An alcoholic beverage popular for having a distinctive texture and extremely subtle flavor with a pleasant range of aroma. All of these reflect the raw materials used to make the beverage that stands out in the crowd. Yes, it is vodka. This beverage is seemingly popular for its lack of dominant taste although the modern alcohol industry has changed this lack of dominance by adding vibrant new flavors to the spirit. But why is that this new vodka by American Liquor Co. shines out from the rest of the vodkas we know ? The answer to this is the term ‘Blended’. Whenever we think about a blended alcoholic beverage – blended whiskey is what comes to our mind. A vodka blended finely with not one but four grains to match the level of a blended whiskey is what American Liquor Co. has delivered to the vodka industry.
2020 – American Liquor Co.
In the year 2020, two vodka enthusiasts William Brumder & Michael Slapp co-founded American Liquor Co. The main goal was to produce a spirit true to American nature and distinctive enough to stand out in the already crowded spirits industry. To turn this concept into reality they approached Chris Montana who’s now the co-founder and Master Blender of this vodka brand.
“The ultimate goal was to create an exceptional vodka, but in a highly competitive industry we were able to bring together some of the finest Midwest U.S.A. makers in the spirit of collaboration and creation, and that’s something special. It was a challenge finding the best distillates for each ingredient and then finding the optimal combination for our blend, but after lots of research and testing we’re incredibly proud of the singular final product and excited to share it with the country.”
– Chris Montana, Master Blender & Co-Founder at American Liquor Co.
The ‘Just Vodka’
A multilayered spirit made from the combination of 4 classic ingredients – Wheat, Corn, Potato & Rye. This is what catches the consumer’s attention since mostly vodkas are just made from one base ingredient. Combining 4 different ingredients and blending their prominent notes into a fine harmony where none of them dominates the overall flavor is a hard task to accomplish.
According to American Liquor Co. their vodka is ‘Just Vodka’ because,
“Many vodkas contain citric acid, sugar, glycerin, and other additives that don’t have to be listed on the label. You don’t see them on our label because they’re not there. American Liquor Co Vodka is just vodka.”
The American Liquor Co. Vodka is priced at $23.99 for 750ml with an ABV of 40%. This vodka is available for sale in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin and online at shopamericanliquor.com. The online store provides free shipping on 3 or more 3 bottles.
The Blend of this Vodka–
The crop used for this vodka is locally grown and then distilled by a top Midwest distiller before being blended to produce the ultimate result. Winter Wheat, Light Rye, Rio Grande Potato, and White Corn are the crops used.
The wheat vodka for this spirit comes from Middle West Spirits in Columbus, OH, and Stumpy Spirits in Columbia, IL. The corn vodka is crafted by Yahara Bay in Fitchburg WI. The rye vodkas are obtained from Grand Traverse Distillery in Traverse City, MI, and Valentine Distilling in Ferndale, MI. The potato vodka comes from Grand Teton Distilling in Driggs, ID. The blending and bottled at Temperance Distilling Co in Temperance MI. So it is basically four crops distilled from the four corners of the Midwest.
The taste of the 4 crop Blended Vodka–
According to American Liquor Co., their vodka is clean and pure while inhibiting a complex taste, aroma and subtly smooth on the palate. The first note that hits is of rye which tastes a lot like the grain itself with a peppery note, next is the full rounded and creamy grassy earthiness exhibited by the potato, a tinge of sweetness and velvety mouthfeel with notes of butter and vanilla is added through the corn and wheat provides a slightly tart berry fruit note.
All about the design–
The design of the label is curated by Shaun O’Rourke who has also worked for brands like Bacardi, Appleton Estate and Aviation. The framework of the label exhibits simplicity with an excellent choice of colours. The label is divided into two parts-
- The top quadrant has a bigger portion of a black matte finish. A symbol of the American flag with 6 stars and two red rectangular stripes is displayed just above the gist of the vodka and the name of the brand. At the bottom centre, the word vodka is written in a big bold font surrounded by the names of the 4 crops used in the production.
- The bottom quadrant is small with white colour. This portion displays all the technicalities such as the ABV, the quantity, the origin of the vodka and batch no.
Recipes made with the blended vodka –
The official website of American Liquor Co. states four amazing recipes to try with this new age vodka – Midwest Mule, Fargo Vodka Soda, No BS Martini, Nuts & Bolts Screwdriver. Tune in to their website to find out these recipes and to get your own four crops blended vodka!