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Sugar and Spice: The Cinnamon Trade Was Not Nice
The island of extravagant scenic views that are guaranteed to leave you speechless. Endless rainforest, beaches, and rivers. Sri Lanka. An island South of India (formally known as Ceylon) with influences from not only India, but other Asian countries. The ancient history of the collision of hinduism and buddhism meets with ancient ruins from over 2,000 years ago with evidence of human settlement 125,000 years ago.
The most notable to arrive on the island: The Portuguese in 1518. They were the first country to discover that the island had spices, overtook it, and enslaved the people of Sri Lanka so they could control the trade of cinnamon (how sweet) which led to a cycle of power of many countries trying to overtake the land because cinnamon was almost as powerful as gold, and having an entire island would guarantee countries of riches and extreme trade power over other nations. It took until after World War II, in 1948, for the country to finally gain independence. Seven years later the country joined the United Nations.
Even after all these years, and countless country influences, Cinnamon is still Sri Lanka’s main export, and accounts for 70% of the entire world production of cinnamon. National Geographic even gave Sri Lanka the nickname “Cinnamon island” because of the abundance of spice. Reportedly, some places on the island have so many crops, that the island smells of cinnamon; but, you are going to have to go see for yourself!
In the world, with the highest ranking in all of Asia, and it has one of the highest education rates among developing nations with 92% literacy. It has some of the most stunning views in all of Asia with beaches that run for miles and is home to over 100 rivers making it a great tourist destination.
So why are we talking about Sri Lanka? Well, Glass Vodka sources our cinnamon from Sri Lanka and receives the most desired, high-end cinnamon in the market to produce our cinnamon infused vodka, Glass Spice. Glass Spice has earthy notes and is a treat to drink on the rocks or in spiced holiday cocktails. It is the perfect fireside drink. Here are few other ways to enjoy Glass Spice.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/sri-lanka
https://www.britannica.com/place/Sri-Lanka
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/asia/sri-lanka/
http://nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu/~opp/Nature.htm
Exotic Lemonade
1 oz Glass Spice vodka
5 oz Fresh lemonade
Lemon slice and a fresh strawberry
Serve on the rocks in a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with fresh strawberry and lemon slice.
The Spicy Apple
1 oz Glass Spice vodka
6 oz hard apple cider
Cinnamon stick
Serve on the rocks in a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with fresh cinnamon stick.
Golden Apple Ring
Created for Glass Distillery by Terry Blumer
2 oz Glass Spice vodka
1 oz Ginger beer
Dash Sweet Fire Habanero sauce
2 oz fresh pressed apple cider (unfiltered)
Mix ingredients in an ice-filled Collins glass and stir. Top off with cider and dash of habanero sauce. Garnish with crisp apple slice.
Russian Claus
Created and featured at The Tipsy Alchemist, Dallas, TX
1½ oz of Glass Spice vodka
1 oz Kahlua
¾ oz Pumpkin Spice reduction
Top with Eggnog
Serve on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass.
Glass Vodka Hits the Whistler Après-Ski Scene
For the first time since Glass Vodka distillery opened its doors in Seattle in 2012, we are excited to announce our launch into the Canadian market. As of December 2018, visitors to Whistler, B.C., can enjoy the award-winning grape-based artisanal vodka, available at the following Village establishments: Rimrock Cafe, Quatro, Barefoot Bistro, Dusty’s Bar & BBQ, The GLC Bar & Grill, Merlin’s Bar & Grill and Nester’s Liquor Store.
Choosing Whistler as Glass’s entrypoint into Canada is both a strategic marketing, and a personal decision. It’s strategic, because Glass Vodka’s founder, Ian MacNeil wants Glass Vodka to pass the lips of an affluent, jet-set audience, and what better place to reach them than in the luxurious Western Canadian resort?
Bringing Glass to Whistler, as opposed to another luxury ski destination, is also a personal decision for MacNeil. While MacNeil’s primary residence, and Glass Vodka’s distillery and headquarters are based in Seattle, the company considers Whistler its second home. MacNeil has a vacation property in the world-class resort, where he spends many weekends and holidays with his wife.
