Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka

Deep Eddy Ruby Red is a grapefruit-flavored vodka from Texas, so it is a flavored spirit rather than a neutral one. Expect the citrus to lead on both nose and palate. Styles like this usually smell like fresh grapefruit peel and taste of juicy red grapefruit with a light bitter edge, over a clean, fairly neutral vodka base. The label doesn't state the base grain, so treat any texture claims as typical of the category. Flavored vodkas of this type tend to be light-bodied and smooth, with the fruit carrying most of the flavor. The grapefruit does most of the work in a glass, so it suits drinks that already want that flavor. The simplest is vodka over ice with soda water and a lime or grapefruit wedge, which makes a long, dry highball. It also works as a vodka Greyhound with extra grapefruit juice, or in a Paloma-style drink with lime, a pinch of salt and sparkling water or grapefruit soda in place of tequila. In a Cosmopolitan, it can replace plain vodka and part of the citrus, so cut back on the lime and cranberry to keep the balance. A Moscow Mule with ginger beer and lime also works, and the grapefruit adds a slightly bitter citrus note that pairs well with the ginger. It makes a fruit-forward Martini, but that suits the grapefruit-and-lime version better than a classic dry, olive-garnished one. The flavor is a poor match for a Bloody Mary or an Espresso Martini, where the citrus would compete with the tomato or coffee. Use a neutral vodka for those. For sipping or mixing, keep the bottle in the freezer or serve it well chilled. Cold mutes the sweetness and keeps the grapefruit crisp. Pour it neat into a small chilled glass, or serve it in a rocks glass over a large cube with a twist of grapefruit peel. For a martini-style serve, shake it hard with ice, strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist. The grapefruit flavor goes well with food that is salty, spicy or fresh. Try it with shrimp or ceviche, fish tacos, tajín-rimmed fruit, grilled chicken with citrus, or a salty cheese board. The bitterness also works against rich or fried dishes.