Finlandia Cranberry has been around since 1994, which makes it something of a veteran in the flavoured vodka category. Its longevity speaks to a simple truth: it does its job very well indeed. The clean, pure Finnish vodka base — made from glacial spring water and six-row barley — provides an impeccable foundation for the cranberry flavouring.
The nose is crisp and natural, with tart cranberry sitting cleanly atop the neutral spirit. On the palate, the cranberry is upfront without being overwhelming — there is a pleasant acidity that distinguishes it from sweeter berry vodkas, keeping things refreshing and inherently mixable.
This is a cocktail vodka through and through. A Sea Breeze — cranberry vodka, grapefruit juice, and cranberry juice — is its natural habitat, and it excels there. A Cosmopolitan also benefits from the double hit of cranberry. Even a simple cranberry vodka and soda is surprisingly satisfying.
At £21.50, Finlandia Cranberry is honestly priced and reliably good. It will not set the world on fire, but it has been quietly making excellent cocktails for three decades, and that track record counts for a great deal.
