Heritage & Distillery
Colwith Farm Distillery occupies a position of genuine distinction within the Cornish spirits renaissance — a family-run operation on the Fowey River estuary that has transformed locally grown potatoes into vodka of considerable character since 2016. The Aval Dor range, whose name derives from the Cornish for golden apple, has established itself as one of the more quietly impressive craft vodka brands in the British Isles, a producer whose commitment to terroir and provenance extends well beyond the marketing platitudes that too often substitute for substance in the contemporary spirits landscape.
This particular expression represents a collaboration with Emily Scott, the celebrated Cornish chef whose restaurant at Watergate Bay has earned a devoted following for its seafood-forward, ingredient-led cooking. The partnership is more than a branding exercise — Scott's influence is evident in the selection and balance of citrus botanicals, which bring a culinary precision to the infusion that elevates it above the merely fruity.
Production
The base spirit is Aval Dor's established potato vodka, triple-distilled in a copper pot still from Cornish-grown potatoes whose starchy richness provides a foundation of considerable textural weight. The citrus infusion employs a combination of lemon and orange zest, introduced during a secondary maceration that extracts the aromatic oils without the bitter pith compounds that can mar lesser flavoured vodkas. The result is a spirit that tastes authentically of citrus rather than of citrus flavouring — a distinction that separates serious craft production from industrial flavour-house approximation.
Charcoal filtration smooths the spirit without stripping the potato character, and the bottling at 40% ABV ensures that the citrus aromatics are presented with sufficient alcoholic support to maintain their vibrancy on the palate.
Tasting Notes
The nose is immediately engaging — bright lemon zest and Seville orange peel announce themselves with clarity and confidence, supported by the gentle earthy quality of the potato base and a subtle sea-salt minerality that speaks to the distillery's coastal provenance. On the palate, the vodka is zesty and vivacious, with candied citrus notes balanced by soft vanilla cream and a whisper of fresh herbs. The potato base provides excellent weight, preventing the citrus from becoming shrill or one-dimensional. The finish is medium-long, with the citrus fading cleanly into a warming peppery close.
The Serve
This vodka is particularly accomplished in a Vodka Collins — the citrus infusion works in natural harmony with fresh lemon juice and soda water, creating a drink of exceptional refreshment. Equally, it serves beautifully over ice with a premium tonic and a sprig of fresh thyme, the herbal note drawing out the vodka's subtler botanical qualities.
Verdict
A genuinely successful collaboration that brings culinary sensibility to craft distilling. The Aval Dor x Emily Scott Citrus Vodka earns its place among the better flavoured vodkas available on the British market, and its Cornish provenance lends it a character that mass-produced competitors cannot replicate.
