Notes: This vodka is produced in Sweden (land of vikings, Ikea, lute fisk, and aquavit, among other things) in the Gripsholm Distillery, Akers Stycebruk, Sweden .  Also being Swedish they can be very serious about anything they undertake, and their obsession is to create a great vodka with a really crunchy organic approach- one that seems almost singular even compared to many other organic products we have reviewed. Crafted from certified organic naturally malted winter wheat from within in a 3 mile (5 km) range, in fact everything used for the vodka comes from within this circle) with water directly from their deep aquifer well. Unlike many spirits these days, they make this vodka in a single distillation in a 4 column still  and no filtration (not continuously running it through distillations and various filters for bragging rights and eliminating taste in the process) so it actually tastes like something other than grain alcohol and little else. If you do the distillation properly the first time you don’t need to keep repeating the process to correct your mistakes or to wring the last possible drops out of a run. This also saves massive amounts of energy – contributing to a greener operation. Other green points about their operation are:

1. Energy used at the distillery is entirely from water and wind power
2. the reuse/recycling of waste steam heat to heat their offices
3. the distillery reuses every single material used
4. All mineral and gas byproducts are reused/recycled to generate steam (for distilling and heat) or sent to biogas station to be used in transportation fuels
5. All of Kanon bottles are made from recycled glass and free of environmentally unfriendly components
6. Ensuring that their transport vendors are using renewable or bio-classified fuel sources
7. Both the distillery and bottling plant are certified organic by both EU and USDA

Doesn’t get much greener than that!

Appearance: Faultlessly clear, on swirling, it leaves a thin clear coat on the inside of the glass which then transforms quickly into legs and droplets.

First Impression: Cream of wheat nose, oily, spicy, noteswith a nice heavy bouquet of real vodka – not some sissy water of distilled to death vodka and distilled water. Purity of essence.

Taste: Slightly viscous/oily mouth feel on the tongue, with a nice solid mineral body to it (in a refreshing change Kanon uses deep aquifer well water – not some tasteless deionized fear of flavor designer water). A lovely hard water/mineral skeleton upon which the body of the vodka depends. Mild, crisp bite to it with a mild and pleasant warming. Lovely lingering finish with mineral and grain notes and a slight and (unlike many) fully natural mild touch of grain sweetness at the finish.

Drinks: Excellent vodka martini that stands up to an olive or twist. Worked well with every other cocktail recipe we used. Adda a nice texture from the grain and the mineral notes added depth in a way many vodkas don’t anymore. Excellent straight up at room temperature – try doing that with Avian Fashion Victim Vodka!

NOTE: Use Noilly Prat, and keep the vermouth refrigerated after opening for the best taste.   

Bottle: Thick clear pressed glass made from 60% recycled glass with a nice balance and feel. Silver/pewter heraldic medallion and nicely done graphics with lovely embossed technique printing. The glass bottle has nice lines to it with a glass foot reminiscent of a artillery shell rim/lip with a nice flow to the slightly oversize mouth ending in a black screw off top is shaped like a cannon ball. A refreshing change from the sea of frosted glass vodka bottles and nicely reusable.

Final Thoughts: A very well made vodka with a good backbone of taste to it- unlike many on the market today who try to be (at best) as tasteless as possible. Think jazz versus muzak and you get the picture. Price is very reasonable – cheaper than Grey Goose and frankly infinitely better.

Website: http://www.kanonvodka.com 

Fast loading website with lots of information and quite a funny video about the company. Very nicely done, informative, and a fun website to explore generally