Hangar 1 Vodka is one of those vodkas I’ve seen quite a few times, but never bothered to try. Today, I’ll see what it’s all about.

The Shot

Hangar 1 Vodka is essentially flavorless in the mouth. To boot, it’s totally smooth on the way down. There is an odd aftertaste that I can’t put my finger on except to say it’s probably the flavor Trump Vodka was going for but failed. It’s not unpleasant, but it is a surprise the first time around. This vodka is great straight and doesn’t need a chaser.

After spending a week with Hangar 1 Vodka, I’ve changed my mind. Hangar 1 has a bad flavor in the mouth. When I first tried it, the vodka seemed flavorless, but the more I had throughout the week, the worse it got. It still doesn’t require a chaser, but it really helps to get rid of the very odd and stomach-churning flavor. Hangar 1 “straight” is purportedly amazing in a martini. I don’t drink martinis, but drinking this straight isn’t terribly impressive. I’ve had worse, though. So, the rating has dropped from 5 to 3.

The Mixed Drink

I mixed Hangar 1 Vodka orange juice at one part vodka to two parts OJ. Hangar 1 seemed to pull the sweetness of the juice, and replaced it with the odd flavor I discussed above. It’s certainly not the best screwdriver I’ve had, but it’s palatable.

Opinions

Hangar 1 Vodka is a great shooting vodka. The neutral flavor in the mouth combined with the smooth saunter down to the stomach ranks this vodka up. The lackluster screwdriver, though, should be a warning for cocktail drinkers. If you’re into straight vodka, try Hangar 1. If you’re into cocktails, you could find something better, though it wouldn’t be hard to find something worse.