The product packaging, which MacNeil designed himself and describes as “pure, clean and elegant,” also fits Whistler’s elegant and sophisticated esthetic, and mirrors the elegance of the Coast mountain range.
With Whistler’s après crowd now enjoying their Glass Vodka martinis in full force, MacNeil is setting his sights on releasing Glass Vodka into other international locations.
“I want to be in the 50 best places, in the 50 best cities on the planet. I consider Vancouver and Whistler two of those places, as well as San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Cape Town, Perth, Beijing, you name it. … And we’re slowly doing that,” says MacNeil.
For more information about Glass Vodka, visit https://glassvodka.com
The Story Behind Glass Kona Vodka + Recipe
The idea to create vodka infused with coffee was an obvious one for Glass Vodka founding owner Ian MacNeil. “First and foremost, I’m a coffee geek,” he tells me over the phone from his office at Glass Vodka Seattle distillery.
A long-time lover of all things coffee, with a weakness for both espresso and French press-style drinks, Ian became even more enthralled with the art of coffee-making when his friend gifted him a coffee roaster in 2003. “I learned that there’s a huge difference between coffee that you’ve roasted yourself and drink within three days and coffee that is roasted commercially,” he explains. He likens it to a sun-ripened tomato eaten off of the vine versus a tomato purchased in the grocery store.
The coffee MacNeil chose for Glass’s Kona Vodka is the Hapuna Kehai blend, made from beans grown under the Hawaiian sun at a single estate on the Big Island which are hand-roasted in small batches by Seven Coffee Roasters in Ballard, Washington.
Like all good things, MacNeil’s technique for making coffee-infused vodka developed over time, and involved much trial and error. His experimentation began in 2014, when he poured whole fresh Hapuna Kihei coffee beans into a mixture of vodka and water and let them steep for two weeks in a stainless steel barrel, stirring them every few days.
“Chemically it was a slow extraction of all of the flavor and colors from the beans,” MacNeil explains. Next, he put that mixture into a charred oak barrel, and left it for another five to ten days. “The charred oak barrel imparts this vanilla caramel sort of toasted note to the product, and it makes you think that it’s going to be sweet, but it’s not…So when you taste the vodka you get this smooth espresso and then it finishes like vodka, ” he continues.
Over time MacNeil’s initial technique proved to be labor-intensive and expensive, so the entrepreneur developed a new vodka recipe using cold-brew coffee. Vodka is normally “proofed” by adding water to it before it is sold, but using cold brew coffee means the coffee flavor is “injected” into the vodka along with the water.
Next, MacNeil barrel ages the vodka for ten days, resulting in a rich, dark-colored coffee-flavored vodka that is not sweet but does have sweet and caramel notes.
MacNeil says the vodka gets rave review from people who love coffee, including himself, who enjoys Glass Kona Vodka neat. Glass Kona Vodka also makes a beautiful White Russian. The crème de la crème, though, is The Hummer, a creamy, cold, espresso flavored blended drink that MacNeil makes a huge batch of to serve guests at his family’s Whistler chalet after a day on the slopes.
Here’s Ian MacNeil’s personal Hummer recipe:
Ingredients
¼ gallon of your favourite vanilla ice cream
½ a bottle of Glass Kona Vodka
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
3 tbsp. of your favourite chocolate syrup
A handful of ice
1 cup of milk
Cocoa powder
Method
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into martini glasses and dust with cocoa powder. Enjoy!
Glass Kona Vodka is currently being featured in Glass Vodka’s Valentine’s Gift Box, which includes a pot of chocolate ganache, two Champagne flutes and two gold spoons, among other goodies. It’s available for purchase in-store or online.
Glass Vodka’s Custom Bottle Engraving
One of Glass Vodka’s unique offerings is our custom bottle engraving service, where individuals, or businesses big and small, can request that we engrave a specific design on our signature Glass Vodka bottle. This could either be a company logo or a custom image created by our graphic artist.
One of Glass Vodka’s unique offerings is its custom bottle engraving service, where individuals or businesses can request that Glass engraves a specific design on the signature Glass Vodka bottle. This could either be a company logo, or a custom message for a special event.
Bottles, which are available in 50ml, 375ml, 750ml or 1.75L sizes, can be laser engraved or sandblast etched with any image you can think of, explains the company’s founder Ian MacNeil.
