Solid Gold
A Swedish potato vodka is converting the skeptics
Vodka is the Coldplay of the spirits world: Cocktail experts like to decry it as overhyped, overplayed and underwhelming, yet most find themselves turning to it more often than they admit.
Indeed, Karlsson's Gold is making the liquor elite reevaluate their relationship with vodka.
This Swedish spirit made its debut in the United States two years ago (its distribution has increased by a significant amount recently) and it's anything but neutral or indistinct, which has (for whatever reason) become a benchmark for top-shelf vodka over the years.
Created by Börje Karlsson (who helped craft another Swedish vodka called Absolut), Karlsson's Gold is made from seven varieties of potatoes grown on Sweden's Cape Bjäre and distilled only once to retain their natural flavors--an anomaly among premium vodkas, for which multiple distillations (three, four, five or more) are typically a badge of honor. The final product has a satiny texture along with flavors of vanilla, citrus and, of course, earthy potato.
Karlsson's Gold is probably best enjoyed on its own (served chilled or with a giant ice cube) but it's also become a favorite mixer among otherwise vodka-eschewing barkeeps like Greg Best of Atlanta's Holeman & Finch, who created this drink (click here to download recipe) with the exceptional spirit in mind.
