Is there alcohol in this...? (Red Square Vodka)

Member Name: chrisandmark

Product:	Red Square Vodka
Date:	13/12/03 (2552 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Price, Taste

Disadvantages: Can't really taste the alcohol

I decided to go for a change in my usual tipple tonight and have a couple of Vodka Red Square's - not just normal Vodka Red Square though, oh no, I've just sampled the lovliness that is Vodka Red Square IRN-BRU. Yummy.

I originally went round to the shop for a loaf and some frozen veg and what do I come back with? 8 bottles of this lovely drink and 4p change... Mark is not amused - cue one STARVING man at breaktime tomorrow (no sarnies, see) and one hungover woman who can't be bothered to argue about it!

Anyway, on with it. I brought the 275ml bottles for the amazingly cheap price of 2 for £1 (normally between 89p and 99p each) from Londis. To be honest, I haven't seen them anywhere else, but then I haven't really looked!

The colouring of the bottle is predominantly orange, blue and white. In fact, the whole bottle just reminds me of the old Irn Bru cans - the design and colours are almost identical. Turn the bottle round and I'm chuffed with the lack of information!!! Why do the people who make our food feel we have to know every little detail about it? All the back of this bottle tells you is that it contains 13.5% vodka (great!). Open the bottle (use a bottle opener, not your teeth lads!) and a smell hits you that screams Irn Bru, its a sweet smell with a hint of..... what? I don't know, the secret Irn Bru ingredient that gives it that smell that you can't quite put your finger on. A nice smell though.

The taste test. The first couple of mouthfuls are very gassy but then it seems to settle down. It tastes of Irn Bru! Nothing else, just Irn Bru. There's no hint of a taste of alcohol or that sour taste you sometimes get with this type of drink. Theres a slight aftertaste of something alcoholic, but I don't think you'd notice unless you know what you were drinking. Pour someone a glass of this and tell them its Irn Bru and you'll get away with it - promise. It's quite sweet, b
ut not as sweet as it smells and not so sweet that you have trouble finishing it. I've just sat here for 10 minutes wondering how to describe the taste but I can't except to say it tastes like Irn Bru (those of you who have ever drunk Irn Bru will know it's impossible to describe) but with a bit of a kick if you're looking for one.

Don't be fooled by the taste though, it's alcoholic! After swigging the first couple of bottles back like they were pop, I started to feel very tipsy! At 5.5% it's only slightly stronger than a can of Carling, but it feels WAY stronger. I think it's because it feels like a 'nicer' drink than a can of lager so you drink it quicker.

You can contact the makers of Vodka Red Square Irn Bru by writing to Halewood International Ltd, Roberttown, WF15 7LL. Or check out www.halewood-int.com

Thanks for reading.

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