Review: VDKA 6100, New Zealand Born, Globally Bred

Being a neutral spirit, there’s only so much one can do in terms of production to differentiate a spirit from the hundreds of others in the same price range. What it comes down to, more often than not, is story and branding.

The story of VDKA 6100 starts, sort of, in New Zealand. The vodka’s ingredients are sourced from there—specifically from Reporoa, which is on the North Island—but, as their own website says, the brand is not from there, hailing instead from the USA. The number 6100 in the brand name pays homage to this—it’s the distance between where the vodka is sourced and the brand was born.

This is the groundwork for VDKA 6100, which was then added to by including an international team of master blenders, packaging designers, and mixologists from around the world. Finally, Robert De Niro was added to the list, helping with various elements of VDKA 6100.

That, in short, is this vodka’s story, one that definitely helps to differentiate it from others. Now, onto the tasting.

Nose: A very neutral nose, not much alcohol burn off the top. Slight hints of minerality reminiscent of spring water.

Palate: A little syrupy to begin, but not so thick as to confuse it with a liqueur or another spirit. Slight hints of white pepper and a little bit of citrus come through on the back end. The palate, overall is medium-bodied and hangs around a little bit in the mouth, which isn’t a bad thing compared to most vodkas that seem to penetrate the senses like cold fire.

Finish: A short finish that follows from the palate and nose with a little minerality and a hint of citrus.

Final Thoughts: There seems to be more and more vodka companies lately that are going against the idea that vodka has to be flavorless, and are pushing the nuances of their own products. VDKA 6100 is no different in this sense, and the product is built more on the story than anything. Thankfully, though, the vodka is more than serviceable for a variety of cocktails (the slight hints of flavor do well in a Bloody Mary) and when on its own, goes down smooth. Perhaps because of bad college experiences, but I prefer these vodkas that have hints of flavor in them.

VDKA 6100 retails for around $38.