Over the last six years Glass Vodka has supported charitable organizations across the U.S. through the creation of custom engraved bottles for special events, including live auctions. In some cases MacNeil has attended the auctions himself, getting on stage, and using his charisma to up the bidding. At the Seattle Humane Society’s annual Tuxes & Tails event, for instance, Glass created a special 750ml bottle of handcrafted, barrel-aged Selkirk vodka with the engraved Tuxes & Tails logo on one side, and the Glass Distillery coat of arms (which features MacNeil’s two late Labrador Retrievers), on the other. The bottle sold for a final bidding price of $5,000!
Glass has also created 1.75L bottle engravings for a number of other special events including weddings, company launch parties, grand openings and new model unveilings for high-end car dealerships. These bottles can all be personalized with names and VIN numbers.
On many occasions, Glass has helped create bottles for retiring military personnel; each engraved with the officer’s name, rank, a special dedication message, and the emblem of the branch or unit they are leaving. These 1.75L bottles are impressive on their own, but when they are engraved and delivered in their custom wooden boxes, they become a special keepsake.
In 2018, Glass worked with Seattle’s tourism board, Visit Seattle, to announce that the 2019 US-China Tourism Leadership Summit would be hosted in the Emerald City. Four custom designed bottles were taken to China for the 2018 US-China Tourism Leadership Summit and gifted to the country’s top tourism executives. The bottles had the skyline engraved partially around the bottle with a note at the bottom that read “Visit Seattle”.
When it comes to Glass bottle engravings, the possibilities are limited to your, and our designers’, imaginations—so dream big!
If you are an individual or a business representative interested in placing an order for a custom bottle engraving, don’t hesitate to contact us here.
One of Glass Vodka’s unique offerings is our custom bottle engraving service, where individuals, or businesses big and small, can request that we engrave a specific design on our signature Glass Vodka bottle. This could either be a company logo or a custom message for a special event.
Over the last six years we have supported 900 charitable organizations across the U.S. through the creation of custom engraved bottles, raising over $1 million towards these important causes through bottle sales.
For instance, we created a 1.75ml bottle engraved with the logo of the Canadian National Ski Team for the organization’s annual fundraiser, and donated a special bottle to the Seattle Humane Society’s annual Tuxes & Tails fundraising gala.
One of the projects closest to our hearts was the custom bottle we created for Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo engraved with an image depicting two Malayan Tiger brothers. Three-hundred and fifty bottles, numbered 1 through 350, were created, representing the number of endangered Malayan tigers left in the wild. The bottles sold for $4,000 a piece, with all proceeds supporting the Woodland Park Zoo.
Ian MacNeil, Glass Vodka’s founder, says that Glass Vodka is able to engrave Glass’ bottles, available in 50ml, 375ml, 750ml and 1.75ml sizes, for charity with “any digital image you can think of.” After Glass’ signature bottle is engraved with a laser engraver, a traditional acid etch is used. Afterwards, MacNeil explains, one of Glass Vodka’s partners will do the painting and a graphic designer will do an airbrush.
If you are an individual or a business representative interested in placing an order for a custom bottle engraving, don’t hesitate to contact us here.
Over the last six years we have supported 900 charitable organizations across the U.S. through the creation of custom engraved bottles, raising over $1 million towards these important causes through bottle sales.
For instance, we created a 1.75ml bottle engraved with the logo of the Canadian National Ski Team for the organization’s annual fundraiser, and donated a special bottle to the Seattle Humane Society’s annual Tuxes & Tails fundraising gala.
One of the projects closest to our hearts was the custom bottle we created for Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo engraved with an image depicting two Malayan Tiger brothers. Three-hundred and fifty bottles, numbered 1 through 350, were created, representing the number of endangered Malayan tigers left in the wild. The bottles sold for $4,000 a piece, with all proceeds supporting the Woodland Park Zoo.
Ian MacNeil, Glass Vodka’s founder, says that Glass Vodka is able to engrave Glass’ bottles, available in 50ml, 375ml, 750ml and 1.75ml sizes, for charity with “any digital image you can think of.” After Glass’ signature bottle is engraved with a laser engraver, a traditional acid etch is used. Afterwards, MacNeil explains, one of Glass Vodka’s partners will do the painting and a graphic designer will do an airbrush.
