Our/Vodka
If you are a cocktail lover, then this post is totally for you! I attended a tasting in the city for a really cool vodka company called Our/Vodka that will be launching in New York in 2016.
The concept is really interesting too. Our/Vodka is a global brand that has gone local with partners in select cities around the world. Here's where it gets even cooler too.. While there is a global recipe, each location sources local ingredients creating a unique product that brings out the character of each city. Neat right!? Our/Vodka has already opened distilleries in Berlin, Amsterdam, Detroit and Seattle and will be adding New York next year in Chelsea. Another cool fact? It is going to be the first legal distillery in Manhattan since prohibition, yes really!
The event took place downstairs at a neat location in Nolita, which set the tone for the brand. It was an intimate event, which was great because it really gave you the opportunity to get to know the product.
To be completely honest, generally when I'm drinking vodka I'm drinking it in cocktails and not straight so it was interesting to go through the tasting. We started with a blind test of a competitor premium vodka. The first taste wasn't too surprising.. tasted just like your traditional vodka with the predictable bite. From there we tasted the Detroit version of Our/Vodka, which you could immediately tell a difference from the first brand. It proved to be much smoother with less bite and more flavor notes. Next up was the Seattle version, which was similar but there was definitely a distinct difference in the flavor notes from the Our/Vodka Detroit. While similar, it was cool to taste first hand of how the different local ingredients affected the flavor palette and even the alcohol content.
After the tasting, it was time to taste the product in a more familiar manner.. cocktails! They had 3 carefully chosen cocktail options that were created our of fresh juices and flavors to complement each city's vodka. Of course I had to go with the Seattle one, which highlighted rhubarb.
Something that really came across during the event is that Our/Vodka has been very well-thought-out. This isn't just another spirit brand to come to market. They really seem to have put in the time to partner with the right people, and choose quality ingredients to create a truly different product with a story that has depth, which I found very appealing.
It was a really nice event and I'm glad I was invited to check it out! Definitely stay tuned for their 2016 New York launch. All of my fam and friends in Washington can check out their Seattle location too! Talk about cross-country connection ;-) Cheers to that!