The Intoxicologist Is In

As a shot this super premium vodka is all tomato.  This is a not a roll around on the tongue to savor the flavor type of vodka.  The typical vodka drinker will not want to savor the taste, texture and feel of the Three Olives Tomato Vodka unless of course they are a huge tomato fan.  While it definitely has the aroma and essence of tomato, it lacked a certain depth in my opinion.  Possibly I would refer to it as thin, because the tomato lacked proper support from the other infused flavors.  My taste buds could not distinguish any of the pepper, horseradish or spices that are infused in with the tomato. 

At first glance at the recipes for the new vodka, they were not the inventive, distinctive cocktails my fellow enthusiasts and I were hoping for.  There were of course the traditional Bloody Mary types and two others that were a bit odd to say the least.  For a company with such a vast line of premium infused vodkas, the distinguished reputation it has and the exclusivity of this flavor of vodka, the recipes seemed to be lacking in distinctiveness and zest.

The Bloody Martini fell flat as Three Olive’s number one of the four Tomato Vodka recipes.  If it were not for the Stirrings Bloody Mary Rimmer this cocktail would have no flavor at all.  The cocktail is bland.  It calls for a “dash” of spicy Bloody Mary Mix.  This is a difficult measurement for the average bartender, let alone a home bartender looking up the recipe online.  Does one know what a “dash” of this or that is?  Doubtful.  Typically there are 36 dashes in an ounce.  A dash is a general term for minuscule quantities.  A person is seasoning to taste.  I put more hot sauce than the 3-4 drops and an entire half ounce (approx. 18 dashes) of spicy Bloody Mary mix into the Bloody Martini.  Neither helped add enough flavor to this cocktail.  However, Three Olives stepped up their game with a highly inventive garnish.  Too many times cocktails rely on the tried and true lime wheel, olive, or in the case of the Bloody Mary; a celery stalk for garnish.  The Bloody Martini has a clever, out of the ordinary speared grape tomato and mozzarella ball garnish.  The garnish is what makes this cocktail memorable.

The Diablo Rojo appears to be Three Olives version of the classic Bloody Mary on ice in a tall glass.  Going heavy on the dashes of hot sauce in this cocktail did not do enough to give this drink enough flavor.  I am not one to rely on mixes for any number of classic cocktails, but especially not a Bloody Mary.  Any number of spices needed for a Bloody Mary may be found in the refrigerator or spice cabinet.  Instead of relying on a Bloody Mary mix keep Clamato or Tomato juice handy.  Then a few items from your pantry and a fresh lime for added flavor are all you need to mix your own Bloody Mary.  An earlier post (Bloody Mary Sunday) breaks down a wonderful recipe.  Beware…it does call for dashes according to your personal taste. 

A couple of weeks ago I played around with flavored syrups.  It was a pleasant surprise to see that I already had Basil Infused Syrup on hand for Morning Sunshine.  The first scent of Morning Sunshine is the overwhelming tomato.  But then the sweet hits you in the taste.  The cocktail is not too sweet; however the taste is rather odd.  It is not the basil syrup by itself or the orange juice by itself or even the Tomato Vodka alone.  It is the combination as a whole.  They do not seem to mingle as one.  Again, Three Olives came through with a unique and interesting garnish.  Morning Sunshine uses a cherry tomato, orange wedge flag garnish with sprig of basil.  This garnish is a nice diversion from the ordinary.

There are a lot of varieties of Mojitos on the cocktail scene at the moment.  Honestly, I never thought I would see a Tomajito.  Three Olives apparently think they can pull this one off.  If you are a tomato lover, you will definitely love this one.  I think.  There is a lot of soda taste, not too sweet and most unquestionably the tomato is there.  I for one can not get past the tomato flavor.  This garnish too added personality and color to this cocktail with the vibrant green lime and cherry tomato flag. 

Three Olives Tomato Vodka in my opinion may not be a shot or on the rocks type vodka, but it has tremendous potential for a Bloody Mary.  After all, vodka and tomato are two important ingredients in a Bloody Mary cocktail are they not?  But, find a Bloody Mary recipe that suits your palate.  There are Tomato Based Vodka Recipes in my pages section that may be altered to your taste, use the recipe in the Bloody Mary Sunday post or use another.  But give Three Olives Tomato Vodka a try.  Neither my review nor anyone else’s review can taste it for you.  Only you can do that for yourself.  If you are a serious Bloody Mary drinker, Three Olives Tomato Vodka is a vodka you should try.