Iceland has been a hot-ticket destination as-of late – and understandably so. The Nordic nation’s rugged landscape and unique culture is worth experiencing. But in lieu of a plane ticket, an alternative way to get a feel for the country is through offerings from its first distillery.
Reyka Vodka, which just launched in Canada last year, is made in the tiny town of Borgarnes on the west coast of Iceland. Clean, pure water is an integral part of making vodka and Reyka sources theirs from the Grábrók Spring, which is filtered by a field of lava rocks that are 4,000 years old.
The water is then blended with a barley spirit from Scotland, filtered through more lava rocks to remove impurities then distilled in a Carter-Head Still – one of just six in the world (and the only one used to distill vodka). The still’s unique design, with high levels of copper, helps to make the resulting spirit smoother. And since the distillery uses geothermal energy to power the process, Reyka is made sustainably, which is something we can get behind.
While it might just be that we’re picturing the brisk Nordic air of Iceland as we sip on Reyka, the vodka is quite crisp and clean. You may notice a bit of vanilla on the nose and a savoury touch on the tongue from the grain. Citrus and spice follow to finish. And while great on its own, Reyka works well in your favourite vodka cocktail recipes too.
$34.95 for 750mL; LCBO.com
