7 surprising vodkas from the wine country!
Recently we wrote about 7 spirits you have to try for some French touch. Of course, vodka was not part of the list. Whilst vodka is not something that comes from France, some adventurous French brands set themselves the challenge to create their own French vodka.
The famous Grey Goose and Ciroc are two well-known examples. But do you know these ones? A milk-based vodka, a fair trade vodka, some vodkas distilled in Paris… These are some example of the surprising French vodkas that you will soon discover!
1. A dash of milk in your vodka?
You can produce vodka from almost everything, but we don’t think that you have already tried a milk-based vodka! Nicolas Sinoquet was inspired by the Mongolian traditions, more precisely the Arkhis ones, when he got the idea to create the Lactalium Vodka. He decided to use milk of the Salers’ cows from the Cantal region.
The milk of these cows has some grassy and smoked notes and you can taste them in this very original smooth vodka. One piece of advice, don’t mix this vodka with your cereal in the morning, even if it is milk-based!
2. Fair vodka, a vodka for a better world
We bet that you think that it’s impossible to buy vodka in your own country and at the same time help Bolivian farmers? Well, you’re wrong! FAIR decided to partner with a Bolivian farmers’ association of 1,200 small independent producers from the Altiplano, who are growing the quinoa used to make this vodka.
After that, it’s the cellar master Philippe Laclie who takes care of the rest in the region of Cognac. His goal is to use this quinoa base to create a fantastic spirit! Produced in small quantities, it’s gluten-free, and the result of organic farming: there are a lot of good reasons to drink this fair-trade vodka!
3. From Paris with vodka
Paris… The famous city of monuments, bistros, tourist river boats on the Seine and vodkas… Wait what? Yes, you read it right. In the 10th district, you will find the only distillery in Paris: Distillerie de Paris. Since 1914, nobody has been allowed to build a distillery in Paris, but two brothers fought for five years to make their dream come true.
Funded through the website Crowdfunding, the distillery is now a place that showcases innovation and creation. Here you can find fantastic flavoured vodkas like India, Lime and Tea Time.
Citrus and spice notes offer you 50cl of happiness at a time! So if you see one of these marvels in a bar, don’t hesitate to have a mini tasting session!
4. The French Żubrówka
We’re guessing that you know the famous Żubrówka, the Polish vodka made with buffalo grass. Well, France also has its very own versions of this spirit in the Jura region. Bruno Mangin, director of La Rouget de Lisle distillery, decided to produce not only one herbal vodka, but six of them!
Their flavours include sweet woodruff, pine and elderberry; these herbal vodkas all add a french touch to the typically Russian, or Polish spirit. These flavours offer huge possibilities for all barmen and mixologists. As a base for a cocktail or served up neat, these vodkas will make you feel like a real mountain dweller!
5. Would you like a 2013 vintage EKISS with your meal?
French alcohol producers are used to giving a vintage stamp too many of their products. Like with wine, champagne, and Armagnac…But what about vodka? Let us introduce you to EKISS. It’s in Camargue that EKISS vodka was born. The wheat which is cultivated in order to produce this spirit is grown thanks to an organic farming process. This wheat may not be the same from one year to another, because of bad weather for example, so the vodka changes slightly from year to year.
It’s the same as wine and grapes! That’s why the brand is giving a vintage seal to this vodka. From the use of its water, to saving energy, EKISS is intended to be authentic and environment-friendly. There are so many good reasons to taste this vodka. Just don’t forget to recycle the bottle!
6. A treasure from the sand dunes of Pyla
Produced by the Bernard family, Pyla vodka is something unique. Its creators were inspired by the Pyla dunes, and decided to use a very special filtration system: sand filtration! The Bernard family made a partnership with Gillers Arramont who designed this system in order to create a very pure vodka.
They also joined their forces with Lucien Viaud, a real alcohol alchemist, in order to create this amazing gluten-free vodka. He has been creating liquors and spirits for the biggest brands in the industry for 50 years. What is the result? Peppery notes, liquorice, mediterranean plants and pine cones dancing in your mouth.
7. I’m VIP, give me some truffles!
Not so crazy about mushrooms? Well, give them a second chance and try VIP vodka. The roots of this vodka come from the 50s, when the best bartenders and luxury cocktail lovers went crazy about drinks with truffles. This vodka’s taste is so unique, so intense, that you can drink it neat or chilled.
The most adventurous bartenders can also put it in their shakers. Not quite French, but not quite Russian it is such a pity that this vodka is not distributed anymore as it was one of a kind!
