One of the reasons there’s been a lack of posts for the past few months – other than the site redesign – is because I’ve been doing research. A lot of it. One thing that’s kept me busier, and drunker for that matter, than a New Orleans judge during Mardi Gras is the new line of Firefly Vodka flavors that were recently introduced.
I’m pretty sure that this is a first for the alcohol industry. An infused, infused vodka. I don’t even know the proper way to write that. Is it infused-infused vodka?
although I usually leave the flavored vodkas to the sorority girls, my instincts told me I needed to try the new Firefly flavors in the name of The South, journalism, and science.
Would it be a complete abomination like all the other flavor-infused vodkas? Would it tarnish the reputation of a brand destined for greatness? Or would it be the proverbial icing on the cake?
Firefly released four flavors. Raspberry (which until now I never realized there was a P in raspberry), Mint, Lemon, and Peach. First up to bat was the raspberry.
The first thing I found was there’s really no discernible raspberry smell to the vodka. Now I knew from experience original Firefly wasn’t really a vodka to drink straight. It’s kind of like drinking a shot of actual sweet tea before you add water and sugar to dilute it. This version was no different. The strong undiluted tea flavor was too overpowering for me to make out even the slightest nuance of raspberries.
I decided to try adding some water but it just didn’t seem to do the trick like with regular firefly. I then decided it was time to go Spiked Arnold Palmer on its ass and mixed it half and half with some Simply Orange Lemonade.
Jackpot.
The taste hearkened me back to my days at Applebee’s when the raspberry tea flowed like wine when northerners who flocked to Disneyland like the salmon of Capistrano ordered it by the gallons.
It tasted as good, if not better than the original Firefly Spiked Arnold Palmer. The thing is the raspberry isn’t overpowering. The fact that this is sweet tea vodka still takes center stage in the taste. The raspberry comes into play more in the aftertaste than anything else. The one thing I wish I would have tried was making a Daily Palmer.
It’s like your drinking it and thinking, “Man this is good sweet tea,” then after you swallow and exhale you get just a hint of the raspberry that almost seems to cleanse your palate for the next sip.
The funny thing is this flavored vodka makes a great digestif. Which for those of you who are drunk means, ” Is a great after-dinner drink.” The first night I tried it was after I had a great grilled rib eye and was full as a tick. This is actually one of the few liquors that are good to drink on these hot and humid Florida nights.
The Verdict
Unlike all the other infused vodkas, Firefly Raspberry definitely has a place in my collection. Since my first taste, I’ve spent several afternoons on my back porch watching the sun settle behind the trees while drinking Raspberry Firefly Vodka. Firefly also has a pretty cool new site that you can check out to get stuff like recipes and cool gear.
Ah! Thank you for this! Raspberry Firefly was on sale yesterday, and I made a slight impulse-buy. Was thinking of mixing it with soda and mint, but this Palmer was outrageous. Thanks!
Hi Bubba – You said you’ve been doing research lately and I was wondering if you’ve done a taste test between Firefly and Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka? Jeremiah Weed also makes a Peach Tea, so you could do a double taste test. I prefer Jeremiah Weed hands down. It’s not too sweet and it mixes really well in simple lemonade or in more elaborate cocktails. It was my Summer cocktail of choice and hasn’t gone away yet this Fall!
Technically, an aperitif is taken before the meal. It comes from the same Latin root as “aperture” – an opening, if you will. You probably meant “digestif,” which is taken afterward.
@Warren: You are correct sir! Thanks for pointing that out. I changed it.