Bodegas Cruz Conde VDKA Blue Premium Spanish Vodka Liqueur 70 cl 17%

Blue has always been the bartender shortcut to making a glass look like something. Here the colour comes from Andalusia, from a house that has otherwise spent more than a century on cask aged wine, and behind the blue hides passion fruit.

Expert description

Bodegas Cruz Conde VDKA Blue is a Spanish Vodka Liqueur with passion fruit from Montilla in Andalusia, bottled at 17%.

The spirit is made at the house distillery, Destilerias La Cordobesa, where copper stills from the first half of the twentieth century are still in service. It is the same place the family produces anis, pacharan, brandy, rum, gin and whisky, and the VDKA range is simply the most modern branch on a fairly old tree.

At 17% Blue falls outside the vodka category. The European Union draws the line at 37.5%, which is why the producer calls the range a spirit drink derived from vodka. That is a deliberate decision: a liqueur at this strength can carry a whole drink without making it strong, and it can be poured generously without taking command of the glass.

The passion fruit is the real difference. It brings a tart tropical edge that suits the loud blue far better than plain sweetness would. Mixed with citrus and ice it becomes the kind of drink people photograph before they drink it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Passion fruit and a hint of mango. Lemon peel and a light sugar sweetness sit behind them.

Palate

Sweet and tart at once, and lively with it. The tropical fruit fills the middle and the acidity cuts through before the sweetness can settle.

Finish

Short, fresh and slightly tart. The fruit lets go quickly and the mouth comes clean again.

Specifications

Name: Bodegas Cruz Conde VDKA Blue
Producer: Bodegas Cruz Conde
Region/Country: Montilla, Andalusia, Spain
Type: Spanish Vodka Liqueur with passion fruit
ABV: 17%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 8413026817347
Serving suggestion: Over crushed ice with pineapple juice and lime, or topped with sparkling water in a tall glass.

Flavour profile

Passion fruit · Tropical · Sweet and tart · Cocktail friendly

Did you know?

The same distillery in Montilla also makes whisky and agave distillates. An Andalusian bodega that fills Pedro Ximenez into casks and runs agave through copper stills belongs among the rarities of Spain.

See our full range of Vodka

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently asked questions about Bodegas Cruz Conde VDKA Blue

Why can VDKA Blue not be called vodka?

Because the strength is too low. The European Union sets the minimum for vodka at 37.5% and Blue sits at 17%. The producer describes it as a spirit drink derived from vodka, which in practice means a vodka liqueur with added flavour, sweetness and colour.

Where does the blue colour come from?

From added colouring, not from the fruit. Passion fruit is yellow, so the blue is a deliberate choice meant to be visible across a bar. The colour changes nothing about the taste, but it changes the expectation before the glass reaches your mouth.

What does it taste like?

Passion fruit with a touch of mango and lemon peel. There is sweetness, but the acidity of the tropical fruit keeps it awake, and the finish is shorter and fresher than the colour would suggest.

Which drinks does it work best in?

Anything where you want both colour and fruit. Pineapple juice and lime over crushed ice is the direct route, and sparkling water turns it into a light summer drink. It also works floated on top of a cocktail, laying a blue layer over everything below.

What is the difference between Blue and Red?

The fruit. Blue is tropical with passion fruit up front, while Red pulls towards strawberry and raspberry and reads clearly sweeter. Everything else is the same, so you are choosing a flavour direction and a colour.

How should it be stored?

Cool and dark, and ideally in the fridge once opened. Sugar and low alcohol strength make a liqueur more fragile than a vodka, and the colour can fade if the bottle stands in sunlight. Drink it within a year or so and the fruit will still be fresh.

Where is it produced?

At Destilerias La Cordobesa in Montilla, which belongs to Bodegas Cruz Conde. The house spirits are distilled there in copper stills, some of them dating from the first half of the twentieth century. More Spanish and international houses sit in our Vodka Brands.