Charbay Vodka - Review

Spirited Away

When it comes to vodka we are very picky. Usually we go for the proven Grey Goose and Belvedere—that is until we discovered Charbay Vodka. We've tried their fruit flavored offerings and were truly impressed. And no wonder, this vodka is personally hand-distilled by a 12th and 13th-generation father and son team, using a centuries-old family recipe and process. The Karakasevic family has been making spirits in Europe since the late XVIIth century and was publicly recognized and documented as a Noble House in 1751 by a decree of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria.

Flavors in their single-batch line include lemon, blood orange, ruby red and key lime. You can taste the whole fresh fruit, which is important, as any hint of artifice will destroy a good vodka drink. Here are some additional facts from their website:

- Charbay "Mellow and Clean" Base Vodka is a high proof, neutral grain spirit five times custom distilled from 100 percent pure grain mash in the American Midwest. This five-column distillation process is an especially chosen technology capable of producing the characteristic, purity and smoothness of Charbay.

- Each of the four fruits are distilled into Charbay Base Vodka only once a year, during the peak of each fruit's own ripening season. Fruits are tree-ripened, picked and delivered to the distillery from orchards in California (Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange), Texas (Ruby Red Grapefruit), Florida and Veracruz (Key Lime).

For information visit www.charbay.com, email webinfo@charbay.com or call 800-M DISTILL (634-7845).