Review: Western Son Vodka
Western Son Vodka was first produced in Carrollton Texas at a distillery built in 2011. Growth has exceeded that distilleries capability and Western Son is now made at their new distillery that once housed a former panty factory in Pilot Point Texas. They also create six flavored vodka’s and three whiskeys. Like their better known Texas neighbors Tito’s, and Deep Eddy, Western Son Vodka is made from yellow corn. It is distilled ten times through a 20 foot column still and quadruple filtered. Water filtered through reverse osmosis is blended with the vodka to reduce to 80 proof. Read more 
Review: Chopin Wheat Vodka
Chopin Wheat Vodka was introduced March 2011 along with Chopin Rye Vodka. Both join their original Chopin Potato Vodka, that was launched in the US in 1997. All three are produced at a distillery that dates back to the 19th century. This distillery was acquired by the Dorda family in 2003. It sits on 17 acres in the countryside village of Krzesk in the Eastern Podlasie Region of Poland. 100% of Chopin’s alcohol is produced from raw hand selected materials. Most companies purchase bulk alcohol from large commercial distilleries. Chopin Wheat vodka is crafted from winter wheat naturally grown within 25 miles of the distillery and purified artesian well water. It is distilled four times in a copper column still in the spring, and filtered 5 times before bottling on site. When I think of Poland I think of Polish Vodka. When I think of Polish Vodka I think of rye or potato based vodkas. I am interested in seeing how a Polish wheat vodka compares. For the record Belvedere, Sobieski, Potocki, Wyborowa, and Zubrowka, produce rye vodka in Poland. Luksusowa, Lyna, Vesica, and Chopin distill their potato vodka in Poland. Read more
Review: Froggy B Vodka
Froggy B Vodka was introduced in the US in 2012. It was previously available in France. This is one of the dozen or more vodka varieties I only find at Total Wine and More locations. Froggy B Vodka is made by Maison Ferrand from the finest organic French winter wheat harvested in July at the peak of maturity. It is distilled six times with the final distillation in a tiny copper pot still in the heart of France. Organic sugar and pure spring water are blended before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Potocki Wodka
Potocki Wodka, pronounce Po-toht-ski Vood-ka, is created from the highest quality rye sourced from fields around their distillery in Central Poland. It is produced in small batches from a family recipe. Fresh from the harvest each August the grain is milled and cooked under pressure. Yeast is then added to start fermentation. The mash goes through two slow distillations in a column still. Pure distilled water is blended to reduce to 80 proof. The unfiltered vodka is left to rest for a few days before bottling. Potocki Wodka was first produced by Alfred Potocki who inherited the Lancut Castle Estate in 1816. The estate included Polands second oldest distillery. Production was stopped in 1944 due to World War 2 and then brought back in 2002 by the Potocki family. Today Jan-Roman Potocki tastes every batch of Potocki Wodka to ensure maximum quality. The Pilawa, a two and a half cross is the Potocki coat of arms, and is prominently featured on each bottle of Potocki Vodka. Read more
Review: High Noon Original Vodka
High Noon Original Vodka is one of three vodka’s produced for E&J Gallo by the Holladay Distillery, the makers of 360 Vodka in Weston Missouri. High Noon Ruby Red Grapefruit and High Noon Lemon are the other two varieties. All three are currently only available in Madison Wisconsin, Denver Colorado, and Charleston South Carolina. Production details are limited, but High Noon is made from Midwest grown corn. For the record, E&J Gallo has a very successful history of building new spirit brands including New Amsterdam Vodka, and Gin, Camarena Tequila, Shellback Rum, and Rum Haven Coconut Rum. Read more
Review: Stolichnaya Vodka
Stolichnaya Vodka sometimes referred to as Stoli Red label or Stoli Original was launched in 1938. It was first imported in the US in 1972 when PepsiCo was granted exportation rights to Stolichnaya Vodka in exchange for importation of Pepsi Cola into the Soviet Union. Stolichnaya controls every aspect of making its vodka from the planting and selection of the wheat and rye grains grown on the company owned Rapuga farms in Tambov Russia, to harvesting, distillation, and bottling. The wheat and rye grains are fermented for 60 hours, and then triple distilled. Artesian water is blended with the spirit before it is filtered four times through Russian birch charcoal, quartz, sand, and woven cloth. Read more
Review: Two James 28 Island Vodka
Two James 28 Island Vodka is crafted at the first licensed distillery in Detroit since prohibition. The Two James Distillery was founded in 2012 by David Landrum and Peter Bailey in Corktown, Detroit’s oldest neighborhood. The distillery is built in what was originally a turn of the century donut manufacturing plant. Two James is named for the founder’s fathers, James Bailey and James Landrum. The vodka is named for the 28 islands on the Detroit River. These islands were used as hideouts for bootleggers during prohibition. 28 Island Vodka is made from a blend of 70 percent corn and 30 percent soft winter wheat. Two James is small batch distilled in a 500 gallon copper pot still. Read more
Review: Marble Vodka 80
Marble Vodka 80 is made with an original blend of all natural Colorado grains. White wheat and malted barley are distilled in Hazel, a 250 gallon Vendome Copper Pot Still that was crafted in Louisville Kentucky. The vodka is filtered through crushed marble pieces sourced from the Yule quarry located about 20 miles from the distillery. The idea for this distillery started with two mountain family’s, one from the Colorado Rockies and one from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. These in-laws were determined to build an artisan distillery where water and energy conservation for environmental sustainability, is a daily practice. Because of this commitment, the Marble Distillery saves 4.1 million gallons of water per year by recapturing cooling water. Their renewable energy produces 7,270 Kilowatt hours of electricity per year, and their building design and distilling process saves 1.8 billion BTU’s of energy each year. The grains are sourced locally, and the distilled grains are given to ranchers for livestock feed and compost. Read more
Review: Vesica Vodka
Vesica Vodka was launched in 2010. It is made from premium grade potatoes grown in Poland. The vodka is triple column distilled and triple filtered through activated carbon at the Polmos Poznan Distillery. Artesian well water is blended for balance and to reduce to proof. A state of the art ceramic candle process follows to give clarity to the vodka. Vesica is named for a vesica piscis. The vesica piscis is a geometric image formed when two circles of equal radius intersect in such a way that the center of each circle lies on the circumference of each other. This is the case when a 750ml bottle of Vesica is placed next to a 1 liter bottle. While I still see Vesica Vodka at several liquor stores I frequent, the Vesica vodka website is no longer available, and their Facebook page has not been updated in some time. This is never a good sign. Read more
Review: Born and Bred Vodka
Born and Bred Vodka was released in 2016 and is now approaching near national distribution. It originated on a quest by Channing Tatum to find the best vodka in the USA. After taste testing vodka from 25 different American distilleries, he selected the family owned and operated Grand Teton Distillery in Driggs Idaho to help craft his vodka. Born and Bred is made from Idaho potatoes grown within 25 miles of the distillery, and pure glacial waters of the Grand Teton Mountains. The vodka is small batch distilled 20 times. The Jackalope pictured on the bottles label is a mythical animal, part rabbit and part antelope. If you see one of these animals, it may be an indication you drank too much of this vodka. Read more