A Drinking Man’s Game: Western Son Vodka

You’re probably going to need “The Mix” for alot of context in this. So go check and circle back if need be. For this week, A.D.M.G picks up two of Western Son Distillery’s flavored Vodkas; Cucumber and Prickly Pear. In addition, we explore new recipes created from the mixers prepared in the “The Mix” piece. The union in near holy matrimony of these two pieces came out as a pretty good drink, so you knew I had to write something.

Flavored Vodkas intrigue me, always have, always will. More often than not, I don’t really care from them. Mainly because they tend to be sweet and leave me with insane hangovers. However, there are times take the chance to dial my old friend hurl for a reunion. I have had some great nights with hurl and some not so great nights with hurl, but I cherish our friendship. In all seriousness though, I’m always willing to taste unfamiliar spirits, it’s literally what I’m here for. If it peaks interest, I’m all in and ready to invest. This is what brought me to Western Son’s array of liquors. I came across this brand a few weeks back and with the preparation of some new mixers, I thought these would be some excellent spirits to pair with. Western Son has a wide range of options, but these to actually got me salivating.

I had a bit of downtime before I took care of some things around the house so I figured, what’s better than taking out the garbage with a little inebriation? I suggest trying it sometime; trust me you’ll be in the zone. Or at least you’ll think you are. I started with the Prickly Pear. It definitely gave me the essence of a full riped pear. I didn’t particularly care for shots though, but that’s more me than the Vodka. Aforementioned I really don’t like them sweet. I would assume that isn’t Western Son’s intent with this vodka though. These unique flavors obviously were distilled to be the base for something more than just a shot.

A couple days ago, I made a mixer that is comprised of pear, vanilla and parsnips. While searching for some flavors to experiment with, I came across this trio. Since I was unfamiliar with this combination, I figured why nor swing at it. It was literally one of those drinks where you take a sip and immediately look at this glass in disbelief. If it wasn’t evident, my concoction was a success. It was smooth enough that it didn’t add any bitterness, while still maintaining what Western Son was striving for. I wanted to mix things up a bit from my homemade mixers. I sat there, slightly buzzed thinking of what to do. That’s when I realized that I had some Minute Maid Fruit Punch. Plus, the thing about fruit punch is it’s always a safe bet. Mainly because its super easy to make and you can get a little heavy-handed if need be.

Weston Son’s Cucumber Vodka was my favorite out of the two. I slightly deviated from the traditional Bloody Mary. The Vodka gave it an element that you don’t get with your typical version. This is a special Vodka and should be used to make unique drinks if you ask me. Just like it’s pear counterpart, it was smooth and blended well. You can taste the detail in the crafting. You don’t get the impression of cheap artificial flavoring. It’s all fresh, authentic, and perfectly balanced. I literally felt like I cut and infused the cucumbers myself.

At $20 bucks a pop, both Weston Son’s Cucumber and Prickly Pear Vodkas are worth picking up. These are unique Vodkas that can add some quality without breaking the bank to any drink. It was a pleasant surprise to encounter these two and I will be sure to give there other ones a shot. (No pun)