Tito’s Handmade Vodka is an award-winning vodka distillery based in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1995 by Bert “Tito” Beveridge, Tito’s has grown rapidly over the past few decades to become one of the top-selling vodkas in the United States.
Tito’s vodka is known for its smooth, clean taste and affordable price point. It is distilled from corn and undergoes a multi-step filtration process to produce its signature flavor profile. The brand has cultivated a devoted following among vodka enthusiasts and cocktail lovers.
One common question people have about Tito’s is whether the distillery produces any flavored vodkas in addition to its trademark unflavored vodka. Flavored vodkas have exploded in popularity in recent years, with all kinds of infused flavors hitting the market. Does Tito’s participate in this flavored vodka craze?
Tito’s Original Unflavored Vodka
Before exploring Tito’s flavored vodka options, it’s helpful to understand their flagship original vodka.
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is a neutral spirit made from corn. It is distilled six times in copper pot stills. This multi-step distillation process helps remove impurities and compounds that can contribute harsh flavors. The result is an exceptionally clean, smooth vodka.
After distillation, Tito’s is filtered three times through activated charcoal. Charcoal filtration removes residual compounds and helps polish the final spirit. It is then diluted with purified water to bring the alcohol content to 40% ABV (80 proof).
The corn-based mash, pot still distillation method, and charcoal filtration all contribute to the trademark Tito’s flavor profile. It is smooth, light, and honed to highlight the natural grain neutrality expected from a quality vodka.
Tito’s unflavored vodka stands on its own as a mixer or sipper. It has collected numerous accolades and awards at spirit competitions over the years. The affordable price and mixable flavor make it a bartender’s favorite well vodka for cocktails.
Tito’s Flavored Vodkas
While Tito’s Original is an unfussy, straightforward vodka, flavored variations present an opportunity to target specific taste preferences. Does Tito’s produce any flavored versions of their vodka?
The short answer is: No, Tito’s does not make any official flavored vodkas. The distillery has stuck to their roots focusing entirely on their staple original unflavored vodka recipe.
Tito’s Handmade Vodka has achieved success and loyal fans precisely because they do one thing and do it well. While other vodka brands launch every flavor under the sun, Tito’s has resisted the urge to follow those trends.
There are no plans for Tito’s to offer flavors like citrus, vanilla, whipped cream, or other trendy vodka flavors. They haven’t even ventured into more traditional flavor categories like pepper, lemon, or orange.
Tito’s encourages vodka drinkers interested in flavors to purchase their original vodka and add their own flavors or mixers at home. Their unflavored vodka provides a flexible, mixable base that can be enhanced with fruits, herbs, spices, juices, and other ingredients.
Why Tito’s Doesn’t Offer Flavored Vodka
So why hasn’t Tito’s joined the flavored vodka party like so many other major vodka companies? There are a few likely reasons:
Brand Identity
Tito’s has built up devoted brand recognition for their straightforward original vodka. Jumping into flavors could water down their brand identity. Many consumers choose Tito’s specifically because it is an unfussy, well-made unflavored vodka.
Production Values
As a craft distillery, Tito’s prides themselves on their hands-on production. It takes time, care, and attention to distill and filter their vodka to exacting standards. Venturing into flavored products would require increased mass production that might sacrifice quality.
Industry Skepticism
Bert Beveridge has been vocal about his skepticism of the flavored vodka trend, believing many are made quickly and cheaply. By avoiding flavored vodkas, Tito’s reinforces its identity as a serious, craft vodka brand.
Less Is More Approach
In a sea of flavored vodka options, Tito’s stands apart by sticking to one high-quality recipe. This simplicity and focus is core to their brand strategy.
Flavored Tito’s Vodka Knockoffs
Though Tito’s does not make any official flavored variants of their vodka, some unauthorized flavored Tito’s products have cropped up. Brands have tried to bank on the popularity of Tito’s to sell rebottled flavored vodka imposters.
These knockoffs are not real Tito’s products. The Tito’s company has gone on record disavowing these products and pointing out that they infringe on their trademark.
Some of these unauthorized flavored versions of Tito’s include:
– Tito’s Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka
– Tito’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch Flavored Vodka
– Tito’s Sweet Tea Flavored Vodka
– Tito’s Blue Raspberry Lemonade Flavored Vodka
It’s important for consumers to be aware these flavored Tito’s products are fake and have nothing to do with the actual Tito’s Handmade Vodka company. The distillery has disavowed them and pointed out they may violate trademark law.
Adding Flavors to Tito’s at Home
While Tito’s does not offer pre-made flavored vodkas, their original vodka provides a blank slate for custom flavors. The smooth neutral taste profile lends itself beautifully to infusing and enhancing with flavors.
Some easy ways to add flavor to Tito’s vodka at home include:
Fruit Infusions
– Lemon or lime: Add sliced citrus fruits to Tito’s and let infuse for a few hours or overnight
– Berries: Mash fresh berries like raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries and add to vodka
– Stone fruit: Infuse with sliced peaches, plums, apricots or cherries
Herb and Spice Infusions
– Basil: Add fresh basil leaves or stems for herbal flavor
– Pepper: Infuse with cracked black peppercorns or jalapeños
– Cinnamon: Lightly infuse sticks or grounds for warmth
– Vanilla: Split and scrape in a vanilla bean for rich flavor
Cold Brew Coffee
– Use Tito’s as the base for coffee-infused cold brew
Tea
– Steep Earl Grey, chamomile, hibiscus, or other teas with the vodka
Nuts
– Soak toasted nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans to extract their oils
Making Cocktails with Flavored Tito’s
The simplified process of infusing Tito’s vodka enables endless opportunities for homemade flavored vodka cocktails.
Here are just a few cocktail ideas using DIY flavored Tito’s as the base:
Flavor Infusion | Cocktail Idea |
---|---|
Lemon | Limoncello Spritz |
Basil | Basil Vodka Gimlet |
Jalapeño | Bloody Maria |
Vanilla | Creamsicle Fizz |
Coffee | Espresso Martini |
Blackberry | Bramble |
The smoothness of Tito’s vodka lets the flavored ingredients shine through brightly. Home infusions open up a whole new range of possibilities for creative cocktails.
Conclusion
While Tito’s does not make any pre-bottled flavored vodkas, their original spirit provides a solid base for infusing flavors at home. Vodka drinkers can easily customize Tito’s to make lemon, berry, herb, spice, nut, coffee, tea, or other flavored enhancements.
The brand has avoided official flavored line extensions to stay true to their core product. But through DIY infusions, Tito’s fans can transform the vodka into a myriad of taste experiences. This versatility combined with the trusted Tito’s quality offers the best of both worlds – customizable flavors backed by an award-winning unflavored vodka.