Review: Cold River Vodka
Cold River Vodka was introduced in 2005. It is crafted along with a Blueberry vodka, a Barrel Aged vodka, and a gin at Maine Distilleries in Freeport Maine. While many vodkas made from a potato base use potato starch, Cold River Vodka is made from whole Yukon Gold, Russet, and White potatoes grown on the Green Thumb Farm owned by Donnie Thibodeau. He is one of the distilleries four partners that include his brother, a neurosurgeon at Maine Medical Center. The whole potatoes arrive at the distillery washed and in 2000 pound bags. 3-4 of these bags are dumped into a 1475 gallon kettle where they are steamed and cooked in filtered water. The potatoes are then fermented with yeast, before being triple distilled in a 1000 liter copper pot still. Water from Maine’s Cold River aquifer is filtered and blended with the vodka to reduce to 80 proof. Cold River Vodka is then bottled onsite. Read more
Review: Grand Teton Vodka
Grand Teton Vodka was introduced in 2012. It is crafted from Idaho potatoes, grown within 25 miles of the distillery. The vodka is distilled the equivalent of 20 times and then freeze filtered 6 times with charcoal and garnet crystal. Pure Rocky Mountain spring water is blended to reduce to 80 proof. The Grand Teton Distillery is family owned. They also produces a huckleberry, and cherry flavored vodka, a 100 proof vodka and a few whiskeys, and moonshine’s. Read more
Review: 44 North Idaho Potato Vodka
44 North Idaho Potato Vodka is one of 5 vodkas crafted at the Distilled Resources Distillery in Rigby Idaho under the 44 North label. The brand was launched in 2005 by Ken Wyatt and Ron Zier. The other 4 vodka varieties include Mountain Huckleberry, Rainer Cherry, Sunny Slope Nectarine, and Magic Valley Wheat. The Distilled Resources distillery creates vodka for several brands including Teton Glacier, American Harvest, Square One, and Blue Ice. 44 North Idaho Potato is made with 100% Idaho Burbank and Russet potatoes. 9 Pounds are needed to create one 750ml bottle. After a five column multi plate distillation the vodka is blended with Rocky Mountain water from a 200 foot deep Snake River aquifer. Read more
Review: Woody Creek Vodka
Woody Creek Vodka is crafted in Basalt Colorado. Woody Creek Distillers was formed by three longtime friends Mary and Pat Scanlon and Mark Kleckner. They began production October 2012 and opened their 10,000 foot distillery to the public March 2013. They also craft a Reserve vodka made from Stobrawa potatoes, a straight rye, and a gin. Woody Creek Vodka is made from Rio Grande Russet, Chipeca, and Lady Claire potatoes grown on the Scanlon family farm located 8 miles from the distillery. This allows the potatoes to be washed and peeled the sames day they are harvested. 13 pounds of these potatoes are needed to produce one bottle of Woody Creek vodka. Locally sourced yeast is added and the potatoes are fermented in stainless steel tanks. A single distillation follows in a custom copper stainless steel Carl Distilling system crafted in Goepingen Germany. This still features two 34 foot tall rectification columns, each with 21 bubble plates. Mountain spring water softened and filtered through reverse osmosis is blended with the vodka to reduce to 80 proof. Read more
Review: Vikingfjord Vodka
Vikingfjord Vodka was introduced in 1985 and after a 15 year absence from the US, it was re-launched in 2001. They currently create two separate product lines, one for the US market and one for Europe. Not only do they offer different flavors, but they offer vodka produced at a different proof level. All of their vodka is made with pristine water from Jostedalsbreen glaciers and ultra refined potatoes. A five column distillation and charcoal filtration process follows before bottling at 80 proof. They also produce a Citrus, Apple, and Chocolate Raspberry vodka for the US market. Read more
Review: Luksusowa Vodka
Luksusowa Vodka was created in 1928. The name translates in English to luxurious. It is made with Pasat, Rudawa, and Strobrowa potatoes grown in the Wielkopolska and Pomorze regions of Poland. After the potatoes are mashed and fermented, they are triple distilled in a single copper column still. In the rectification stage the fusel oils and impurities are removed. Natural spring water from deep artesian wells is blended to reduce to 80 proof. The vodka is charcoal filtered and bottled at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Monopolowa Vodka
Monopolowa Vodka was originally created in Poland and is now distilled at the foot of the majestic Austrian Alps. After harvesting a special variety of potatoes, they are washed, diced, and placed in steamers for cooking. After cooling, yeast is added and the mixture is fermented for 72-96 hours. A triple fractional column distillation follows, and the pure distillate is stored and rested at 193 proof in stainless steel tanks. Pure spring water is blended before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Chopin Potato Vodka
Chopin Potato vodka was introduced to the US market in 1997. Chopin is produced Mid-September into early December with potatoes grown in the Podlasie countryside of Poland. The potatoes are harvested late in the season because of the higher starch content, 22% compared to 12%. Seven pounds of potatoes are needed to make one 750ml bottle. The potatoes are cleaned and pressure cooked and then fermented for three days. It is distilled four times in a traditional copper column still. Pure Artesian well water is blended with the vodka before it is filtered five times and then bottled at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Christiania Vodka
Christiania Vodka was introduced in 2000. It is named after King Christian IV, a Danish King who conquered Norway in 1596. King Christian’s Norwegian court perfected the original Christiania vodka. It is crafted at the 200 year old Arcus distillery in Norway and it is made with Trondelag potatoes and pure water from the Jostedals glacier, the worlds largest glacier. It is column still distilled six times, charcoal filtered, and then aerated to eliminate the last of the impurities for ultimate smoothness. Read more
Review: Karlssons Gold Vodka
Karlssons Gold vodka was introduced in the US in 2007. The idea for the brand started in 2001 when a group of local potato farmers in Cape Bjare Sweden met with their neighbor Peter Ekelund to discuss forming a co-op and possibly creating a vodka with their virgin new potatoes. A virgin new potato is a young potato that hasn’t fully developed a skin yet. Peter who 25 years earlier helped lead the launch of Absolut Vodka, enlisted the help of Borje Karlsson the former head of Product Development of the V&S Group during the development of Absolut. After a few years of trial and testing Karlsson’s Gold Vodka was launched. It is crafted with seven varietals of virgin new potatoes including Solist, Gammel Svensk Rod, Princess, Sankta Thora, Hamlet, Marine, and Celine. Each varietal is distilled once through a continuous column still lined with copper. They are then blended and unfiltered. 17 pounds of Virgin new potatoes are needed to craft one bottle of their vodka. The result is a full bodied vodka with a distinct viscosity. Read more