Sonnema VodkaHerb

Bill Dowd photo

Holland is the birthplace of gin. So, it can be reasoned, why not the home of fine vodka as well since the two spirits begin the same? This infused product is fairly new to the market.

• Sonnema VodkaHerb:

This is an infused spirit that delivers from the first whiff of the herbal nose. Most vodkas benefit from being thoroughly chilled. I found Sonnema actually benefits from tending toward room temperature which allows its complexities to gradually unfold.

The distiller says the vodka is "based on the same original recipe and traditional methods" created by Fedde Sonnema who made the original blend of herbs and spices in the 1800s which he sold first as a gin additive, then as a gin proper. Elements of thyme, licorice and orris are detectable. A real winner of a specialty vodka which should make its own mark in an already-crowded field.

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