Our Vodka By Seattle Premium Vodka 37,5 cl 40%

Ballard was a fishing harbour long before it turned into a district of coffee bars and design studios. The rain still falls at the same grey pace, and the wheat still comes from the hills east of the city. That is what ends up in the bottle.

Expert description

Our Vodka By Seattle is an American Vodka from Our/Seattle in Ballard, bottled at 40%.

Seattle was the third in the family. The distillery opened in April 2015 on Market Street in the middle of Ballard, after Berlin and Detroit had shown that a distillery can sit in a shopfront and still make serious spirits. Behind the site stand Nin Truong, Christa Thomas and Stephen Pleadwell — the first two are designers and run the studio WKND in the city.

The raw material is winter wheat from the Palouse, the rolling farming region in eastern Washington where the fields run like dunes and have been worked for over a century. The wheat gives a soft spirit, which the team blends and hand bottles in Ballard following the same recipe every Our/Vodka city shares.

Bottling at 40 percent makes it a little firmer than the European releases. That suits the local drinking culture, where vodka ends up in a brunch time Bloody Mary as readily as in an evening shot glass.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean wheat with a coolly sweet note reminiscent of fresh cut straw. A small breath of vanilla sits behind it.

Palate

Soft on entry and quickly dry. The grain fills the middle without turning sweet, and a fine mineral stripe runs through.

Finish

Clean and medium. It closes dry with a trace of white pepper.

Specifications

Name: Our Vodka By Seattle
Distillery: Our/Seattle
Region/Country: Ballard, Seattle, Washington, USA
Type: American Vodka
ABV: 40%
Size: 37.5 CL
EAN no.: 835229008830
Serving suggestion: In a Vodka Gimlet with fresh lime juice, or cold and neat alongside smoked salmon.

Flavour profile

Dry · Wheat soft · Mineral · Clean

Did you know?

The Palouse, where the wheat comes from, is one of the most productive grain regions in the United States. Its hills were formed by wind blown dust over thousands of years, and the soil runs so deep that the fields can be farmed without irrigation — unusual in an area with so little rainfall.

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Frequently asked questions about Our Vodka By Seattle

What is Our Vodka By Seattle made from?

Winter wheat from the Palouse in eastern Washington. The region is known for some of the best grain farming in the country, and the wheat yields a soft spirit with a dry, mineral edge. Blending and bottling take place in Ballard.

Where is the distillery?

On Market Street in the middle of Ballard, a district in north west Seattle with a past as a fishing harbour. The site sits at street level with production and tasting room in the same room.

When did Seattle join the line?

In April 2015 as the third city after Berlin and Detroit. The opening came shortly after Detroit and formed part of the roll out of micro distilleries across continents.

How does it taste compared with the European releases?

Firmer and drier. The 40 percent brings more body than the 37.5 percent in London and Berlin, and the Palouse wheat pulls towards dry and mineral rather than sweet. The difference is clearest when the bottles are tasted side by side.

What should I mix it with?

Something acidic. A Vodka Gimlet with fresh lime, a Bloody Mary or a plain Vodka Soda with grapefruit all flatter the dry profile. See more bottles in our range of Vodka.

Who is behind Our/Seattle?

Nin Truong, Christa Thomas and Stephen Pleadwell. Truong and Thomas are designers and run the studio WKND in Seattle, and they shaped both the distillery space and the local expression of the brand.

Should it be drunk ice cold?

It takes it well, but it does not need it. Ice cold it turns tight and almost neutral, while a couple of degrees warmer lets the wheat and the mineral note come through. Try it both ways before deciding.