Another day, another French vodka. This time the outing is a bit all over the place scoring wise due to the fact that we once again can prove that simply distilling something multiple times has almost no bearing on quality. Things can be distilled twice, 3 times, or 6 or more like this – but as our resident chemist has said ‘distillation columns are not all the same’ and because of that the result is just as much a crapshoot as what you put in, and how you filter it out.
We’ll give them this though, they may not have the science down – the agriculture is on point. It’s always good to get a nice wheat heavy vodka mostly because it’s application in creamy beverages or even to add character to your other cocktails is assured. Of course you can also just add one *checks grocery aisle* 7 billion flavored vodkas for similar reasons. We don’t get to review those though even if the idea of a cucumber/jalapeno vodka sounds delightful.
What they Say: “Our crystal clear Gaison Vodka is produced from the finest French winter wheat. Distilled 6 times for ultimate refinement, Gaison Vodka is the result of the passion and know-how of a multi-awarded French distiller.
The quality of our wheat is the highest in France and the same one that would be used for the making of bread and pastries. Once harvested at perfect humidity level, it is carefully blended with the purest spring water from the French aquifer.
We have full control over the quality from the harvest to bottling, as every step of the manufacturing process of our vodka has definite impact on taste and defines the end result of our craft.”
Taste: 4.0 – At the onset you get a bit of that charcoal ethanol like flavor, but from within the ashes there is a wheat stalk, and that bit of flavor helps.
Aftertaste: 8.0 – Here the wheat flavor you got a hint of grows and keeps growing – like – well wheat (listen we ain’t a metaphor factory). The effect is akin to a Żubrówka – which is not really a complaint. If you are fan of that style this is great.
Burn/Smooth: 4.0 – The smell almost sort of deludes you into thinking this will be some crystal clean smooth as silk vodka – it is a lie. Sure there are far worse vodka burns out there, but damn does this one kick like a french horn to the ear.
Aroma: 8.5 – A bit of cream, a bit of wheat, and that’s basically it. Even that takes some digging as this otherwise smells incredibly smooth, without a hint of burn or ethanol. If you dig really deep you get just a hair, but than you’re basically huffing vodka.
Honesty: 6.0 – We are not farmers, so consider our opinion on whether different wheat harvests are set aside for bread and pastries is unique (just figured you send the good stuff to humans, the bad becomes animal feed) so we can’t say whether their claim above is just hogwash or not. That being said we do love to once again re-litigate that the amount of distillation has no effect on burn/taste/flavor – it is the quality of your distillation columns dear reader. That being said nothing of their literature is egregious, and they commit no crimes in terms of design. As such we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt of this ‘farm to bar’ vodka.
Mixability: 6.125
W/ Rocks: 3.0 – So this does something odd. It sort of transforms the charcoal into a more smoky like aftertaste that mingles with the wheat. The result is less burn, but it’s not smoother, and the flavor takes a nosedive.
Screwdriver: 6.5 – That’s basically everything you’d want with a screwdriver, no fuss – maybe the wheat adds a bit of character, but mostly just some OJ.
Vodka Tonic: 7.0 – The result here is pretty good, as far as vodka tonics go you at least get some flavor from the vodka, and there’s none of the charcoal like with rocks alone.
White Russian: 8.0 – Wheat based and slightly creamy vodkas always tend to do the best in Russians – and this is no exception. This cocktail is a delight, and given the burn likely the best way to enjoy this.
Value: 6.5 – So let’s acknowledge that in terms of cost for a mid-tier vodka, this is at least on the right side of the $20 line. Combine that with how well it mixes if used appropriately, and yes it earns some points. Yes there are some vodka’s you can get a handle for the same price as this and they will invariably get the same job done with no muss or fuss – but this is a bit better than them.
Google Shop Average: $19
Website: Nothing, if you got a link drop it in the comments.
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.0
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Metric Score: 43.125/70 |+| Metric Average: 6.16 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.0
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Final Thoughts: This is solidly in the middle tiers of vodkas around the Ciroc‘s and Belvedere‘s; however by mixing slightly better and costing far less it’s some of the better stuff to come out of France vodka wise, although for us it’s a toss up with Balinoff. To us the only thing that would take this from it’s current level and turn it up to 11 is maybe distilling out some of that harshness – who knows maybe try for 8 times instead of 6.
