Arbikie Haar Wheat Vodka Highland Estate 70 cl 43%

On some mornings you cannot see the North Sea from Arbikie, even though it sits right there. The cold coastal fog the Scots call haar rolls in across Lunan Bay and settles around the distillery like a sheet. This bottle is named after that fog.

Expert description

Arbikie Haar Wheat Vodka is a Scottish Vodka distilled from Zulu wheat grown on the Arbikie Distillery fields and bottled at 43%.

The wheat variety is called Zulu and grows in the fields known as Black Laws, a short walk from the distillery. That both the variety and the field can be named says something about the way the place works: the raw material is followed all the way through rather than bought in as finished neutral spirit.

Wheat gives a softer and sweeter distillate than barley, and Arbikie has chosen not to strip that character out. Vanilla and caramel sit in the glass as a result. Those are notes usually associated with cask maturation, but here they come from the grain and the distillation alone.

The distillery suggests it in an Espresso Martini, or with cloudy apple juice, soda and a squeeze of lime. Both play on the caramel sweetness sitting at the bottom of the bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Apple and caramel, clear and inviting. Behind them sit a thread of baked wheat and a faint floral note.

Palate

Creamy and round with vanilla up front. Caramel follows, and a light spice arrives last to keep the sweetness in check.

Finish

Medium and soft. Vanilla and caramel fade out while the spice stays behind.

Specifications

Name: Arbikie Haar Wheat Vodka
Distillery: Arbikie Distillery
Region/Country: Angus, Scotland
Type: Scottish Vodka
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5060398440104
Serving suggestion: In an Espresso Martini, or with cloudy apple juice, soda and a squeeze of lime.

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Caramel · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

Arbikie also makes whisky, but has decided to release it only at 14, 18 and 21 years old. Each bottling will carry both the vintage and the name of the field the barley grew in.

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Frequently asked questions about Arbikie Haar Wheat Vodka

What does the name Haar mean?

Haar is the Scots word for the cold sea fog that drifts in from the North Sea and settles over the east coast. It is a regular visitor at Lunan Bay where the distillery sits, and the name is a direct nod to the weather there.

Why does it taste of vanilla and caramel without cask ageing?

Because those notes come from the grain and the distillation. Wheat yields a sweeter distillate than barley, and when it is not stripped back to neutral there is something left to taste. No cask maturation is involved.

Which wheat is used?

A variety called Zulu, grown in the Black Laws fields close to the distillery. Arbikie records both the variety and the field, so the raw material can be traced back to the piece of ground it stood on.

How is it best drunk?

Cold and neat in a small glass if you want the full caramel side. In a drink it handles anything where sweetness and spice can work together. Browse more bases across our range of Vodka.

Does it work in an Espresso Martini?

Yes, and it is the distillery recommendation. The caramel and vanilla lift the coffee instead of disappearing behind it, and 43% holds the drink together even once sugar and liqueur go in.

Is it sweet?

Not sugar-sweet, but rounder than most vodkas. The sweetness comes from the wheat and reads mostly as texture and a warm caramel note rather than as actual sugar. Nothing is added after distillation.

What else does Arbikie make?

Gin, vodka and whisky, all from crops grown on the farm in Angus. The range includes a potato vodka and a climate positive vodka made from peas, so the spread is wider than at most distilleries.