Carolina Sweet Tea {vodka}

**Evinissent Cum Guinness** · January 30th, 2009, 06:23 PM

Just bumped into this at a liquor store stateside, and I had to pick it up and give it a try. I've been in some depressingly dry areas of N. Africa the last couple of months, and I had a hankering for a Tom Arnold, and this looked like a new and easy way to work it.

The name of the thing is "Sweet Carolina Sweet Tea," which seems a little excessive to me, but it was $15.00 and on the middle shelf, so there was no sensible reason to reject it out of hand simply by name. That said, it should be stressed that it's not some sort of premixed c***tail, but a full fledged "flavored vodka."

Still, I had decent expectations - I've been throwing gin, bourbon, and vodka in to Arnold Palmers for christ knows how long.

The first thing upon opening the bottle up that one notices is the smell - it has a fantastic and authentic sweet tea scent to it, and it gives the impression that it would be quite tasty on the rocks. Unfortunately, this is a misleading characteristic. The smell is all sweet tea, but the on the rocks taste is of Popov-quality vodka - not the sort of liquor that I am used to drinking a big gulp of straight up.

To make this work, which is certainly doable, you need to add a nice dose of lemonade or Collins mix, unless you have a good tounge for vodka on the rocks and you like the after taste and nose of sweet tea.

Three out of five, in my book: One for effort, two for laziness in home c***tailing, three for potential. The vodka is obviously not of high quality, and is masked by flavoring, and the name and marketing is sneaky - two big no's in my book.

Made by white rock distilleries in Maine, and I picked it up on the other side of the country, so it should be available fairly widely if it sounds like your bag. It has good c***tail potential, and at 15 bucks it's worth a buy.

**Joey** · January 31st, 2009, 06:30 AM

Sounds pretty interesting

I could totally see that going down with some Collins mix. Also, welcome back man. You haven't posted for at least a year

**kinsmajp** · January 31st, 2009, 03:25 PM

I just saw this at my local liquor store as well and I was wondering how this was. I am a big c***tail maker and people really like the tasty things when I entertain. As long as this thing can add a subtle flavor when mixed with other liquors, then I'll probably pick this up. Personally, I like straight vodka or with tonic, and I hope that might be a plus for me, trying this vodka. Thank you for the review.

+1

**Evinissent Cum Guinness** · February 1st, 2009, 06:49 AM

Tonic alone won't mask it, the vodka is really of poor quality. Or maybe those nut jobs up in Canada's a****** really like ethanol. Either way, it's not a sipping vodka, not nearly smooth enough - which is why it gave me such a bad first impression. It's definitely made for c***tails, and they're deceptive about that in the way they made it smell and on the bottle marketing.

"Tastes delicious on the rocks!" my ass.

They also recommended two c***tails on the back, the first of which was basically a Tom Arnold, and that's fine. The second, they said would make it taste just like sweet tea, involved simply adding mineral water. Again, my ass. It was pretty traumatizing to take a big, iced tea size gulp of the stuff.

Anyway, it would be great if you applied it to c***tails, so give it a try.

Thanks, Joey. Been busy, I think it's been more like a year and a half.

**free_booze** · February 5th, 2009, 06:31 AM

We have another brand of sweet tea flavored vodka down in the South here that's actually made in South Carolina close to Charleston called Firefly. Great stuff IMO with a quality taste! Mixes well with half water or lemonade.

**kinsmajp** · February 5th, 2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by free_booze

We have another brand of sweet tea flavored vodka down in the South here that's actually made in South Carolina close to Charleston called Firefly. Great stuff IMO with a quality taste! Mixes well with half water or lemonade.

That's what I saw. Firefly....That stuff is here in my town in WI. Have you just tried it with lemonade? Is it good with anything else? How strong is the vodka taste!?!

**free_booze** · February 13th, 2009, 10:53 PM

^ Vodka taste is present, but not overwhelming. I have not tried it with lemonade, but half and half with bottled water worked just fine for me. Doesn't take but 2 or 3 glasses for it to sneak up on you!

**Jin** · February 15th, 2009, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by free_booze

We have another brand of sweet tea flavored vodka down in the South here that's actually made in South Carolina close to Charleston called Firefly. Great stuff IMO with a quality taste! Mixes well with half water or lemonade.

I completely agree.

Firefly seems to be of a higher quality. Highly recommended.

They have this new one out that we got in this week made by Jeremiah Weed. The same company that puts out Jeremiah Week Rock and Rye. It actually tastes like a lower quality than Carolina Sweet Tea. I'd strongly suggest that anyone stay away from the Jeremiah Weed.

**Evinissent Cum Guinness** · February 16th, 2009, 08:30 PM

Will have to look into Firefly, although I prefer gin or rye in Tom Arnold/Arnold Palmers really. Vodka just makes it easier.

**Kelsey** · February 16th, 2009, 11:31 PM

I like the sweet tea vodka, there's a brand called Firefly that's pretty good.

**free_booze** · February 17th, 2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jin

I completely agree.

Firefly seems to be of a higher quality. Highly recommended.

They have this new one out that we got in this week made by Jeremiah Weed. The same company that puts out Jeremiah Week Rock and Rye. It actually tastes like a lower quality than Carolina Sweet Tea. I'd strongly suggest that anyone stay away from the Jeremiah Weed.

Hmm, interesting. We just, in the past week, received our first shipment of this Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea you speak of and I was curious as to how well it tasted compared to Firefly... Actually it's listed at the same price as a 1/5th of Firefly. Not surprised you say that about it's quailty, b/c IMO it's gonna be hard for anything to compete with Firefly. It's really that good!

**Jin** · February 19th, 2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by free_booze

Hmm, interesting. We just, in the past week, received our first shipment of this Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea you speak of and I was curious as to how well it tasted compared to Firefly... Actually it's listed at the same price as a 1/5th of Firefly. Not surprised you say that about it's quailty, b/c IMO it's gonna be hard for anything to compete with Firefly. It's really that good!

Hmmm our fifth of Firefly is 5 dollars more expensive than the Jeremiah Weed.

You must be buying the top deal on it. We get the 5-case deal.

**free_booze** · February 20th, 2009, 10:52 AM

^ Well, could be? I'm not really in on that side of the equation... General Manager does all the ordering. Hadn't sold a single bottle of it yet anyway. Whereas Firefly is selling 2 or so a day... Which reminds me, I'm about out myself

**Jack Daniels** · February 20th, 2009, 09:56 PM

I got a bottle as a gift. It's actually pretty tasty.

**LibbyP** · November 15th, 2009, 02:57 PM

Way better than any of the other brands. My friends and I are addicted. Definitely check this one out if you have not already.