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Less Alcohol, More Flavor: Ketel One Botanical is a New Breed of Diet Vodka

Sam Slaughter
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Ketel One Botanical Lineup
Ketel One Botanical

It’s no secret that fitness and being healthy is “in.” Not that it’s ever really gone out of fashion (being alive is kind of important, after all), but there is a hyperfocus these days on living a clean lifestyle. What that translates to in the food and drink world is making smarter choices with ingredients or perhaps exploring different options when it comes to drinking. Ketel One set out to tackle that market by producing a new, lower alcohol by volume (ABV) and lower calorie line of vodkas called Ketel One Botanical.

Ketel One Botanical is a 30-percent ABV vodka made with non-GMO grain, distilled with real botanicals, and infused with both natural fruit and botanical essences. For the health conscious, there are no carbs, no artificial flavors, no added sugars, and no artificial sweeteners. A shot of Ketel One Botanical is only 73 calories due to the lower ABV.

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(If at this point you’re thinking, “Wait, they used botanicals and it’s produced by the Nolet family, which makes Nolet’s Gin. Does that mean there’s a Ketel One gin now?” The short answer is no. The longer answer is also no. While they distilled the vodka with botanicals, it can’t be called a gin because juniper wasn’t the main botanical involved. If you now view gin on a very basic level as flavored vodka, you’re not far off, but that’s for a different article.)

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The three initial varietals  in the line are: Cucumber and Mint, Peach and Orange Blossom,  and Grapefruit and Rose, each intended for a slightly different palate. If you’re looking for cool and crisp, go for Cucumber and Mint. Sweet and succulent? Well, Peach and Orange Blossom is going to be your best friend. Citrusy and floral? You’ve got it by now — you’re going to pick up the Grapefruit and Rose.

The optimal cocktail serving for any of the Ketel One Botanical, according to the brand, is to keep it simple (recipe below). If you’re not necessarily concerned about the calorie count (or you’ve had a couple of these and you’ve decided that it’s your cheat day), we recommend replacing the soda with a dry sparkling wine.

Ketel One Botanical will be available nationwide by the end of May 2018 and will retail for around $25 per 750mL bottle. You can also buy Ketel One Botanical online here.

Ketel One Botanical and Soda

  • 1.5 oz Ketel One Botanical of your choice
  • 3 oz soda
  • Fruit or herbal garnish

Method: In a wine glass, add ice. Pour in Ketel One Botanical and top with soda. Garnish.

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