Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/844641
CATEGORY REPORT july 2017 / the tasting panel / 97 A Cut Above: PURITY VODKA Distilled a remarkable 34 times, Sweden's Purity is the result of a decade-long quest by Master Blender Thomas Kuuttanen to redefine the category. "I worked with brown spirits for over 20 years and had found today's vodkas boring and mainstream," says Kuuttanen, who set out to create an exceptionally smooth and full-bodied vodka. Made from a mash of organic winter wheat and organic malted barley from the south of Sweden, along with a mineral-rich water that adds flavor and body, Purity is handcrafted in small batches in a proprietary copper-and-gold still. "New legislation prevents the old style of Swedish vodka from being made in a traditional pot still," explains Kuuttanen. "So I had to reinvent the entire process to create a spirit that paid homage to what vodka would have tasted like 200 years ago, when every fourth Swedish household owned its own still. I had to spend many years developing our own unique vodka still, which maintains the character of the ingredients." Only the finest ten percent of what's produced—what the company calls "the Perfect Cut"—actually makes it into the bottle, eliminating the need for filtration. That level of quality is reflected in the diamond-like faceting on the bottle, each of which is numbered to ensure quality in every batch. Purity (SRP $29.99) is certified organic and available in 30 countries and 15 U.S. states, as the company aims to raise brand awareness and expand at both on- and off-premise loca- tions. Kuuttanen cites the brand's "unique abil- ity" to both add flavor and highlight the fresh, natural ingredients used in cocktails. Among the recipes the company recommends are the Purity Martini (three ounces of the vodka with a splash of spring water—nothing more); the New Fashioned (Purity with peach bitters, Angostura Bitters and a sugar cube) and the Cucumber Gimlet (Purity with lime juice, simple syrup and muddled cucumbers). —Izzy Watson PURITY VODKA Tasting Not es Purity Vodka is one complex spirit. The perfume blooms from the glass, taking shape as white petals, sandalwood and exotic Asian spice. On the palate, the black pepper weaves through vanilla and tropical fruit, finishing with layers of texture. 95 —Meridith May