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New Amsterdam Original Vodka
About New Amsterdam Original Vodka
Although New Amsterdam Original Vodka gives off a classic vibe, it’s actually fairly new to the scene – having launched only in 2011. New Amsterdam is produced by E&J Gallo in Modesto, CA, who are more commonly associated with their delicious wines (I’m a bit of a Barefoot fangirl, not gonna lie). This company was originally founded in 1933, and over time has begun producing many different brands.
The Original New Amsterdam Vodka is made with grains, distilled 5 times, and filtered 3 times – hence all the claims about how “clean” and smooth it is. Some internet sources claim that New Amsterdam is first distilled to a higher ABV, and then has water added to it to achieve the proper proof. Though I was unable to verify this with official sources, the New Amsterdam website does brag a bit about the quality of “the water we use”, leading me to believe that it’s most likely accurate.
Bottle Specs
❖ Distillery: E&J Gallo Winery
❖ ABV: 40%
❖ Aging: N/A
❖ Price Point: low price range
Tasting Notes
New Amsterdam does not have any tasting notes listed, but instead retailers use descriptive words like “full-bodied” and “soft”. Some of them mention that this vodka is a little bit sweet.
Palate:
❖ subtle sweetness
My Tasting Notes
When I took my first sip, I knew immediately what sources meant by “full-bodied”. I experienced a huge waft of flavor – however, none of the notes were identifiable at all. On the second sip, I could make out a grainy flavor with a lot of dimension that I found difficult to describe. After this second sip, there was a strong grainy aftertaste. When I took my third taste, I noticed it was a bit sweeter than the previous sips. From then on, I found that distinctive vodka flavor to be the most prominent, and the other notes really got lost. If I’m being honest, I didn’t even finish all of my tasting shot glass before moving on to my cocktail. I just couldn’t handle the strong vodka flavor.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I decided to go with a classic Moscow Mule. This is one of the easiest cocktails to make, so it’s great for beginner home bartenders. Also, I spent too many years of my life being afraid to try ginger beer, only to discover that its my absolute favorite mixer – so I have to make up for that lost time!
Moscow Mule
Ingredients
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- ginger beer
Instructions
- Fill your glass or copper mug with ice.
- Add the lime juice and vodka.
- Fill your vessel to the top (or to taste) with ginger beer.
- Stir the mixture and garnish with a lime wedge if desired.
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Inside of a cocktail, New Amsterdam Original is so incredibly smooth. I couldn’t taste the vodka flavor at all, which to me is the mark of a good cocktail vodka. This was pretty surprising to me after the very flavorful initial tasting. For the price range, I found it unusual not to taste even a hint of vodka flavor inside such a simple cocktail. It truly defied logic.
Bottom Line
RATING: 4/5
If New Amsterdam Original Vodka was advertised solely as a cocktail spirit, I would give it 5 stars easy. The smoothness and clarity was a pleasant surprise, and on a level that folks would normally pay more for.
However, as a sipping spirit, it really under-delivered. Drinking this vodka straight was not a pleasant experience at all. As I mentioned before, I had to stop mid-way through my tasting because the unpleasant vodka flavors were so strong. Since this product is advertised as a more versatile spirit, I have to take this into account and knock off a star.
That said, I highly recommend New Amsterdam Original to anyone looking for a great cocktail vodka. I will definitely purchase this bottle again.
As always, drink responsibly.
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I’ve had Dutch Vodka, but never heard of this brand. I’d be curious to try Moscow Mule with the New Amsterdam Original. Thank you for the cocktail recipe.
Thank you for your review and recipes! I love that you go into detail on how it is made and the flavors you tasted on this review!
This post has me craving a traditional Canadian Caesar (my fave vodka drink). I’ll give this brand a try next time I see it 🙂
A lime cocktail sounds great. I’ve never tried ginger beer before, but this sounds like an excelled pairing with your vodka. Thank you for the detailed and honest review. I’ll have to try this!
Thanks for your interesting review! I will have to give New Asterdam a try after my pregnancy is over. 🙂
Wow, these are nice recipes, easy to make and looks delicious:) will share this blog to my friends who will appreciate and love it!!! Great post!!! Keep it up!
Xoxo