There are certain words that are just fun to say and Effen happens to be one of them. Supposedly Effen means smooth in Dutch but its close proximity to another word probably doesn’t hurt its reputation either. But, all kidding aside, the folks at Effen take their Vodka very seriously and the Vodka, itself, shouldn’t be overshadowed by its name.
Effen Vodka is a Dutch wheat Vodka based on a 125 year old recipe and tweaked for modern mixology. The Vodka is made through continuous rectification, a process by which the Vodka is continuously circulated through stainless steel columns and is then purified. We don’t know if it’s wheat, the recipe, the input of modern mixologists or the process that makes Effen so great (or maybe all of them) but whatever it is, it works. Plus, the Effen comes in a particularly attractive tall bottle that looks stunning on your shelf or bar.
We know that certain of the cocktail intellengsia think that Vodka is down and out, but we can guarantee you it’s not. Since 1975, Vodka has been the most consumed spirit in the United States and it continues to hold that crown. People love Vodka. It’s easy to mix, goes down easy and can keep the calorie count down (for a mixed drink). Given that Vodka isn’t dead and won’t be anytime soon, we recommend buying good Vodka. Effen fits that bill.
Visually, the Effen is crystal clear with beautiful clarity. On the nose, the Effen has a moderate intensity of citrus, white pepper and a hint of grain. On the palate, the Effen had a bright, crisp, light mouth feel with a medium flavor intensity of grapefruit, lemon, black licorice, anise, cereal and white pepper. Medium plus finish with a zing (especially on the back palate). Outstanding
With its light and crisp body with the white pepper zing, Effen would be great in a Maple Bacon Bloody Mary or the Ginger Bell.
