Buffalo, New York’s first distillery since Prohibition is Lockhouse, and its eponymous Lockhouse Vodka is its first product. (A gin is now also available.) Column-distilled from local grapes, it’s an unusual spirit in the increasingly familiar vodka space.

A pungent nose offers the immediate connotation of a white whiskey, with hospital notes mingled with toasted grains. The body however is a study in cacophony. At first, aromatic notes reminiscent of Muscat or Riesling grapes roll across the tongue, offering a spicy and floral character. This doesn’t linger, however. Those grainy, almost hoary, notes make a rapid return here to the palate, giving the bulk of the body an intense astringency. The finish is earthy and funky when it should be fresh and bracing. An acquired taste, I think.

80 proof.

C+ / $38 / lockhousedistillery.com

Lockhouse Vodka

$38

6

Rating

6.0/10