Arbikie Tattie Bogle Potato Vodka Highland Estate 70 cl 43%

Before the potato fields above Lunan Bay turned into vodka, scarecrows stood in them. The Scots called them tattie bogles, and they kept watch over the rows for generations. The name has stayed with a bottle that still begins in the same place: down in the soil.

Expert description

Arbikie Tattie Bogle Potato Vodka is a Scottish Vodka distilled from three potato varieties grown on the Arbikie Distillery fields and bottled at 43%.

The varieties are Maris Piper, King Edward and Cultra, and they are lifted when the starch is at its best. Potatoes give a heavier, fatter distillate than grain, and that weight is what carries the whole flavour picture. This is vodka with a body, not one polished down to water.

Arbikie calls the method field to bottle. Growing, harvesting, fermenting, distilling, bottling and labelling all happen on the farm in Angus, so every bottle traces back to the field the crop stood in. That is rare in vodka, where most producers buy neutral spirit in from elsewhere.

The bottle was named UK Vodka of the Year at the World Drink Awards, and it shows itself best where texture matters. A Dry Martini with a dry vermouth is the place to start.

Tasting notes

Nose

Creamy and mild with black pepper at the edges. Behind it sits something faintly sweet and floury, like potatoes just off the boil.

Palate

Silky and full. Black pepper arrives halfway through, and underneath it lies a suggestion of pear and cooked grain. No sharp edges anywhere.

Finish

Soft and medium length. The pepper lingers while the weight slowly releases its grip.

Specifications

Name: Arbikie Tattie Bogle Potato Vodka
Distillery: Arbikie Distillery
Region/Country: Angus, Scotland
Type: Scottish Vodka
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5060398440005
Serving suggestion: In a Dry Martini with a dry vermouth, or cold in a small glass where the texture has room.

Flavour profile

Creamy · Silky · Peppery · Full-bodied

Did you know?

The very first spirit to run off the Arbikie stills was this potato vodka. The distillery is built into an old cattle shed on the farm, and the vodka reached the market before both the gin and the whisky followed.

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Frequently asked questions about Arbikie Tattie Bogle Potato Vodka

Which potatoes is it made from?

Maris Piper, King Edward and Cultra. All three are grown on the family farm in Angus and lifted when the starch is at its peak. The blend of varieties is part of the recipe rather than an accident.

Does potato vodka taste different from grain vodka?

Yes, and the difference sits mostly in the mouth. Potato distillate is heavier and fatter and lies across the tongue, where grain vodka is often lighter and drier. Put the two side by side and the gap is hard to miss.

How should I serve it?

Cold, but not straight from the freezer. Around ten degrees it keeps its creamy texture, while deep cold tightens it up and shuts the pepper down. A small tulip-shaped glass helps gather the aroma.

Does it contain grain?

No. Potatoes, water and yeast go into it and nothing else. That makes it an easy answer when someone at the table avoids wheat, barley and rye, and it is also the reason for the full texture.

What does field to bottle mean?

That every step happens in one place. Arbikie grows the crop, harvests it, ferments, distils, bottles and applies the label on the farm itself. That is a long way from the industry norm, where neutral spirit is often bought in by the tanker.

Does it work in a Martini?

Yes, and that is probably its strongest role. The full texture gives the drink body, and the pepper plays against a dry vermouth. If you want to try other bases in the same drink, browse our range of Vodka.

Where is Arbikie Distillery?

On a farm in Angus on the east coast of Scotland, looking out over Lunan Bay. The Stirling family has farmed the land for four generations, and records of a distillery on the site go back to 1794.