This is a bottle from another era entirely. Produced by Martini & Rossi in Italy during the 1950s, this Eristow vodka — the brand now known as Eristoff — is a genuine collector's item that also happens to be surprisingly good to drink.
The nose reveals a spirit that has mellowed beautifully over the decades. There is a soft grain sweetness, a faint oxidative quality that adds rather than detracts, and a subtle nuttiness that you simply cannot replicate in a modern spirit. It is genuinely fascinating.
On the palate, the vodka is smoother than you might expect from a spirit of this age. A rounded grain character, gentle vanilla, and a waxy, almost honeyed texture make for a drinking experience that is quite unlike any modern vodka. The finish is long and mellow, with a gentle warmth that lingers pleasantly.
At £150, this is obviously not an everyday purchase. But for collectors of vintage spirits, or anyone curious about how vodka tasted in the middle of the last century, it is a genuinely worthwhile investment. These bottles are only becoming rarer.
