Vinturi Spirit

You might have heard of the Vinturi that's used to aerate wines by the glass so you don't have to wait for you wine to "breathe" before drinking.

You might have heard of that, but did you know that there's a similar product for spirits as well? It's called Vinturi Spirit.

While people don't generally let their brandy or rum breathe, aerating it does change the flavor. I tried it. I like it.

The Vinturi for spirits has measurement markings for 1, 1 1/2, and 2 ounces, so you can use it to measure as well as aerate. You fill it to the line, then press the button and release the liquid into your glass.

The flavor of the liquor changes. For sure. The sharp edges disappear and the flavors are rounder and mellower and more pleasantly drinkable, but at the same time you can pick out the nuances. I particularly liked the transformation of Bracamenta, but it was also fun to test it with other spirits.

While it makes good quality liquors better, it makes less-expensive liquors good. It's nice for making your evening nip a little nicer, but it would also be a whole lot of fun for tastings at parties. Try a sip as-is and try a sip after aerating and see what your friends think.

This works best when you like your drinks neat, but you can pour it over ice, as well. But as the ice melts, the effect  of the aeration wears off.

If you pour water into the drink, you lose the effect immediately, so forget about that drink with a splash. Or maybe not. After doing some sampling, I thought, hey, liquor has water in it, so maybe adding a splash of water to the liquor before aerating would work. And, surprise, it did.

There's probably an upper limit to how much water you can add before the effect disappears, but if you're adding that much water to your drink, you probably aren't looking for subtleties in the liquor.

Who's it for: Folks who like spirits and drink them neat, on the rocks, or with a small splash of water. Also fun for tasting parties.

Pros: It really does what it says. Attractive.

Cons: Not going to help that cheap tequila in a margarita.

Wishes: Can't think of any.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.