If you are an individual or a business representative interested in placing an order for a custom bottle engraving, don’t hesitate to contact us here.
Enjoy Glass Vodka’s Bottling Experience
What’s even more fun than sipping connoisseur-class artisanal vodka made with Washington-grown grapes? Bottling it yourself.
Here at Glass Vodka, we’re proud to give our customers the opportunity to take part in a Vodka Bottling Experience at our distillery located in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood. These bottling experiences take place every so often, when we happen to be bottling our latest batch.
Set in a refurbished 3,800-square-foot space boasting a concrete floor infused with glittering glass, the Glass Vodka distillery and tasting room has been compared to an art gallery. Indeed, paintings by founder Ian MacNeil and a large collection of blown glass adorn the space which features a beautiful copper still.
This all provides an elegant and sophisticated background in which to gather with friends and other customers as MacNeil leads you through the bottling process which includes packaging each of Glass Vodka’s flavors—from Nectar to Kona to Spice to Gridiron and Selkirk.
If you peruse the Yelp reviews of Glass Distillery you’ll see how much customers have enjoyed their visit. “Anyone who comes in to bottle, they go crazy, they love it, it’s so fun,” says MacNeil. “If you’re bottling vodka and it’s clink, clink, clink, clink, the bottles are going down and you’re stoppering these things and putting the buckle on and polishing it up you’re going ‘oh my God I’m doing this one that’s going to be at The Four Seasons? And it’s like, ‘ya, that’s right,” says MacNeil.
And a vodka bottling party wouldn’t be complete without some vodka tasting. “We always bring in some pizza or sushi, and then afterwards everybody gets vodka,” MacNeil says.
If you’re interested in being added to our bottling contact list, please email [email protected]
What’s even more fun than sipping connoisseur-class artisanal vodka made with Washington-grown grapes? Bottling it yourself.
Here at Glass Vodka, we’re proud to give our customers the opportunity to take part in a Vodka Bottling Experience at our distillery located in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood.
Set in a refurbished 3,800-square-foot space boasting a concrete floor infused with glittering glass, the Glass Vodka distillery and tasting room has been compared to an art gallery. Indeed, paintings by founder Ian MacNeil and a large collection of blown glass adorn the space which features a beautiful copper still.
This all provides an elegant and sophisticated background in which to gather with friends and other customers as MacNeil leads you through the bottling process which includes packaging each of Glass Vodka’s flavours—from Nectar to Kona to Spice to Gridiron and Selkirk.
If you peruse the Yelp reviews of Glass Distillery you’ll see how much customers have enjoyed their visit. “Anyone who comes in to bottle, they go apeshit, they love it, it’s so fun,” says MacNeil. “If you’re bottling vodka and it’s clink, clink, clink, clink, the bottles are going down and you’re stoppering these things and putting the buckle on and polishing it up you’re going ‘oh my God I’m doing this one that’s going to be at The Four Seasons? And it’s like, ‘ya, that’s right,” says MacNeil.
And a vodka bottling party wouldn’t be complete without some vodka tasting. “We always bring in some pizza or sushi, and then afterwards everybody gets vodka,” MacNeil says.
Interested in participating in a bottling experience? We thought you might be. Contact us at (206) 743-8070 or [email protected] to learn about upcoming events.
Glass Vodka Bottles Designed With Longevity in Mind
When you finish drinking a bottle of gluten-free Glass Vodka, you’ll likely think twice before tossing it into the recycling bin.
That’s because the company’s founder, Ian MacNeil, designed it to be repurposed and reused—and really, it’s just too nice to throw away. MacNeil, who has been deeply rooted in Seattle’s glass-blowing community for years says, “Seattle is the glass epicentre of the world. This bottle pays homage to my friends in the biz.”
Glass Vodka’s tall, reverse-concave bottle, which comes with a beautiful solid glass stopper, is a true representation of its contents. “Glass is a liquid artform,” MacNeil explains. “[Like vodka], it starts as a solid and turns into a liquid. The bottle is pure, clean and elegant.”
