Tasting

On the palate, Texas corn vodka comes across as mild, almost creamy, with a very subtle, faintly oily finish. The sharp burn some other grain vodkas are known for is mostly absent here.

Anyone who's tried a Polish rye vodka beforehand will notice the difference immediately. Rye brings sharpness and a spicy edge, while corn feels rounder and softer on the tongue. It's exactly this mildness that many American bar-goers appreciate in Tito's Handmade Vodka.

Deep Eddy Vodka from Austin goes a step further by adding real fruit flavors like lemon or grapefruit, explicitly allowed under TTB rules since 2020. The base vodka underneath, though, stays about as mild as Tito's — hardly surprising, since both brands are made from corn in the very same city.

The best approach is to try both lightly chilled rather than ice-cold. A small glass and a tiny sip held briefly in the mouth are enough. If no sharp note of acetone or solvent shows up — just the mild corn character — then the distillate was clean. After that, feel free to put the glass right back in the freezer, as is customary in Texas.

Tasting both brands side by side, what really stands out is the difference in additions, not in the base spirit. Tito's stays deliberately plain, while Deep Eddy builds fruit on top. For a first impression of Texas vodka, either glass will do just fine — both show just how differently corn can express itself in a glass.