Dima's Vodka

Millie is a multi-award-winning drinks writer who travels the globe to learn about its most traditional, storied and exciting spirits for publications around the world. She is an enthusiastic Martini drinker and is always on the hunt for the best vodkas to add to her revolving recipes.

If you like briny, salty and savoury flavours then this vodka will be right up your street. It’s made out of three different grains – barley, wheat and rye – which gives it those lovely cereal notes and some serious texture. There’s a herbal note too and a breadiness, plus some welcome salinity as well on the finish.

This is a really good vodka to open at a dinner party for pre-prandial drinks. Whether people are game for sipping it neat, or you have a knack for making Martinis, it’s a conversation starter at the very least. And if the party goes well, using it in place of bourbon for a Pickleback is always an option too.

Dima’s is a really accessible vodka for anyone who simply enjoys it as a spirit, but I do think that people with more savoury palates and an understanding of the raw materials and methods of making spirits will really appreciate this vodka. It’s got a pretty interesting story to tell.

For me, this has to go into making a Martini. Its super saline and savoury notes make it ideal for this simple, classic cocktail – just make sure it is super chilled and goes into a glass that’s been in the freezer. A small pickle as a garnish in place of an olive or lemon peel is the final flourish.

If you do want to drink this neat, then I’d definitely suggest a couple of large ice cubes to chill it down.

I think anything from a Nick and Nora glass to a vintage coupe will work for drinking this as a Martini. Like I said before, the really important thing is to make sure it’s made friends with a freezer before you use it.

This works well with what you might call ‘picky bits’ – cured ham, olives, cheese, pickled anything.