Glass’ bottles and stoppers are actually crystal (a type of glass), giving users even more reason to keep them and reuse them long after the vodka is gone.
When designing the bottle, MacNeil started with the weight, which he decided would be 985 grams—heavy enough to feel full even when it was empty. This way, he reasoned, consumers might come to see it as a valued object, and be more likely to reuse it as a water bottle, a wine bottle, or even a vessel for holding candy and other foodstuffs.
Because Glass Vodka is made from grapes, instead of fermented grains or potatoes, MacNeil wanted the packaging to remind consumers of a beautiful bottle of Bordeaux or Champagne. “It’s big, it’s thick, it takes up your whole hand. There’s a big base on the bottom, so there’s a big thick piece of glass, and it reflects light up and focuses it up into the bottle,” MacNeil says. “The top of the bottle gets really narrow. And then there’s a little lip on the top to support this solid glass stopper,” he continues.
Numerous manufacturers tried to convince MacNeil to make the glass stopper hollow which would keep costs down, but the entrepreneur stuck to his guns. He wanted it to remind consumers of their grandmother’s decanter. “It’s so beautiful, it’s looks like a lens or a prism,” he explains. Beautiful, indeed: an image of the stopper was named one of the Top 20 Photographs of the Year by the Puget Sound Business Journal.
The bottle’s heavy, solid glass bottom and reverse concave shape make it an ideal wine decanter. And the spout, designed with wave dynamics in mind, results in a no-spill pour. “My AudoCAD designer said ‘if we put a lip on the inside of the bottle and you make it concave, that will prevent spills,’” MacNeil says.
One of the design challenges MacNeil had was creating a cover to encase the top of the bottle. At first he used a piece of shrink sleeve that went over the stopper. “It just looked so cheesy. It would be like wrapping a pair of Gucci’s in plastic. Just not gonna cut it,” says MacNeil.
After experimenting with a number of different solutions including Champagne wire, he created a clamp that looks like a chrome bracelet. The clamp has a tab that is supposed to be broken when the bottle is first purchased, and then the clamp is meant to be recycled. But it “looks so nice, people think they need to keep it,” says MacNeil.
The clamp has since been redesigned with inspiration from a Cartier bracelet, and customers are holding on to it long after their last martini has been made. Some have collected a series to use as napkin rings. One customer even gave it to their child to wear as a bracelet.
With so much thought and care put into the design, it’s no surprise that Glass Vodka bottles have received a lot of buzz in the design community. The bottle was featured in an article in Spirited magazine, and MacNeil entered the design into a liquor package design competition where Glass Vodka won a silver medal.
Are you interested in seeing Glass Vodka bottles in-person? Would you like to shop for gluten-free liquor? Whether you are interested in learning about vodka ingredients (especially gluten-free vodka brands), you’re wondering what vodka is made from, or you’re interested in knowing which vodkas are gluten-free, our vodka experts are here to help. Visit our website or stop by our store in Seattle. We have some of the best sipping vodka in North America.
Glass Vodka Tomato Soup Recipe
Around this time in the Pacific Northwest, the end of the tomatoes season brings us fruit that is just about as good as it gets. If you are lucky enough to have your own tomato plants, you know that this is usually when we are picking the last of fruit and it all seems to come at once! In any way you can, get your hands on your favorite variety and try this modified Glass Vodka Tomato soup recipe inspired Cristina and Jose Chesa, owners of Spanish destination Ataula in NW Portland.
Glass Vodka Tomato Soup
Serves 4-6 (yields 1 liter)
8 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 cup strawberries, diced
½ cup cucumber, diced
½ cup red bell pepper, diced
½ cup Anaheim Pepper, diced
½ cup Walla Walla sweet onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 cup French bread, can be cubed or torn into chunks
1-2 cups olive oil
1 cup Glass Vodka
2 cups water, to taste
Sherry vinegar, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Place all vegetables, fruit and bread into a blender and mix until smooth, 4-5 minutes on medium speed. Add the olive oil and sherry vinegar and season to taste. Add Glass Vodka then the water to desired texture and taste, then add salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to boil for 8 minutes and serve piping hot with a chunk of hot fresh French bread.
