“Messing with a classic” is always a danger, and Firefly‘s mint-flavored version of its classic Sweet Tea Vodka is indeed a bit of a distraction from what makes this vodka stand out.
The tea character is certainly there, as is a healthy slug of mint. But while that tea remains authentic and smooth, the mint is rough and a bit artificial tasting. This comes across most clearly in the finish, which goes out not with a tapered coda but with an almost harsh sharpness, its touch of Altoids leaving you not ready for sip two but begging instead for an extra splash of water.
Hardly bad — the mint is downplayed in comparison to the tea, on the whole — it’s still not nearly the masterwork its big brother is.
B+ / $18 / fireflyvodka.com
