Zlatogor Gewehr Vodka

Zlatogor Gewehr comes from the Zolotonosha distillery in Ukraine and continues the house signature of casting its bottles in striking shapes, in this case a rifle. The spirit is a grain vodka cut with crystal clear spring water from the Carpathian mountains, and the production runs through multiple distillation and careful filtration. Each distillation pass removes more of the congeners that add roughness, while the filtration polishes the spirit further, which is why it reads as clean and mild despite the modest 38% strength. The Carpathian water lends a faint minerality that sits behind the grain.

The nose is clean and fresh with light cereal notes and a hint of minerality. The palate is soft and balanced with a fine sweetness and clear texture, and the finish is short, clean and gently fresh. A mild, faintly sweet grain vodka like this is a natural Bloody Mary base, so pour it over a well seasoned tomato mix with horseradish, lemon and a good grind of black pepper. The vodka's softness keeps the drink rounded while the savoury seasoning supplies the punch, and the spirit's clean grain note carries through rather than fighting the spice.