Poppins Family Original Sour Mash Vodka USA 75 cl 46,2%

In Bardstown, Kentucky, almost everything is about bourbon. Limestone below the ground, corn fields above it, and a mashing method handed down since the 1800s. Now and then the spirit does not go into an oak barrel but becomes vodka instead. Poppins is one of those.

Expert description

Poppins Family Original Sour Mash Vodka is an American Vodka from Willett Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, distilled from corn and rye in small batches and bottled at 46.2%.

Sour mash is the single most important trick in the bourbon world, and it is rare to meet it in a vodka. The method takes a portion of the spent, acidic mash from the previous distillation and stirs it into the new one. The acidity keeps unwanted bacteria down, the yeast gets better working conditions, and every batch carries a little of the one before. It is continuity turned into technique.

The bottling strength of 46.2% is the other clear decision. Most vodkas stop at 40%, and the extra degrees register immediately: more weight, more warmth and a plainer grain character from the corn and the rye. This is not a vodka that vanishes inside a drink.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet grain and a touch of vanilla. Behind it sits a dry rye spice of the kind you meet in young whiskey.

Palate

Full and broad. Corn sweetness leads, then a peppery rye note, and the alcohol gives a clear shove halfway through.

Finish

Long and dry. The warmth holds while the sweetness falls away, leaving the spice standing on its own.

Specifications

Name: Poppins Family Original Sour Mash Vodka
Distillery: Willett Distillery
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: American Vodka
ABV: 46.2%
Size: 75 CL
Distillation method: Sour mash, small batch
EAN no.: 680203010169
Serving suggestion: As a Screwdriver with freshly squeezed orange, or cold in a small glass alongside smoked food.

Flavour profile

Full · Grain sweet · Spicy · Powerful

Did you know?

Willett was founded in 1936 on the family farm in Bardstown, shortly after Prohibition was lifted. The distillery is still family owned, and very few bourbon houses in Kentucky can say the same.

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Frequently asked questions about Poppins Family Original Sour Mash Vodka

Does it taste of bourbon?

No, but the kinship shows. There is no cask maturation, so you get neither oak, caramel nor colour. What you do get is a grain sweetness and a rye spice underneath that many will recognise from young, unaged whiskey.

What does small batch mean here?

That few and small runs are made at a time. It allows more control along the way and a little variation from batch to batch, but it also means large volumes never reach the market at once.

Why is the bottle 75 cl and not 70?

Because that is the American standard size. 75 cl equals 750 ml, the normal bottle in the United States, while Europe usually works in 70 cl. You are getting five centilitres more than a typical European bottle holds.

How is it best drunk?

Cold, but give it room. The strength makes it turn hard as an ice-cold shot; fridge temperature in a small glass suits it better. Try it beside smoked salmon or grilled food, where the grain sweetness has something to answer.

Which drinks suit it?

The classic Screwdriver with freshly squeezed orange is the house suggestion and works precisely because the juice cannot drown the vodka. It also holds a Moscow Mule or a Bloody Mary. For more ideas, browse our Vodka brands.

Should I adjust recipes because of the strength?

Often, yes. At 46.2% against the usual 40%, a drink becomes noticeably heavier. Cut roughly a tenth off the vodka measure, or give it a little more ice, if you want to land on the strength the recipe was written for.

What else does Willett make?

Bourbon and rye whiskey, and that is where their reputation comes from. The distillery sits on a hill outside Bardstown with its own warehouses, and their bottlings are collected by people around the world.