Faer Isles Distillery North Atlantic Subsea Vodka 50 cl 41.7%

There's something rare about a drink that spent a thousand years waiting in the dark while the seasons changed over and over above it. Deep beneath the seabed near Hestoy in the Faroe Islands, inside the rock where the Sandoy Tunnel was blasted through, construction workers hit something nobody had planned for: a pocket of crystal-clear freshwater, filtered through stone for millennia, hidden away from sun and salt. Faer Isles Distillery in Vestmanna heard the story - and decided to distil it.

Expert's Description

North Atlantic Subsea Vodka is a Faroese Vodka distilled with water drawn from an underground reservoir beneath the North Atlantic seabed, tapped 140 metres below sea level, and bottled at 41.7%.

The water was found by accident, when the engineering firm NCC was boring the Sandoy Tunnel between two of the Faroese islands. A worker on the project put the distillery in touch, and early tests quickly showed the water was something else entirely - mineral-rich, pure, with a character quite different from ordinary Faroese rainwater. After thousands of years travelling through rock, the water has picked up minerals that now shape the taste.

To the finished vodka, the distillery adds a touch of distilled seaweed from the surrounding waters. It lends a faint nuttiness and a floral edge that plays against the lightly salty backbone from the water - a deliberate choice from a distillery that isn't afraid to let its ingredients speak.

Faer Isles Distillery was founded by whisky enthusiasts in Vestmanna and funded through crowdfunding, with backers in over 20 countries. Alongside the whisky still resting in cask, the distillery makes gin, akvavit and this vodka - its answer to what the North Atlantic islands can bring to a clear spirit. North Atlantic Subsea Vodka has since gone on to win gold at the Vodka Masters in the Super Premium category and gold at the IWSC, and has been singled out in several international tastings for its light, elegant style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma is quiet and understated rather than sharp - a hint of spice sits under a clean, mineral core, with a faint saline breath giving away where the water comes from.

Taste

The mouthfeel is smooth and full without turning heavy. A light sweetness arrives first, quickly giving way to a peppery warmth. The seaweed shows up as a discreet nutty, floral layer beneath the salt-tinged minerality from the water.

Finish

The finish is long and warming, with a persistent spiciness that builds rather than fading away - an aftertaste you find yourself returning to.

Specifications

Name: North Atlantic Subsea Vodka
Distillery: Faer Isles Distillery
Country/Region: Faroe Islands
Type: Faroese Vodka
Water source: Underground reservoir beneath the seabed (Sandoy Tunnel)
Flavoured with: Distilled seaweed
ABV: 41.7%
Size: 50 CL
EAN no.: 5744002540076
Serving suggestion: Serve ice-cold, straight from the freezer, in a small shot glass or a stemmed glass. Works well in a Moscow Mule, where the salt and minerality play against the ginger, or in a dry Vodka Martini, where the seaweed's nutty edge gets to stand on its own.

Flavour Profile

Mineral · Floral · Spicy · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

The label states the water is tapped 140 metres below sea level - deeper than most of us will ever go, unless we happen to be a diver or a tunnel worker in the Faroe Islands.

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Frequently Asked Questions about North Atlantic Subsea Vodka

What is North Atlantic Subsea Vodka made from?

It's distilled with water from an underground reservoir beneath the seabed near the Faroe Islands, with a touch of distilled seaweed added. The water was discovered during the boring of the Sandoy Tunnel and is thousands of years old.

Why is it called the world's first "subsea" vodka?

Because it's the first time a vodka has been made using water drawn from a pocket beneath the seabed itself, rather than from springs or wells on land. The water was found entirely by chance during a tunnel project.

Is anything added to it?

Yes, a touch of distilled seaweed is added, giving a nutty, faintly floral character. Beyond that, there's no added sugar or other flavouring.

What makes North Atlantic Subsea Vodka special?

It's the combination of the rare water and the local seaweed that sets it apart. The water has filtered through rock for thousands of years and carries a mineral-rich, lightly salty character not found in ordinary vodka.

Should North Atlantic Subsea Vodka go in the freezer?

Yes, it holds up well ice-cold and becomes fuller and smoother for it. Serve it very cold in a small glass.

What glass should I use?

A small shot glass for the ice-cold version, or a cocktail glass if it's going into a drink.

Which drinks does North Atlantic Subsea Vodka work best in?

It works well in a Moscow Mule, where the ginger matches the salt-mineral character, and in a dry Vodka Martini, where the seaweed's nutty notes get room to show.

Where does North Atlantic Subsea Vodka come from?

It comes from Faer Isles Distillery in Vestmanna, in the Faroe Islands - a distillery that has been making whisky, gin, akvavit and vodka since 2021 in one of the most remote corners of the world.