The Honey-Do List
All stories have a beginning. The same is true for making the sweet decadent honey we all know and love. The process is studied by many chemists around the world and some dedicate their entire lives to perfecting the craft of honey-making.
The process is complicated, a true science. First, bees are attracted to the sweet nectaries of a flower (all depending on the amount of sugar in each plant). When the honey production process first starts out, it is in its nectar form. Nectar is chemically different than the end product of honey. It is made up of about 80% water and it is not as sweet! Through the use of chemistry, bees are actually able to produce an enzyme and take the nectar and make simple sugars out of the product. By doing this, the honey gets sweeter and sweeter every time there is simple sugar added through a process called hydrolysis.
Sweet as honey, smooth as glass, our Glass Nectar honey-infused vodka is smooth as can bee. Made with hand-gathered honey, this award winning vodka is a sweet sensation fit for any cocktail. Our honey is hand-gathered from a local beekeeper, Danny Sullivan from Ballard, Washington. Glass Distillery believes in the power of sourcing local, and in return, our vodka has sweet notes and an extravagant floral finish from the nectar.
Glass Vodka is one of the few distilleries world-wide to tackle a honey vodka. Why did our founder, Ian Macneil decide to incorporate honey as one of his infused vodka lines? The answer is supplied through our relationship with Salish Resort & Spa located East of Seattle who asked our founder Ian MacNeil if he could make something with the honey the resort makes. Ian agreed and Glass Nectar was born. Ian wanted to pair his delicious flagship vodka, Glass with a sweet note that would be able be so good, you can drink it on the rocks. The sweet and elegant notes of the nectar leave a sweet, but subtle taste in your mouth.
So next time you go to pour honey in your tea, on your toast, or simply straight into your mouth, thank the little guys who make the whole thing possible and check out these artisan craft cocktails made with Glass Nectar!
Glass Nectar Recipes
The Glass Slipper
Created by bartender and served by Dan Roberts of Loulay Restaurant, Seattle, WA
1 ½ oz Glass Nectar vodka
½ oz Aperol
Dash of Vermouth
Citrus Twist
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds and serve up in a martini glass with a citrus twist.
Glass French Twist
1½ oz Glass Nectar vodka
½ oz St Germaine
2 oz grapefruit juice
¼ oz lemon juice
¼ oz simple syrup
Mint leaf for garnish
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds and serve up in a coupe glass and garnish with mint leaf.
French 76
1½ oz Glass Nectar vodka
3 oz Champagne
¼ oz Lemon Juice
Shake Nectar and lemon juice over ice and strain into coupe or flute. Top off with champagne. Garnish with two or three pomegranate arils.
El Dorado
2 oz. Glass Nectar vodka
½ oz lime juice
1 oz pomegranate juice
1 oz pineapple juice
2 small slices of jalapeño
Slices of jalapeño (garnish)
Salt to taste (garnish)
Muddle two slices of jalapeño in a cocktail shaker. Shake the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the garnish, with ice until chilled. Pour into a martini glass with a salted rim and garnish with a slice of jalapeño.
Additional reading:
https://www.buzzaboutbees.net/how-do-bees-make-honey.html
https://www.salishlodge.com/salish-beekeeper.php
Spirit of Detroit 60th Anniversary
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Spirit of Detroit, Glass Vodka designed special edition bottles etched with the Spirit of Detroit statue. Our founder, Ian MacNeil grew up in the Detroit metro area and wanted to pay tribute to his childhood roots.
The Spirit of Detroit statue was created in 1955 by Marshall M. Fredericks. The statue is made out of bronze and represents the relationship between human relationships and God. A fun fact about the statue that many locals rave about is when any Michigan team makes the playoffs, the statue bears a jersey in celebration and support!
Amazing enough, Ian MacNeil’s mother-in-law is the Marshall M. Fredericks museum board chair, which is where he found the connection to this historic landmark. The museum highlights the life work of Marshall M. Fredericks and his pieces that are featured in over 150 public locations and stretch around the world. Some of his most notable contributions: The Cleveland War Memorial, Expanding Universe Fountain in Washington D.C., and of course, the Spirit of Detroit.
