It is the “Arts and Crafts Movement” version of vodka.

Notes: This vodka is produced in an old aircraft hanger near San Francisco in small Holstein Pot Stills. Most commercial vodka is produced in column stills at rectification plants (read chemical factories) in huge refinery like settings and quantities.In order to make their products taste like something other than dry gas for your car they add things like glycerin and vanilla to add the body and tast they lose using a column still.This vodka (and all the flavored variations) are produced in small quantities in a extremely labor intensive process compared to the industrial standards of many other vodkas. It is the “Arts and Crafts Movement” version of vodka.

Appearance: Crystal clear, no sediment whatsoever. On swirling, it leaves a thin, clear coat on the inside of the glass.

First Impression: Wheat/grain, but a slightly sweet smell to it; a grape cognac aroma, slightly alkaline (cocoa?). No smell of esters or oils that you find in other vodkas. The use of pot stills and the unusual mix of ingredients make a much more robust and interesting spirit than the usual vodka. Still, mild enough for the fear of flavor crowd but good enough to be enjoyed by someone looking for some flavor and body.

Taste: Sweetish, thick,and slightly oily on the tongue, with a plump, round taste to it. A wonderful, round mouthfeel to it; almost creamy in texture. A damn near perfect blend of wheat and grape distilates that form a wonderful balance of tastes from both. A slight warming of alcohol as it goes down the throat, more like a caress, not the burn like you get from a lot of other vodkas.

Drinks: If you are looking for the best vodka this is it. It works quite well in almost every drink we tried. A superior vodka for mixing if you must mix it. Good enough to stand on its own however. You can sit and sip glasses of this at room temperature – try that with your vodka. Makes an outstanding Martini (flamed twist please). Use Noilly Prat and keep the vermouth refrigerated for the best taste.

Bottle: Distinctive, in that it is tall, clear glass, and NO frosting unlike the sea of others. Simple graphics silkscreened or printed directly onto the glass. Nice heft to the bottle and a good grade of clear glass with a weighted bottom to it. Thin but robust shape similar to a good french brandy bottle. No nonsense straightforward, shows the vodka to good effect.

Final Thoughts: In the premium to super premium catagory of vodka this is one of the few that is worth the money. An excellent value for the money – a heathier, cheaper alternative to a Goose ! THE best of all the vodkas I’ve had all year! As they say, it is indeed, Insanely Great Vodka!

Website:: http://www.hangarOne.com Fast loading with a fair amount of information. Easy to read with good content and descriptions of production if a bit terse. Again, they really need to post some drink recipes or other ideas on how to use their vodka (food recipes or accompaniments?), and make it available in 200 ML bottles for people to try it.