When I poured the first shot of Ivanabitch Tobacco, the tobacco smell hit my nose like a shot. This vodka doesn’t smell like cigarettes. It smells like sweet, pure tobacco. I don’t know where my affinity for this fragrance originated. I detest cigarettes, but I have some fond feeling for the smell of raw tobacco. It is sweet and deeply organic; it is from the earth but etherial because this particular sweetness is atypical of plants in the same way that Stevia is an oddity. So, the goal of this vodka flavor is to encapsulate the aroma that shouldn’t exist but somehow does. It is a tall order, and the initial nose nails that sickly sweet smell.

The Shot

Ivanabitch Tobacco lives up to its name. The vodka is completely masked by the tobacco flavor, and the tobacco flavor is a spot-on, perfect match of my fond, inexplicable memory of tobacco. It’s incredibly sweet and easy to sip, which is ideal for a flavored vodka. Unless you are averse to the smell of raw tobacco, this vodka would be hard not to enjoy if for no other reason than it is horribly unique.

The Mixed Drink

I’m not a mixologist, so Ivanabitch Tobacco was a daunting task for a cocktail. I didn’t think my normal favorite cocktails would work, so I tried to get a recipe off of Ivanabitch’s website. Unfortunately, there were only two that I could find, and neither of them suited my specific needs. So, I made some modifications to their Choco Puff recipe. A Choco Puff is 1 oz Ivanabitch Tobacco vodka, 1 oz Godiva Liqueur, and 2 oz cream. I got a chocolate cream liqueur instead of Godiva and cream.

I was happy with my modifications. Of course, the chocolate cream liqueur is wonderful, but the sweetness of Ivanabitch Tobacco ever so slightly reminds me that it is in the mix. The sweetness of the vodka complements the chocolate. It’s not quite peanut butter and chocolate, but it’s a pretty good drink.

The other recipe, the Smoking Hottie Shooter, contained cinnamon schnapps and Tobasco. That is not the kind of drink I enjoy. Given that there were only two recipes, I hope Ivanabitch (or any good mixologist) takes a stab at Ivanabitch Tobacco. It’s such a unique flavor that there must be very interesting cocktails that are just waiting to be uncovered.

Final Opinion

Ivanabitch Tobacco is a unique entry into the ever growing flavored vodka market. Fortunately, it’s also very tasty straight or in a cocktail. Given that it is relatively new to the scene, I expect enterprising mixologists could create some very unique concoctions. So, keep an eye out and order a shot or cocktail the next time you see this vodka.

Rated 5 out of 5.