You may remember us telling you about the latest vodka flavor to shock us into disbelief earlier this fall. Ivanabitch, commonly referred to as “ashtray in a bottle,” here at DIA, sent us three bottles of their vodka: Tobacco, Menthol Tobacco and their original recipe. It was definitely the most interesting tasting we’ve had here at Drinking In America. Disclaimer: there is no actual tobacco in the vodka. Here’s what we thought:
Ivanabitch Tobacco: We’ve said it before and we’ll say it now: we’ll try anything in the name of alcohol. That was our mindset when we opened up Ivanabitch Tobacco. The scent reminded us of a cigar box with a distinct smoky, almost peppery smell. We’re no wimps so we poured this straight (no mixer) and were shocked by the taste. It’s not the cigarette-laced flavor we were expecting but sweet, sugary and syrupy. The flavor didn’t match the smell at all but still wasn’t a crowd pleaser. Too much sweetness and a strong tobacco smell made it less than enjoyable.
Ivanabitch Menthol Tobacco: We wish we could say there was something special about this flavor, but it was basically Ivanabitch Tobacco with mint. The smell was identical to the original Tobacco flavor and the menthol was barely noticeable. When we sipped it, the sugary syrup flavor came through but was even sweeter than the Tobacco, to the point where we had to stop drinking. We’re confused: why would a tobacco flavored vodka be so sweet?
Ivanabitch Original: Or should we say rubbing alcohol? Of all the vodkas we’ve tasted in our days, this one has to be the worst. We knew from the first whiff that it would be tough going down but we weren’t prepared for the intense vodka burn. Ivanabitch Original had a harsh taste and even one sip was enough to turn us away.
At $12.99 a bottle, we would only suggest this to those that are feeling brave or oddly inclined to drink super-sweet tobacco vodka. The strong smell is a turn off and the sugary flavor isn’t what we’re looking for. If you choose to grab a bottle, proceed with caution.