Swallow, Don't Spit! (Absolute Vodka Mudshake)

Member Name: jo1l

Product:	Absolute Vodka Mudshake
Date:	19/10/05 (3591 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very swiggable

Disadvantages: Very swiggable

Alco pops never really had much appeal for me. Yes I’d been known to sip a bottle or two of the Watermelon Bacardi Breezer in my time but the thought of drinking what is basically a girlification of alcohol never really appealed that much. If I’m going to drink Cocktails I like them strong and by the jug please! This however changed when I had my first sip of a Vodka Mudshake. Wow! Alcoholic milkshakes and they’re rather nice as I gradually found myself sipping another and another…….


Vodka Mudshakes are made by the Australasian based Independent Distillers Group who have been trading here in the UK for the past couple of years. The group’s marketing niche tends to be the Alco pop range with other products such as Everglades - a schnapps based drink, The Vodka Twistee - a two in one drinking shot -why not just buy a bottle of Vodka springs to mind! Vodka Cruisers which appear to be a Vodka based Bacardi Breezer type drink and of course the wonderful Mudshakes!


After a night drinking nothing but Mudshakes and not having an evil hangover and given the number I had I should have had one god awful hangover I was on a mission to find some Mudshakes for home use! This actually was difficult then I first thought it would be. After cruising the Alco pop section of Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons like an alcoholic in the making I gave up ever being able to buy them apart from in the couple of pubs and club that I’d drank them in that fateful first night! I was informed that Asda did stock them but I wasn’t that desperate for a drink as to make the 20 minute journey to my local Asda. You know how you have conversations with your local shop owner? Well ok I chat to the bloke who runs mine -so far I’ve had several copied DVD’s, offers of perfume and offers of a more dubious nature -he’s not my type at all! Anyhow during one of those milk, fags and alcohol runs I bemoaned the fact he didn’t sell Mudshakes. A week later I found the Mudshakes nestling amongst the Breezers! At the bargain price of 99p!


Mudshakes when first unleashed onto the alcohol drinking nation came in three flavours Chocolate, Vanilla and Carmel in a 270 ml bottle. During last summer they were updated and give a new look bottle which unfortunately appears to be unable to hold no more than 200mls. In this relaunch several other flavours were introduced namely Fraise (strawberry),Banane - Banana and Chocolate Mint. Independent Distillers also plan to launch a Honeycomb variety soon as well.


With it’s new look 200 ml bottle, complete with a plastic outer cover in a matching colour to the flavour of Mudshake you are drinking i.e. Fraise is a girl pastel pink and Chocolate a pale chocolate brown colour you still get the same old very swiggable mud shakes containing a mixture of full fat milk, cream ( not good for those calorie counters!) and Vodka. The alcohol content is 4% proof. Due to advances in the manufacturing process Mudshakes have a shelf life of 24 months, unfortunately in my house this tends to be about 24 hours!


Up until I tried a Mudshake, Vodka was on my “Had a bad experience so don’t drink it any more” list. It was one of those everyone else was having one so I thought I’d try one moments. I was presented with a rather cheap tacky looking bottle which thankfully had a screw top lid, much easier for home use. Mudshakes are most definitely best served chilled so I have been known to bung mine in the fridge for an hour or so prior to drinking. Honestly they do taste better chilled and not straight from the carrier bag! If time is of the essence you could either bung them in the freezer or pour over ice. I tend to find I drink them far quicker if they are poured into a glass so swigging out of the bottle is more preferable for me! Ok I drink less of them that way!


I can not comment on all the available flavours as I’ve only tried the Chocolate and Strawberry ones. On opening a bottle of Chocolate Mudshake you are greeted with a rather pleasant bouquet oh ok I’ll stop trying to be posh! Basically if you sniff the bottle you’ll find a rather natural chocolaty smell. With the Strawberry, it does tend to be a bit chemical induced but that’s probably due to the fact the Strawberry aroma is difficult to reproduce. Neither drinks are over powering smell wise which I’m very grateful for as I can‘t stand over perfumed drinks well apart from gin that is! Colour wise with both flavours you do wonder momentarily how many E numbers are in them to produce the rather pale but artificial looking colours.


I’ve always been a great fan of Milkshakes, the thicker, the creamier the better. Mudshakes are not a thick gloopy drink but neither could they be described as watery. On first sip you are greeted with a pleasant tasting drink with a hint of vodka to it. Not too strong but just enough to know you aren’t swigging back a MacDonald’s milkshake. However I wouldn’t say these have a kick to them and that’s perhaps their down full as you don’t realise how many you’ve drunk as they glide slowly down your throat. It’s when you stand up after a few bottles, no not crates that you remember that they are indeed an alcoholic beverage and not just a nice tasting milkshake. Another plus to Mudshakes is you don't tend to get that nasty after taste nor a sickly sweet coating to the teeth like other Alco pops do.

Yes they are a bit of a girly drink, but they are perfect for long hot summers evenings when you want something that is refreshing but swiggable. Just remember on a serious note to keep them away from children as they don’t taste like alcohol.

Summary: a girly swiggable drink.