Cocktail Glory with Godminster Infused Vodka Spirits

The first week of Autumn has officially passed and it's that time of year where there's a chill in the air, and sometimes, it's nicer to just stay indoors. And what better way to pass the weekend than making cocktails? This weekend, I've been experimenting in my lab (ok, kitchen) with some flavour infused vodka spirits from organic farm, Godminster, in Somerset (also famed for their delicious cheeses).

Gone are the days when the words 'flavoured vodka' meant reaching for a bottle of Green Apple Smirnoff - the market has matured and we're now seeking out smaller producers. Keen to know exactly what we're drinking and where it's come from, it's (dare I say it) trendy to turn to more local produce, even if it means spending a little more.

Made from English vodka (distilled in London) and infused with fruits, roots and flowers at the farm in Burton, Somerset, the range at Godminster is small but perfectly formed. Their Blackcurrant Vodka (£24.00), Elderflower Vodka (£22.00), and Horseradish Vodka (£22.00), can be bought on the website, individually by 35cl bottle, or if you like the sound of all three, you can pick up the Triple Tipple pack for £15.66 which includes a 5cl bottle of each.

To jazz up the Blackcurrant Vodka, the Godminster folk suggest we 'Pour into the bottom of a champagne coupe and top-up with cold champagne', akin to a Kir Royale. We think it would also work well in a Berrytini;

5cl Godminster Blackcurrant Vodka Spirit
Splash of  Framboise raspberry liqueur

Pour the vodka and framboise into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, and strain into a chilled cocktail (hurricane) glass. Garnish with raspberries, and serve.

Cocktail shakers aside, I whipped up a rustic Cloudy Apple & Elderflower Fizz (I also named it myself, so any other suggestions would be welcome!). It's the end of the apple season and my tree still has a few lone apples ready to be used, so I used fresh apples for this one, cooked them with a little brown sugar and then smashed them...

2 apples, cooked and smashed

5cl Godminster Elderflower Vodka Spirit

Moscato d'Asti to top up with

Add a spoonful of smashed apple and the Elderflower vVodka to a glass (any one will do!), add a few ice cubes and stir with the end of a spoon. Top up with Moscato and enjoy!

If you wanted to get really fancy you could strain through a cocktail shaker, but I liked having the soft bits of apple. Moscato is a perfect partner as it's sweet, fizzy, low in alcohol and tastes of crushed apples.

Created with the Bloody Mary in mind, I was given no other choice that to make this classic with the Horseradish Vodka Spirit. I was missing a couple of the traditional ingredients but winged it with what I did have...

5cl Godminster Horseradish Vodka Spirit

Tomato juice

Worcestershire Sauce

Lime juice

Salt

Pepper

Celery stalk for garnish

In a tall glass, add the Horseradish Vodka and ice. Top up with tomato juice then add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, a splash of lime juice and a twist of salt and black pepper. Add a celery stick for garnish and use to stir. Enjoy the morning after a big night (or a day at a wedding should do it)....I did, and it worked a treat!

With their uber-cool packaging, these little bottles are full of alcoholic joy, and what's more, they're made here in the UK. So for the sake of helping out the little guys, for God(minster)'s sake, get yourself some fruity or rooty vodka from a family run, Somerset favourite.

Godminster has released a number of other flavour infused vodka spirits over the last few years, including Cucumber, Sloe, Quince and Rhubarb. Have you had the pleasure of trying them? If so, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch via our Twitter or Facebook pages.