My parents go to AppleJacks in Denver, Colorado before they head up to Breckenridge. I’d never been. So, I was surprised by the size and selection of vodkas. When I was in California, I spent a lot of time at BevMo. BevMo doesn’t compare to AppleJacks. I was overwhelmed.

After much browsing, Erin and I decided on a couple to take to the condo. Silver Tree was the first one that really stuck out. It wasn’t that the bottle was really interesting. It is a subtle bottle. What ended up catching our eye was the hand writing on the bottle: 07-10. After doing the research, it turns out that Silver Tree is a small batch vodka. It’s the first one I’ve had. The handwriting was the batch and bottle number. According to the website, batches have subtly different flavors, though the major taste is the same. While I can only speak for the bottle I bought, it should be a good indication of the vodka in general.

The intrigue drove me to crack open this vodka first. Not chilled, the initial odor was overpowering. I was afraid I bought a fairly expensive bottle of hand crafted crap. I was wrong.

The Shot

The taste is as subtle as the bottle. The shot is smooth and warm. While I won’t pretend that I can make out the individual elements, the combination makes for a unique taste that is very easy on the tongue. The aftertaste is clean, and the ethanol burn is minimal. This is a great shooter.

The Mixed Drink

I tried Silver Tree in a tried-and-true screw driver. The qualities that make Silver Tree vodka a great shooter make it a poor mixer. A good mixing vodka will blend with the mixer in such a way that it doesn’t overpower. A great mixing vodka will enhance the mixer. Silver Tree’s unique flavor was distracting. While the taste wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t a screw driver.

Opinions

Erin was afraid to shoot it. She mixed with Sugar Free Rockstar, and came to the same conclusion as above. It takes away from the mixer. My mom called the shot smooth, with no after taste and no burn. She called her screw driver smooth.

I liked Silver Tree vodka as a shooter. It’s not the best I’ve ever had, but it’s a unique flavor that I’d definitely buy again. I’d rather pay a little less for it, but you pay a price for the unique small batch method.