Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/518118
june 2015 / the tasting panel / 1 1 1 june 2015 / the tasting panel / 1 1 1 Tasting Notes This corn-based Ohio-born vodka has a whiff of cornflower and cream on the nose— like a delicious breakfast cereal. The creaminess continues in the mouth, almost buttery goodness, with lingering notes of red pepper and cranberry. Charming. 91 —M.M. Tasting Notes Silky and elegant with creamy texture and lovely, well-integrated vanilla and hints of grain and spice; a complete package that delivers a flawless experience in a cocktail or on its own; lovely, balanced and finishing with a long, crescendo of flavor. 95 —Anthony Dias Blue BELLE OF DAYTON VODKA B rothers Mike and Murphy LaSelle opened the Belle of Dayton Distillery to celebrate Ohio's rich distilling tradition. Prior to Prohibition, there were dozens of small distilleries in the area, in large part because the city sits on top of the Great Miami Aquifer, one of the most productive natural water sources in the country. The brothers LaSelle's first release was Belle of Dayton Vodka, a handcrafted gem made from 100% Midwestern corn, which is then distilled in the distillery's 350-gallon, hybrid copper pot still. After the vodka exits the still, it is rendered to 80 proof with naturally filtered, mineral- rich water. "The Belle of Dayton label on each bottle, and the small batch spirit it contains, proudly pays homage to our American distilling heritage," notes brand owner Murphy LaSelle. "We combine Old World wisdom with modern equipment and innovative techniques to create our spirits. Ours is a genuine artisanal distilled vodka." Following on the heels of the vodka's success, the brothers introduced their fan base to the joys of heat with the release of Hell's Vodka. The nearly combustible spirit is infused with seven types of chili peppers, including the Ghost and Scorpion varieties, two of the hottest peppers in the world. PURITY VODKA I t makes sense—the person best suited to spend considerable time and effort developing a world- class vodka would be a self-described "vodka hater" like Swede Thomas Kuuttanen. You're assured the result will bear little resemblance to the status quo. Such is the case with Purity Vodka, an ultra-premium spirit that required 10 years for the famed Master Blender to create it. The import is handcrafted in small batches at 13th century Ellinge Castle Estate in southern Sweden. It is made from certified organic winter wheat and malted barley in a hybrid still made of copper and gold. The distillation process is slow and laborious being sent through the still a total of 34 times. Its singular distillation process results in 90% of the distillation run being discarded. Only a small portion of the "heart" of the distillate—the finest 10%—is bottled rendering the spirit essentially pure without the need for filtration. It exits the still with all of its flavors intact, after which it is rendered to proof using deionized, deep aquifer water. Kuuttanen is justifiably proud of what he's achieved. "This process is both time-consuming and labor-intensive but the results are unparalleled. Purity Vodka has dominated interna- tional blind tasting competitions with over 100 gold medals in the last ten years."