All Photos By Gail
If you are like me, the many restrictions brought on by the pandemic have not dampened your desire to have nice things, or the quest to keep comfort and joy in your life as much as possible. In practice, this means that if I can’t go to a bar for cocktails, I bring the bar to me in the form of keeping my favorite spirits and mixers stocked and ready to pour. Pandemic Drinking: You Are Doing it Right.
As a woman who has a bottle of vodka in the freezer at all times, I like to keep up on vodka trends. Today I am going to tell you about NEFT, a small-batch vodka with a taste as memorable as its container. As you can see by the photo above, NEFT comes in a portable, unbreakable and — best of all — resealable barrel that keeps contents cold for up to six hours. For those who live with a no-glass-by-the-pool rule, the packaging alone is a game changer.
NEFT Vodka is made from water filtered for fifty years, four ancient grains of rye, and nothing else. Using the finest distillation processes with the purest ingredients — starting with spring water sourced from the Austrian Alps and non-GMO grains — the result is a premium, varietal vodka; smooth and rich, with a sweetness born of ingredients, not sugar. NEFT is not a new product, but it is new to me, and its time has come.
My review box of NEFT included a 100ML black barrel, and a 750 ML white barrel (same vodka in each), a booklet of recipes, and a card with guidelines on how to conduct a proper vodka tasting if you intend to sip it straight with no mixer. Contrary to what I have been lead to believe, they recommend that you do not store vodka in the freezer, as this will dull the taste. Instead, you should merely chill it in the freezer one hour ahead of your tasting. Live and learn!
I did give the NEFT a little sip on its own and found it to be as smooth and sweet as promised, but I wanted to try it in my favorite classic cocktail — the Vodka Lemonade (seen above). My verdict: this vodka makes a delicious and refreshing cocktail! The 100ML barrel may look tiny but it makes about three stiff drinks!
Honey Bear Cocktail
Watermelon Julep
NEFT is available in 100ML, 750ML, and 1-liter barrels, as well as a 750ML bottle (for those who like to keep it old school). Learn more about NEFT Vodka, get delicious recipes (for the drinks seen above, and more) and find out where to buy NEFT in stores near you and online at This Link!