I tasted the 19th Hole pod on my Bartesian® Premier on the regular setting with Tito's, a clean unflavored vodka. I keep my pod reviews simple on the first pour: a real-owner baseline, no boutique spirits, no specialty garnish beyond what the drink calls for.

It earned a 6.5/10 from me, and that number surprised me more than it will surprise you. I came into this pod with high expectations. I love a lemonade and iced tea drink, and I could not see how this one would miss. It missed anyway, and it took me most of the glass to work out why.

Quick Verdict

6.5/10
Best with: Vodka (I used Tito's)
Setting: Regular, a 2.0 oz pour
Machine: Bartesian® Premier
Method: I shook it, then poured it over ice
Glass: Highball over ice · lemon slice on the rim
Color: Golden brown, lighter than the box photo
Profile: Lemon on the nose, black tea on the palate

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The Bartesian 19th Hole capsule resting on the counter beside the machine, label and Load Vodka instruction clearly visible
The 19th Hole capsule: load vodka, brew on regular.

What Is the 19th Hole, Anyway?

The nineteenth hole is golf's nickname for the clubhouse bar, the stop after the eighteenth green. The drink behind it is the Arnold Palmer, the half lemonade and half iced tea mix named for the golfer who ordered it that way. Add vodka and it becomes a John Daly, named for another golfer.

That is exactly what this capsule is. Bartesian describes the 19th Hole as a vodka cocktail built on sweet lemonade and black tea flavors, served over ice in a highball glass with a lemon garnish. It is a limited seasonal release, so it comes and goes from the lineup.

I came to this pour the way I like to meet any drink, with no notes in front of me, so the tasting below is just what landed on my palate.

What Happens on the First Pour?

I used the shaker, capped it and shook it, then poured it over ice into a highball with a lemon slice on the rim.

It poured a golden brown, and I liked the look of it right away. One small thing I noticed: my glass came out lighter than the drink pictured on the box. Not a problem, just a difference worth knowing before you compare yours to the photo.

The Bartesian Premier dispensing the 19th Hole cocktail into a stainless steel shaker tin on the bar mat
The pour, straight into the shaker.

The nose is lemon. A lot of lemon. I got no tea at all. My first thought was that the lemon slice on the rim was doing the work, so I pulled the garnish off and smelled it again. Still lemon, still no tea. So the aroma really is that lemon-forward on its own.

I left the garnish out of the glass for the first sip too, because so much of taste is driven by smell and I did not want the lemon steering it.

Then the drink did the opposite of what the nose promised. I was expecting lemonade and I tasted the tea. A little citrusy lemonade hits first, the black tea rolls in behind it and takes over, and then there is an aftertaste I could not put my finger on. It is not dry. It is not sweet. It just sits there, and that is the part that cost this pod points with me.

Two other things stood out. I got no alcohol taste at all, none, on regular with Tito's. And it is a big drink, close in size to the Ginger Peach Iced Tea pod, which makes me think there is more water in it to build the volume. Compare that to a Bee's Knees, an Aviation or a Manhattan, which are smaller pours that taste stronger.

What Do the Tasting Notes Reveal?

First Note: Aromatics

Lemon, and plenty of it. No tea on the nose at all. I pulled the garnish to rule it out and the aroma did not change.

Second Note: Mid-palate

A brief citrusy lemonade arrival, then black tea takes the lead. Distinctly more tea-forward than the smell prepares you for.

Third Note: Finish

A lingering aftertaste I could not name. Not dry, not sweet. This is where the pod loses me.

As It Sits

As the ice melted the flavors backed down and melded together better. This one improves in the glass rather than falling apart.

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How Does It Compare to the Ginger Peach Iced Tea Pod?

This comparison is the honest reason my score landed where it did, so it is worth spelling out.

Ginger Peach Iced Tea is my benchmark for this style, and in my opinion it is one of the pods that does not get the credit it deserves. It has a place: when I am down at the pool and I want something long and easy to sip on, it is perfect. It is not a martini or a Lemon Drop, which are smaller drinks that taste stronger. It is a big glass of something refreshing.

I was hoping the 19th Hole would be a second option in that same slot. It is the same size and the same idea. It just does not land the same way for me. The tea leads harder than I want and the finish stays with me longer than I want.

Wondering which pods actually earn a permanent spot? I keep a running list of the ones I reach for again and again.

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Which Vodka Should You Use?

I used Tito's, a clean unflavored vodka, and that is the right baseline here. A neutral vodka stays out of the way, which is what a lemonade and tea drink wants. The pod does not need a premium bottle to do what it does.

The more useful point is the setting, not the bottle. If you want to taste the spirit in this one, regular will not get you there. Strong is the lever. I have not run it on strong yet, and it is the first thing I plan to try.

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The 19th Hole is a limited seasonal release, so it comes and goes from the lineup. If you want to see whether it is in stock and what it costs right now, you can check on the Bartesian site.

Check Price at Bartesian.com

Who Should Try This Pod?

✅ Reach for it if:

  • You want a long, easy sipper rather than a small, strong cocktail.
  • You genuinely like black tea and want it out front.
  • You want the vodka to disappear into the drink.
  • You are pouring for guests who do not want to taste alcohol.

Final Verdict

The 19th Hole lands at 6.5/10. It is not a bad drink and I want to be fair about that. I still have the rest of the box and I will absolutely drink it. But I am not blown away, and I came in expecting to be. Would I buy it again? I honestly do not know yet, and that is a real not-sure rather than a polite no.

Here is what I would tell you before you write it off, because I am not writing it off either. Do not judge a pod on one pour. I ran this on regular with a neutral vodka, which is my standard test, and that is only one of the ways to drink it. Two things I plan to try: running it on strong, and squeezing that lemon slice into the glass instead of leaving it on the rim. One or two small changes like that can move a drink a long way. Give yourself some time to play with it and you may land on the version you actually enjoy.

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The finished 19th Hole cocktail in a tall highball glass with a lemon slice, standing beside the Bartesian machine on a home bar
The finished 19th Hole: long, golden brown, and tea-forward.

▶ Watch the Full Video Review

Prefer to watch instead of read? Here is the full walkthrough, same tasting notes, vodka tips, the Ginger Peach Iced Tea comparison, and verdict, in video form.

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