Aber Falls is primarily known for its Welsh whisky, but the distillery in Abergwyngregyn also produces a clean, well-made vodka from grain. At 40% ABV, it is a straightforward spirit designed to showcase the quality of Welsh water — drawn from the Aber Falls waterfall that gives the distillery its name — rather than any exotic production technique.
Wales is not a country traditionally associated with vodka, which gives Aber Falls the advantage of novelty and the burden of proving that the novelty is warranted. On the evidence of this bottling, it is. The spirit is smooth, clean, and sufficiently characterful to stand on its own while remaining versatile enough for cocktails.
The nose is clean and neutral, with faint grain sweetness and a mineral freshness from the Welsh water. The palate is smooth — soft grain, gentle sweetness, and a texture that is rounder than its modest specification might suggest. There is a simplicity here that is appealing rather than limiting.
The finish is clean and short, with a gentle warmth. It is not a vodka that will win awards for complexity, but it does what it sets out to do — provide a quality Welsh vodka at a fair price. For those collecting spirits from every corner of the British Isles, Aber Falls fills the Welsh slot capably.
