Review: Wheel House Sacramento Vodka
Wheel House Sacramento Vodka is crafted with a blend of corn and wheat malt by Founder and Distiller Greg Baughman. Greg hand built the 160 gallon side mount tall copper still the spirit is distilled in. A wheel house is the part of a boat that shelters the person at the wheel. The vodka is named to honor the river boat captains that transported liquor and thirsty patrons up and down the American River during Prohibition. When Greg opened Gold River Distillery in 2014 with his first product, Wheel House Gin, they were the first legal distillery in Sacramento County since Prohibition. Vodka was his second product. When it was released in 2015 the original name was Wheel House 916 Vodka. 916 is the area code of Sacramento. Read more 
Review: Trader Joes Versatile Spirit Vodka
Versatile Spirit Vodka is one of three house brand vodka’s only available at Trader Joes. The others include The Art of The Still Organic Vodka, and Vodka of The Gods. Versatile Spirit is made from 100% California grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. The vodka is distilled in California by Healdsburg Distillers of Granton California. A quick internet search shows no distillery in Granton California and no Healdsburg Distillery, so the actual distillery that created this vodka is unknown. Read more
Review: Cinco Vodka
Cinco Vodka was launched in 2010 by Richard Trey Azar III. It is made from 100% Idaho sourced amber wheat and water drawn from the Edwards aquifer which is naturally filtered through Cordova Creme limestone found beneath San Antonio Texas. It is small batch distilled five times in a 530 gallon hand hammered copper kettle still nicknamed Betty, and non charcoal filtered. I first tasted Cinco’s pool side at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort several years ago, and kicked myself for not bringing home a bottle to review. If you have stayed and dined at this Marriott property you will probably understand why I had no time to shop for liquor offsite. When produced Cinco was only available in Texas. I say when produced, because Cinco is no longer produced, it is still available throughout Texas. I picked up my bottle at Specs today. Richard Trey Azar III has since moved on to gin as he felt the vodka market was over saturated. He is now producing the award winning Seersucker Gin. While I’m still in Texas maybe I should pick up a bottle of Seersucker, since I’ve been told for several years, gin is what the cool kids are drinking now. Read more
Review: Ving Vodka
Ving Vodka is made from 100% organic non GMO corn and purified water. It is small batch distilled in a copper pot still. A multiple filtration process follows. Ving is named for its creator Flo Vinger, a professional dancer from New York City and the CEO of Ving. Ving also creates a Kale, Lemon, and Cucumber infused vodka. Flo worked for four years perfecting her vodka that is distilled in Ventura California. Read more
Review: King St. Vodka
King St. Vodka, AKA Kate Hudson’s Vodka was created by Kate Hudson and David Kanbar, co-creator of Skinnygirl with Bethenny Frankel. David also created Bulldog Gin. King St. is crafted in Santa Barbara California at Cutlers Artisan Spirits by Master Distiller Ian Cutler. Cutler also produces their own line of spirits, including Gin, Vodka, Whiskey, Bourbon, Coffee Liqueur, and Apple Pie Liqueur. The King St. name pays homage to memories Kate had from her former home on King Street in New York City. The inspiration for the brand came from an impromptu cocktail party Kate hosted when she was not 100% happy with her vodka options when whipping up a batch of dirty martinis. She discovered none of the brands were founded by women. King St. is made from GMO free corn. It is distilled seven times, filtered, and cut with alkaline water. One look at the floral bottles label tells me I may not be the target market for this vodka, but I’ve never been one to judge a book or bottle by it’s cover. Read more
Review: Spring44 Vodka
Spring44 Vodka was launched June 2011. The Spring44 Distillery also produces a honey flavored vodka, and 3 gins. Spring44 Vodka is made from a blend of wheat, corn, rye, and pure artesian Colorado Rocky Mountain spring water sourced at an altitude of 9044 feet from Colorado’s Buckhorn Canyon, which is surrounded by 160,000 acres of National forest. The spirit is distilled 5 times in a Vendome Copper Still, and filtered through virgin coconut husks. Read more
Review: Simple Vodka
Simple Vodka was launched March 2017 by Danny Lafuente and Dan Maslow with the promise to provide 20 meals to those in need, for every bottle sold. 1 in 8 Americans don’t always know where their next meal will come from. Simple Vodka goes from ground to glass in 6 days. It is made from locally sourced russet potatoes, and fresh water sourced from a 180 foot well that taps directly into the Snake River Aquifer. The spirit is four column fractionally distilled at a wind powered distillery. Simple Vodka has been on our radar since it was awarded it’s first of two Double Gold Medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2017. Read more
Review: Blinking Owl Vodka
Blinking Owl Vodka was launched by the husband and wife team of Brian and Robin Christenson with the opening of Blinking Owl Distillery September 2016. This was the first legal distillery to open in Orange County California since prohibition. The distillery was named for the now closed mid century Blinking Owl Bar that was located in Santa Rosa on Third and Birch Street. It was known for an iconic owl sign that would blink. They also produce an Orange flavored vodka, aquavit, gin, straight bourbon, and straight rye. Blinking Owl Vodka is made from organic wheat grown in California, organic malted barley, and pure Santa Ana water. Santa Ana water was awarded as the best tasting water in California, and fourth best tasting water in the US. Blinking Owl mills, mashes, ferments, and distills everything on site. The spirit is distilled in a custom Carl Artisan hybrid pot column still made in Germany with 34 rectification plates. Bottled at 85 proof Blinking Owl Vodka will get you where you’re going 6.25% faster than your standard vodka. Read more
Review: You and Yours Vodka
You and Yours Vodka or as the bottle reads Y&Y Vodka is made in San Diego’s East Village. The You and Yours Distillery was founded in 2017 by Laura Johnson. She was inspired by a trip to Cuba she took with her father as a High School graduation gift. After touring the Havana Club Distillery she became fascinated with the whole distillation process. The distillery currently also crafts two gins, a Summer Citrus Vodka, and a line of canned cocktails. The vodka was originally going to be comprised of a blend of grape, corn, and potato, but to create a blend you have to perfect each component first. They started with grape, and they liked to result so much they decided to let it stand alone. Y&Y is made from California wine grape varietals distilled from bulk wine in a 250 gallon hybrid eau de vie still with a brandy cap and eight plate 10 foot column. Y&Y is bottled unfiltered. Read more
Review: Glass Vodka
Glass Vodka was launched in 2012 with the opening of the Glass Distillery in the SOHO area of Seattle by Ian MacNiel. Glass Vodka may be best known for its 100% crystal bottle made with a one of its kind stopper. Glass vodka is made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Grapes. It is distilled in a kettle and column still custom made in Germany. The distillery currently also makes Kona (coffee), Nectar (honey), and Spice (cinnamon) vodka from the Original Glass vodka base. They also produce Gridiron Vodka made from grapes and California Organic Wheat. Read more