Literary Dog Vodka

For the truly discerning palate, there exists... Literary Dog vodka. Distilled from fermented maple sugar on a Vermont farm, this artisanal sipping vodka maintaining the subtle characteristics of toffee and cream with a hint of sweet maple. The company suggests sipping by itself (straight up or neat) or with a bit of water, vermouth or lemon peel.

I don't drink much hard liquor but this sounds pretty tasty, especially in the middle of January. It was awarded a Gold Medal in The FiftyBest Domestic Vodka competition in June 2014.

Unfortunately the fact that it's made locally makes it challenging to order online, but if you're near New England, it's available at the farmers' markets in Burlington and Stowe, Vermont, and at the Elm Brook Farm distillery in East Fairfield, Vermont.