Yesterday evening was beautiful and sunny. Perfect to try some vodka drinks made with Absolut Vodka and paired with appetizers by the Teahouse in Stanley Park. Jacob from Absolut Vodka told us a bit about how the vodka is produced using winter wheat and how it differs from spring wheat. Also he noted that all the natural essences applied to the vodka, such as lemon or raspberries comes from these fruits. No artificial flavours or sugars are added to Absolut Vodka.
We had 4 drinks this evening, using 4 different flavours of vodka. The last drink was using their newest flavour Absolut Grapevine, which is a blend of grape, papaya and dragon fruit.
The first drink, L.O.L. is a blend of Absolut Citron, tequila, honey and fresh lemon. It was quite refreshing, citrusy and my favourite of the night. It was paired with a grilled prawn, which always works well with citrus.
The second drink was Orange Peel. It is a blend of Absolut Mandrin, elderflower cordial, fresh pressed apple juice, lemon juice, bitters, and tonic water. This drink grows on you. The drink had a flowery orange aroma and flavour. It was a bit too flowery for me, but then when it was paired with a flatbread (with smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and shaved parmesan) it shone. Just like wine, some are good sippers on their own, others are better with food. The flatbread was FABULOUS.
Rapsolutely was the third drink, a blend of Absolut Raspberri, simple syrup, raspberries, and fresh mint. It was OK, but not a favorite. The alcohol was quite pronounced and left a hot feeling in your mouth. I was told that the Raspberri was the top selling flavour in China, while Citron is the best selling flavour in Canada. This was paired with some warmed soft cheese on a small bread round and topped with a slice of cherry.
The final drink was the Grapevine Collins. It was made with the Absolut Grapevine, simple syrup, lemon juice, soda water and lemon wheel. It was hard for me to pinpoint each of the fruit flavours from Grapevine (grape, papaya and dragon fruit), but it did have a very strong flavour. Again, not one of my favourites. It was paired with a shredded/pulled beef on a homemade bun (maybe a round from a panini bun? The pairing was not too bad. The beef held its own against the Grapevine flavours.
Overall I like the Absolut Citron followed by the Absolut Mandrin. It was a nice way to spend a sunny summer evening. The Teahouse is a nice place for a meal anytime of the year. Enjoy the drink pictures below.
