Titos Handmade Premium Texas Vodka 70 cl 40%

In the mid nineties a former geologist stood on the edge of Austin building his own distillery out of second hand equipment and welded pipe. He had no experience with spirits, but he had been making infused vodka for friends and reckoned it could turn into something. It became the first legal distillery in Texas.

Expert description

Tito's Handmade Vodka is an American Vodka distilled from corn in pot stills six times over and bottled at 40%.

The unusual part is the still type. Almost all vodka in the world is made in continuous column plants, because that is the fast and inexpensive way to clean up a spirit. Tito's runs pot stills instead, the same shape you know from Single Malt Whisky and cognac, and every batch is distilled six times. It takes longer and uses more grain, but it allows tasting along the way and cutting the distillate exactly where you want it.

The raw material is corn, and that is what gives the soft, almost creamy character. The vodka is finally filtered through activated charcoal, which strips the last of the sharpness. Because no wheat, rye or barley is involved, Tito's is certified gluten free, and that is one explanation for how big it became in the United States.

The bottle looks the way it does on purpose. Ordinary glass, paper label, no crystal and no artist collaboration. The company is still called Fifth Generation and still sits in Austin, and the money goes into the contents rather than the packaging.

Tasting notes

Nose

Mild and lightly sweet with a trace of corn and vanilla. There is almost no alcoholic sharpness to smell.

Palate

Soft and rounded with a creamy texture. The corn gives a light sweetness, and a fine peppery edge arrives right at the back of the mouth.

Finish

Clean and short. The sweetness drops away immediately and no heat lingers.

Specifications

Name: Tito's Handmade Vodka
Distillery: Tito's Handmade Vodka
Region/Country: Austin, Texas, USA
Type: American Vodka
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Pot distilled six times from corn, filtered through activated charcoal
EAN no.: 619947000112
Serving suggestion: In a Vodka Soda with lime, or in a Bloody Mary where the softness carries the spice.

Flavour profile

Soft · Creamy · Lightly sweet · Clean

Did you know?

The man behind it is called Bert Beveridge, and that is his real surname. He picked up the nickname Tito as a child. Not many people in the drinks trade are born with a better head start.

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Frequently asked questions about Tito's Handmade Vodka

Is Tito's really gluten free?

Yes, and it is certified as such. The vodka is distilled purely from corn, and no wheat, rye or barley enters production. Distillation removes gluten from grain vodkas in practice anyway, but here the raw material is gluten free from the start, which is what allows the certification.

What does handmade mean in practice?

That production runs in batches through pot stills rather than continuously through a column, and that every batch gets tasted. The word is not legally defined, and it has been debated in the United States precisely because the operation is now large. The still type and the batch method are real enough, and they set it apart from the vast majority of vodkas.

Why distil in pot stills when it is slower?

Because a pot still gives control over where the distillate is cut. A column runs continuously and delivers a very clean but also very uniform spirit. With six passes through a pot you can remove the faults and still leave some of the sweetness of the corn behind.

Can you taste the corn?

As softness rather than as corn. There is a creamy texture and a light sweetness that becomes obvious if you compare it side by side with a dry rye vodka. Neat and cool it comes forward, while it disappears in a drink built on citrus.

Does it work in an Espresso Martini?

Yes, and better than many. The soft corn sweetness settles under the coffee instead of cutting through it, and the result is rounder than with a sharp grain vodka. If you want more edge in the drink, cut back the syrup rather than switching vodka.

Is it really the oldest distillery in Texas?

It is the oldest legal distillery in the state. Bert Beveridge was issued the first licence in Texas in the mid nineties, and until then the state had no legal spirits production at all. The plant still sits outside Austin.

Why does the bottle look so ordinary?

Because it is a deliberate choice. Standard bottle, paper label and no decoration has been the line from the beginning, and the argument is that the money belongs in the contents. To see houses taking the opposite approach, browse our Vodka brands.