed bag when it comes to French vodka’s in the past. Mostly it’s been hate for Bourge Noble, Belvedere, and Exclusiv, but some praise for Balinoff even if they stupidly have a polar bear on it.
As for this French outing, well let’s face it they have nothing to fault them terribly on (even the price is reasonable, although would have been nicer to be a lower) and then they mix well in a russian and decent elsewhere. There’s not much else you can really ask from a vodka other than to cost decent, not burn like a mofo, and work in cocktails.
What they Say: “Artisan vodka produced and distilled in France. Distilled from wheat from France and spring water from Gensac”
Taste: 7.0 – If ever a vodka should be put on a wheaties box for an adult version of the breakfast of champions – we found the candidate. Because what you get is a nice wheaty vodka.
Aftertaste: 6.0 – A fact which continues on into the aftertaste. Although there it gets a bit more charcoal-y.
Burn/Smooth: 5.0 – There’s a hint of a burn here, but overall it goes down very smooth and wheaty (do you get it yet)
Aroma: 7.0 – You certainly get that French wheat, and if honest, nothing else. As such it’s quite nice (if you like wheat)
Honesty: 6.0 – As mentioned we’ve had a wild track record with France and vodka, but if honest there’s no crimes here, the design is maybe a touch too post-modern, but overall it works fine and there’s nothing much to complain about.
Mixability: 6.125
W/ Rocks: 6.0 – That cuts the burn, and you still of course get the wheat (it’d be worrying if it left). It’s not exactly a great sipping on rocks vodka though.
Screwdriver: 4.5 – Not super great here – we haven’t done as much drivers of late, but been getting back into them.
Vodka Tonic: 6.0 – That’s a pretty good vodka tonic, granted you better like this neat to agree. Really shines with some fresh citrus though.
White Russian: 8.0 – Much like the Alimov from 2 weeks ago – the wheat here works damn well in the russian. There’s not much to say – you want this.
Value: 5.0 – See the problem when comparing this to that Alimov is the entire 6 dollars more this costs. Oh sure you can likely get a handle for less – but ehh. This too has little to fault, and mixes damn well. If you are fan of wheat centric vodkas this fits the bell, but Balinoff might be better bu virtue of being better neat (though that is 4 more dollars)
Google Shop Average: $19
Website: https://www.summumvodka.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.0
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Metric Score: 42.125/70 |+| Metric Average: 6.02 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.0
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Final Thoughts: The only detractor here is that this really is just a few dollar more from getting even more points. Maybe our bias with our new friend in Alimov is too recent, but for nearly as good a russian for 6 dollars cheaper – well that’s nothing to scoff at. Then again there might be some bias in choosing the Russian over the French when it comes to vodka (or maybe there’s good reason to do so)
