Notes: This vodka is produced in a old aircraft hanger near San Francisco in small Holstein Pot Stills. Most commercial vodka is produced in column stills at rectification plants (read chemical factories) in huge refinery like settings and quantities.In order to make their products taste like something other than dry gas for your car they add things like glycerin and vanilla to add the body and taste they lose using a column still.

This vodka (and all the other variations) are thankfully, not produced that way but in in small quantities in a extremely labor intensive process compared to the industrial standards of many other vodkas. It is the “Arts and Crafts Movement” version of vodka.

This version uses a base of Fraser River (Washington State) raspberries both macerated and distilled with the vodka along with the addition of the juice afterwards to naturally impart the color to it. As with their other flavored vodkas they infuse and macerate their flavorings, rather than add extracts or chemicals to a grain alcohol base. As such, it is a standout from the alcopop flavored vodkas out there that look and taste more like a popsicle than a serious drink. This is made with real ingredients and nothing else. Made only once a year (around June) when they can get fresh raspberries from their source.

Appearance: Clear, gold brown color to it to it with no sediment whatsoever. On swirling, it leaves a a thick clear coat on the inside of the glass and almost seems a bit viscous. Scalloped edgeline then long thin legs However, it is well blended in that the essential oils do not separate from the alcohol base, a difficult trick when dealing with real, fresh ingredients. Well done!

First Impression: Proper amount of raspberry smell with alcohol around the edges,slightly sweet with a seedy tang that lets you know they actually used berries to make it.

Taste: Somewhat sweet with a nice heavy oily weight/mouthfeel the body of the vodka. Appropriately dry finish where you can taste the seeds from the berries (to me a sign of quality and authenticity) . No chemical sticky aftertaste or cloying sweetness unlike many other flavored vodkas – especially the berry ones.

Drinks: For any drink calling for a raspberry flavoring.Goes well with chocolate. Could also be used in a Mojito ,Caipirinha, or Whisky Sour, or Pisco Sour Drink to add some depth and complexity.

Bottle: Distinctive, in that it is tall, dark green glass (to protect the raspberries from UV rays), and no frosting unlike the sea of others. Simple graphics silk screened directly onto the bottle saves paper and tress. Nice heft to the bottle and a good grade of clear glass with a weighted bottom to it. Thin but robust shape similar to a good French brandy bottle. No nonsense straightforward, easy-to-spot on a shelf at home, in a store or on a bar.

Final Thoughts: An outstanding vodka for the money – the price of some of the fashion victim flavored vodkas and far better tasting! A artisanal vodka with really outstanding flavor.

Website:: http://www.hangarOne.com  Fast loading with a fair amount of information. Easy to read with good content and descriptions of production if a bit terse in spots.