Heritage & Concept
The Nettle expression represents perhaps the most adventurous entry in Cambridge Distillery's Meadow Mist vodka range. Nettles — those ubiquitous, sting-bearing plants that carpet the British countryside — are not an obvious choice for a spirits botanical, yet they have a long history of culinary and medicinal use that stretches back centuries. Cambridge harvests its nettles from the farm and garden near the distillery, bringing the same field-to-bottle philosophy to this expression as to its verbena sibling. The result is a vodka that will divide opinion — nettle is not a universally beloved flavour — but that rewards the open-minded drinker with a genuinely distinctive sensory experience.
Tasting Notes
The nose is immediately distinctive — fresh green nettle, earthy minerality, hay meadow, and a hint of cucumber that suggests an English garden in high summer. This is not a vodka that could be mistaken for anything else, and the novelty of the aromatics is part of the appeal. On the palate, the spirit is herbaceous and green, with distinctive nettle character providing the defining note, earthy depth adding substance, and a clean, crisp wheat backbone maintaining balance. The overall impression is unusual and genuinely interesting — a spirit that asks the drinker to engage with an unfamiliar flavour profile and rewards those who accept the invitation.
The finish is medium in length, with lingering green herbs, mineral earthiness, and a dry close. The nettle character persists pleasantly, never becoming aggressive or unpleasant.
Verdict
Cambridge Meadow Mist Nettle is not a vodka for everyone — the nettle character is distinctive enough to polarise opinion, and those who prefer their vodka clean and neutral will find it challenging. For the adventurous drinker, however, this is a genuinely interesting spirit that demonstrates Cambridge Distillery's exceptional skill with unusual botanicals. Try it in a Dirty Martini for a surprisingly effective combination.
