VODKA

It is an exciting time for vodka lovers! Vodka is on the rise as craft distillers continue to reinvent what once seemed like a bland, white spirit. By using organic ingredients and alternative grains, interesting vodka flavours have entered the craft space.

We tend to think of vodka as being Russian yet different varieties originated in Poland and Sweden too. Traditionally enjoyed chilled and neat, vodka has become popularly mixed in cocktails like the Martini, Cosmopolitan or Screwdriver. Nowadays, vodka is crafted beyond its European home in places like California in the USA, Auckland in New Zealand and even in the Cape provinces of South Africa.

Vodka blends mostly water and ethanol. While it is typically made from potato or wheat, it can also be distilled from many things like corn, whey, honey, syrups and even fruit - any starch- or sugar-rich plant in fact. This is why handcrafted, homemade vodka is what it’s all about.

1st Principles’ vodkas are distilled using a traditional, copper still and made from organic pumpkin, sweet potato and tomato grown in the Olifants River Valley. It is then batch distilled in a small column still to finish, allowing each to offer a unique taste experience that will spice up your repertoire whether you prefer it neat or as the star ingredient in your favourite vodka cocktail.

Thanks to craft vodkas, making your own vodka cocktail at home is easy. Craft vodka packs flavour along with the punch and is a great base for many flavour moods as it mixes well with orange, berry, lemon and lime juices, and even Ginger Beer. Just imagine… mixing your own Bloody Mary as the sun sets on a warm summer’s evening has never before been so effortlessly elevated.