Faer Isles Distillery North Atlantic Subsea Vodka 50 cl 41.7%

The water in this bottle waited in the dark for thousands of years while the world above changed seasons over and over. Beneath the seabed by Hestur in the Faroe Islands, deep inside the rock where the Sandoy tunnel was blasted through, the construction crew hit a pocket of crystal clear fresh water, filtered through stone and shut away from sun and salt. Faer Isles Distillery in Vestmanna heard the story and decided to distil it.

Expert description

North Atlantic Subsea Vodka is a Faroese Vodka from Faer Isles Distillery, distilled using water drawn 140 metres below the surface of the North Atlantic and bottled at 41.7%.

The water was found by accident when the contractor NCC drilled the Sandoy tunnel between two of the Faroese islands. A member of the project team had the idea of passing the water on to the distillery, and tests quickly showed it was a thing apart: mineral rich, clean and with a character clearly different from ordinary Faroese rainwater. After its journey through the rock layers the water has picked up minerals that now leave their mark on the taste.

To the finished vodka the distillery adds a small amount of distilled seaweed from the surrounding waters. That brings a nutty trace and a floral streak playing against the lightly saline base note from the water. It is a deliberate choice from a distillery unafraid to let the raw material speak.

Faer Isles Distillery was founded by whisky enthusiasts in Vestmanna and funded through crowdfunding with backers in more than 20 countries. Alongside the whisky still maturing in cask they make gin, akvavit and this vodka. Since launch Subsea Vodka has taken gold at the Vodka Masters in the Super Premium category and gold at the IWSC.

Tasting notes

Nose

Quiet and cautious rather than sharp. A trace of spice sits beneath a clean mineral core, and a faint salty breath reminds you where the water comes from.

Palate

Round and full without turning heavy. A light sweetness at the start gives way quickly to a pointed peppery warmth, and the seaweed reads as a discreet nutty layer under the minerality.

Finish

Long and warm with a persistent spiciness that builds rather than fades. This is the kind of close you come back to.

Specifications

Name: North Atlantic Subsea Vodka
Distillery: Faer Isles Distillery
Region/Country: Vestmanna, Faroe Islands
Type: Faroese Vodka
ABV: 41.7%
Size: 50 CL
Distillation method: Distilled using water from a reservoir below the seabed, with distilled seaweed added
EAN no.: 5744002540076
Serving suggestion: Ice cold from the freezer in a small glass, or in a Moscow Mule where the salinity plays against the ginger.

Flavour profile

Mineral · Floral · Spiced · Full bodied

Did you know?

Faer Isles Distillery calls itself the most remote distillery in the world, and it sells casks to private buyers. Those buyers come from more than 20 countries, and plenty of them have never set foot on the Faroe Islands yet still own a cask drawing in salt air at Vestmanna.

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Frequently asked questions about North Atlantic Subsea Vodka

Why is it called the world's first Subsea Vodka?

Because the water is drawn from a pocket beneath the seabed itself rather than from a spring or a well on land. The pocket was discovered entirely by chance during a tunnel project, and no vodka had previously been made with water from such a source.

Can you actually taste that the water comes from below?

Yes, and it shows up most clearly as a mineral texture in the middle of the mouth. The water pulled minerals out of the rock over thousands of years, and they give an almost chalky sensation with a faint saline note over the top. It is not seawater, but it carries the ocean with it.

What does the seaweed do to the taste?

It lays a nutty and lightly floral layer under the minerality. The seaweed is distilled rather than steeped, so the result is delicate rather than openly maritime. If you know gins built on seaweed botanicals, this is the same family of aromas, only dialled down.

Why 41.7% rather than simply 40%?

That is the strength the distillery chose to bottle at, and the extra percentage points make a noticeable difference. The mouthfeel turns fatter, the peppery warmth has more to stand on, and the seaweed holds up better through a drink served over ice.

How is it best served?

Ice cold in a small tulip shaped glass or a shot glass with a heavy base. Cold makes the mouthfeel denser and the minerality cleaner. If it goes into a drink, choose a cocktail glass and keep the ingredient list short so the seaweed still registers.

Has it won awards?

Yes, gold at the Vodka Masters in the Super Premium category and gold at the IWSC. It has also been singled out in several international tastings for its light, elegant style. Not bad going for a distillery still waiting on its first whisky.

Who is behind Faer Isles Distillery?

A group of whisky enthusiasts in Vestmanna in the Faroe Islands who raised the capital through crowdfunding and gained co-owners in more than 20 countries. Beyond vodka they make gin and akvavit while the whisky matures. To see other small houses, browse our Vodka brands.