Product: Zodiac Vodka Producer: Zodiac Distillers Approximate Retail Value: $25/bottle Category: Vodka Country of Origin: Idaho, USA Reviewer: J. Harding The F Words: Flavor – Crisp, fresh. Feel – Thick, smooth. Finish – Clear, sharp.

Rating:

Idaho is not the potato state; it’s the gem state. I know this because I did a very elaborate state project in fifth grade about Idaho. At the time, I was a little upset that I got stuck with a state prone to mockery and not a really cool state, like Arizona or Hawaii. But you know what, drinking Zodiac Vodka makes me feel a lot better about Idaho. I sort of wish I could go back in time and rewrite my fifth grade report and talk more about all the great alcohol that comes from Idaho.

Seriously, Zodiac makes me rethink about the lackluster charms of Idaho. The first thing you’ll notice about Zodiac is its complete lack of scent. Vodka is supposed to be the tasteless, odorless liquor, but almost all vodkas manage to have a distinct fiery, alcoholic smell. Not so with Zodiac—it might as well be a bottle full of water. There’s nothing more refreshing than finding a distiller of vodka who gets it pure enough to be odorless. Zodiac also mixes incredibly well. My vodka tonic was sharp and crisp, hitting my palate just right. Cranberry juice blended beautifully and my screwdriver was among the best I’ve ever had. My martini was not one of the best, for reasons I’ll explain later, but my white Russian knocked it out of the park. All in all, Zodiac makes stupendous cocktails.

All is not well in Idaho, though. Zodiac is oddly thicker than other vodkas; so much so that drinking it without something added in was very disconcerting. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that it’s made from potatoes or it’s some other aspect of the production of the vodka, but I would not recommend Zodiac straight. It might very well have been the thickness that made my cocktails so enjoyable, which is a tradeoff I’m more than willing to make. Still, Zodiac has managed to produce an odd spirit, one that smells like nothing, and tastes like nothing else. It’s viscous, it’s an amazing mixer, and it comes from potatoes made in Idaho, which, in case you were wondering, is the gem state. Its state bird is the Mountain Bluebird and its state dance is the square dance and its state horse is…