Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/343109
64 / the tasting panel / july 2014 ambassador in Kuuttanen. One of only three Swedish Master Blenders, Kuuttanen cut his teeth on brown spirits, having blended whisky in Scotland and created the Master of Whisky educational program. "I've never been a vodka person. I found it to be very mainstream and boring, more about marketing, image and money than anything else," he attests. But his whisky experience caused him to think about what vodka was and what it had been. He didn't buy into the conventional thinking that it had to blend into a drink, masked by other flavors. He hit the books, and his research revealed a much different vodka than what he knew. "I looked at the oldest cookbook in Sweden [and] the only picture in the book was a vodka still," he recalls, noting that vodka was considered as noble as food itself. "When I learned about the history, I realized it was not vodka itself I didn't like, but what it had turned into. I wanted to bring vodka back to its glory and where it belongs." Kuuttanen has succeeded in his mis- sion: Purity has become the the world's most awarded ultra-premium vodka. Regaining Vodka's Glory "Most people were not drinking vodka because they liked it—they drank it because they wanted to get drunk without tasting anything," he says, adding, "Too many producers create a mainstream vodka and tell bartenders this vodka is perfect for every single cocktail." "We are honest. There are certain cocktails for which other brands are better than us," he says. "But, if you are looking to drink vodka straight, on the rocks or in a cocktail where the vodka stands out, then our taste is difficult to beat." It's messaging that Kuuttanen personally drives home with the trade, visiting the U.S. up to ten times a year to meet with tastemakers face-to-face. "For me, it's important that I can meet so many professionals and make them our partners because there are so many vodkas out on the market, but there are too few interesting ones." James Cottingham, owner of Infirmary NYC, is a convert, noting that Purity Vodka is his only premium vodka behind the bar. "I love work- COVER STORY Jean Luc Lametrie, Beverage Consultant Purity Plus: It's round, complex, floral and citrus, and I love that little hint of sweet licorice on the aftertaste. The complexity of Purity Vodka does really complete a cocktail. Must-have tool: A good muddler, fresh pro- duce and lots of inspiration. Chris Byrne, Beverage Director/Bar Manager, Refinery Hotel Purity Plus: A gimlet makes the most of Purity by enhancing the already noted spicy grain taste within the barley. There's nothing much that I need to do to turn this vodka into a classic cocktail. Must-have tool: My shake, and my smile is my secret bar tool.