Out at Mellerup north of Randers Fjord sits a farm where the fields run all the way down to the water. This is where the potatoes come from, and this is where they turn into vodka. Not in an industrial plant, but in a barn that also holds casks of whisky.
Expert description
Enghaven Danish Premium Vodka is a Danish Vodka distilled from Danish potatoes at Enghaven near Randers and bottled at 40%.
The Enghaven farm became a distillery in 2007, and the idea was simple from the start: whatever can be grown on the place should be refined on the place. The vodka is a distillery bottling in the literal sense, distilled, cut and filled in the same yard, with no middleman and no bought in neutral spirit.
The potato is an awkward choice. It yields less alcohol per kilo than grain, it has to be cooked and broken down before fermentation can even begin, and it is heavier to handle. In return it leaves a mark. Potato spirit generally lands fuller and more oily in the mouth than grain spirit, and that rounded texture is exactly what you meet here.
The distillate has not been scrubbed beyond recognition. A clear trace of the raw material survives into the finish, an earthy sweetness you will not find in a hard filtered wheat vodka. The producer recommends freezing the bottle and drinking it neat, and that is difficult to argue with.
Tasting notes
Nose
Mild and almost sweet. There is something creamy about it, with a faint earthy note underneath.
Palate
Round and full with a soft, almost oily texture. The gentle sweetness of the potato fills the middle without sharp edges.
Finish
Short and clean, but with a clear greeting from the raw material. The earthy note lingers after the sweetness drops away.
Specifications
Name: Enghaven Danish Premium Vodka
Distillery: Enghaven
Region/Country: Mellerup near Randers, Denmark
Type: Danish Vodka
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 CL
Distillation method: Distilled from Danish potatoes
Serving suggestion: Straight from the freezer and neat in a small glass, ideally with herring or smoked fish.
Flavour profile
Round · Mild · Potato soft · Earthy
Did you know?
Enghaven also makes Single Malt Whisky on the farm, released in numbered bottlings. It is still a small distillery, but the range runs from snaps and akvavit through gin and rum to whisky, and all of it comes out of the same barn.
See our full range of Vodka
Listen to our podcast:
