Mad Madeleine's Bloody Mary Mix. Thick and Savory.
The new year is finally here, and all I can say is thank you baby jesus! I've heard that getting married, moving and starting a new job are some of the most stressful things a person can do, and in 2014, The Celery Stalker and I did all of them. Now, it's time to settle down, drink some bloody marys and get down to business. In 2014, I had the great pleasure of meeting an awesome guy named John, AKA Johnny Vegas, from Las Vegas based company Sin City Spirits. It just so happened that on my journey from LA to Seattle, I was passing through a town called Lodi at precisely the same time as John was also there with a truck load of bloody mary mix. So of course, we instantly hit it off.
Mad Madeleine's Bloody Mary Mix
Previously known as Sin City Bloody Mary Mix, this bloody now goes by the name Mad Madeleine's and has grown its distribution far beyond just Sin City, becoming available at Whole Foods and Total Wine stores throughout Washington, California and Nevada. As a side note, you may also be interested in picking up some Sin City Whiskey, which happens to be really, really good (and this is coming from a non-whiskey drinker). But on to the mix.
First things first. This mix is thick, like slowly moving lava thick, like you better add some extra vodka thick. This isn't the kind of bloody mary you sip on a patio on a warm summer day. This bloody mary mix means business, and it's precisely the kind of bloody mary you want to nurse your raging Vegas (or anywhere) hangover. The ingredients are top notch and all natural with no artificial colors, flavors, chemical preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. Oh, and it's kosher and gluten-free, if that's your thing. In other words, after a few of these restorative beverages, you'll be on your way to a new raging bender in no time.
As the the flavor, the slightly sweet tomato base is upfront and first on the palate, followed by a moderately spicy burn at what I would call an exact medium heat level. Chunks of black pepper are suspended in this hefty mix, and a heavy dose of acidity bring it all together. In some ways, I kept being reminded of a BBQ sauce flavor, but I could never really find it in the drink itself. It was more like a hint that this sweet and savory, thick tomato mixture was not your typical watered down bloody mary mix. Now, the bottle also lists one unusual ingredient: asparagus puree. I couldn't really pick it out, so perhaps it just added to the overall density and acidity of the drink. Again, I cannot over-emphasize the thick density of savory flavor here.
Hangar 1 Chipotle Vodka
Now because John is that kinda guy, my kinda guy, he doesn't just roll up with bloody mary mix. He was also kind enough to share a bottle of Hangar 1 Chipotle vodka with me. When used in place of a regular old vodka, it really made this mix shine. The smoky chipotle flavor added an extra layer of complexity that softened the acidity and enhanced the spice. In fact, I liked it so much with the chipotle vodka, I'd add an extra half celery stalk rating when these products are used together.
For its seriously savory bloody mary goodness fit to mend the worst of all hangovers, Mad Madeleine's Bloody Mary Mix earns 3.5 Celery Stalks (or 4 Celery Stalks with the chipotle vodka).
***I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”