Review: Magic Moments Remix Green Apple Flavoured Vodka  86/100
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Published September 26, 2012

Magic Moments Remix Flavoured Vodkas are triple distilled grain spirits from Radico Khaitan Ltd. (Radio Cask) who is one of India’s oldest and largest liquor manufacturers. (Radico Khaitan was formerly known as the Rampur Distillery which was established in 1943.) The Magic Moments brand was launched in November of 2005, and quickly became India’s fastest growing deluxe vodka brand, and since then the company has also introduced 6 new vodka flavors or ‘remixes’, each bottled at 37.5 % alcohol by volume. These remix flavours are, Green Apple, Lemon, Orange, Chocolate, Raspberry, and Lemongrass and Ginger. All of these remix flavours have been recent award winners at the International Spirits Challenge and Monde Selection Award 2011.

AA Impex Ltd. has recently began to import the Magic Moments Vodka and the Remixes from India into Canada. They sent me samples of each spirit such that they could be reviewed here on my website. This, of course, is the review for the Magic Moments Remix Green Apple Flavoured Vodka.

(Here is a link to the Magic Moments North America Website.)

In the Bottle 4.5/5

All of the Magic Moments Remix flavours arrive in the same stylish frosted bottle which has the label printed directly onto the bottle itself. A clear window in the frosting on the front of the bottle allows a graphic which is printed on the backside of the bottle to show through. The graphic is of young people dancing or perhaps ‘clubbing’ and having fun. The way the bottle and graphics are designed makes it sort of appear like the persons are dancing within the bottle.

The back of the bottle provides some nice ancillary information about the remix, including that it is distilled, blended, and bottled by Radico Khaitan at the Rampur distillery which means this is a 100 % Indian flavoured Vodka. There is also a list of ingredients which tells me that the product is made from vodka, sugar and flavouring. According to the information I received, all flavours for this product are natural, and the vodka is a triple distilled long grain rice vodka.

The bottle is topped by a plastic cap which when opened reveals a plastic diffuser. I dislike diffusers as the they have a tendency to clog up preventing an even pour when I am measuring out my amounts for cocktails. But that is really the only negative in an overall presentation that has me well pleased.

In the Glass  9/10

As soon as I opened the bottle I could detect a distinct green apple scent. My friends Connie and Lukasz who were with me for my first tasting practically squealed with delight when they brought the glasses to their noses as they each love the aroma and the taste of green apple. The spirit is crystal clear, and that wonderful green apple aroma just never stops. There is a light hint of sweetness to the aroma and all three of us could not wait to bring our glasses up to our mouths to take a sip.

In the Mouth 51.5/60

If you like the green apple flavour then you will really love this flavoured vodka. The flavour is tart just like a Granny Smith apple; but with just enough sweetness to make it wonderfully sippable.  There is just a teensy weensy undercurrent of light bitterness under the apple flavour which I noticed; but my friends Connie and Lukasz did not. (When I added an ice-cube to the glass, the hint of bitterness disappears.) The serving instructions on the back of the bottle tell me that I am supposed to be serving this product chilled, and so this light bitterness which disappears when the product is chilled does not concern me very much.

Although that tart green apple flavour makes the remix a bit of a challenge for cocktails my friends and I did come up with a few recipes we liked a lot. The trick I discovered was to allow that green apple to express itself in the cocktail. Green apple and tonic water turns out to be a good combination, and I also had great success mixing with lime and grapefruit. I have included the recipes down below.

In the Throat  12.5/15

One thing that really impressed me about the Green Apple Remix was the smoothness of the underlying triple distilled vodka. There is only a hint of light burn in my throat as I swallow, and only a very light metallic aftertaste. The tart green apple flavour of course dominates the exit and the underlying sweetness ensures the finish is long and satisfying.

The Afterburn  8.5/10

My final impression of the Green Apple Remix is one of mild surprise. You see it was my friends Connie and Lukasz who love the flavour of green apple, yet I have to admit that after our little tasting session I found myself drawn to the flavour more and more. It is tart, but refreshing!

You may read some of my other Liqueur and Favoured Spirit Reviews (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews.

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Green Apple Darby

This is a wonderfully satisfying cocktail which is sure to please even the most discriminating of palates. The secret is not to overdo the soda. Just a splash!

1 1/2 oz Magic Moment Remix Green Apple
1/2 oz Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
Splash Soda

Pour the first three ingredients into a metal shaker with ice
Shake until the sides of the shaker are frosted
Strain into a suitable glass
Add a splash of soda
Enjoy!

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Green Apple and Tonic

1 1/2 Oz Magic Moment Remix Green Apple
ice
Tonic Water (Q – Tonic is great)
Squeeze of Lime

Add the flavoured Vodka and the Sugar Syrup into an ice filled glass
Complete with Tonic Water
Add a squeeze of lime and garnish with lime slices

Serve and Enjoy!

Please remember to enjoy my cocktail suggestions responsibly!

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My Final Score is out of 100 and you may (loosely) interpret that score as follows:

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing spirit.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)