Glass Vodka only produced 36 of these engraved and numbered edition bottles! 6 are available at our Vodka tasting room in Seattle, and the rest of the bottles will be sold exclusively at Athens Liquor in Detroit. For every bottle sold, a donation will be made to the Marshall M. Fredericks sculpture museum!
The Buzz About Coffee
Jackie Chen once said, “coffee is a language in itself” and we couldn’t agree more. The rich history, the vibrant color, and the advanced cultivation practices used by countries around the world, is art in its purest form. Sit back, relax, and grab a cup of steaming hot coffee. Or better yet? A glass of Glass Kona. Today we are learning more about the rich history of the tiny bean that changed humanity.
Chocolate Kiss
History of the Martini
The (Debated) History of the Martini
The Martini. A blank canvas ready to be touched by the stroke of a brush. A connoisseur’s bliss. A simple, yet extravagant, indulgence. Throughout the course of history, the origin of this simple cocktail has become one of the world’s greatest debates.
Legend has it that the martini originated in Martinez, California during the gold rush. A man came into a bar after finding his share of gold and asked for a glass of Champagne to celebrate his new-found riches. Unfortunately, the bar was out of champagne, and didn’t know what to do. The bartender told the man that he had something better and then proceeded to make a cocktail using the ingredients he had in stock: vermouth, gin, and ice. The “Martinez Special” was born. Due to popular demand, it received the name “Martini” for short.
Other historians argue it was invented by the vermouth company “Martini & Rossi” in 1911. There is even minor proof that it could’ve been invented in Italy in the 1800’s. While we will never know just who invented the martini, we all know how popular the drink will forever be.
A cocktail that once started with gin, gradually progressed to form the vodka martini. After a surge in the vodka industry in the 17th century, many bartenders didn’t know what to do with the vodka they were given because it was still a very unknown form of liquor. After some experimentation, they substituted the gin in a traditional martini, and a new era was born. Some bartenders called it the Kangaroo, others called it the Kamikaze; today, we call it the vodka martini.
Regardless of the true origin, the traditional martini – as well as the vodka martini – has even touched and shaped American business history. In the 50’s, the era of the “three martini lunch” was booming. This term referred to long, luxurious lunches for business purposes, normally when making important deals or decisions. The catch? Executives could write their alcohol off as a tax-break for “business expenses”.
With so many people taking advantage of their martini lunch breaks, it even became a talking point during a presidential elections. Some candidates stated that the three martini lunch was taking away from the working-class, others like President Ford, responded to the critics by declaring, “the three-martini lunch is the epitome of American efficiency. Where else can you get an earful, a bellyful and a snootful at the same time?” The drink became a monumental icon for American business and forever changed the way deals were made.
Today, the martini can be seen as a modern form of art with never-ending craft cocktail possibilities. Shaken or stirred, dirty or neat, olives or a citrus twist, Glass Vodka takes the martini to a whole new level with a collection of vodkas made from the finest wine grapes grown in the Pacific Northwest. While we still honor the history of the martini, we’ve explored some new directions with these recipes featuring our flagship vodka and a few other naturally-infused options such as Glass Nectar (honey), Glass Kona (coffee), and Glass Spice (cinnamon).
Glass Martini
3 oz Glass Vodka
Add vodka and ice to shaker and shake for 15 seconds then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with your favorite citrus – ours is an orange twist.
(created by our Founder and Chief Distiller, Ian MacNeil)
Kona Mocha Martini
1 oz Glass Kona Vodka
¾ oz Frangelico
¾ oz Kahlua
¾ oz Bailey’s
In a mixing glass add all ingredients. Fill with ice, shake and strain into cold martini glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.
(created and featured at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle, WA)
Glass Lemon Drop
2 ½ oz Glass Nectar vodka
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp powdered sugar
Add vodka and lemon juice to a shaker filled with ice and shake for 20 seconds. Strain into a martini glass over a powdered sugar rim. Garnish with a lemon twist. (created by Ben Gingras and featured at Eddie V’s in Dallas, TX)
Glass Cinnamon Toast Martini
1 oz Glass Spice vodka
½ oz Glass Vodka
3 oz RumChata
1 tsp of vanilla
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and serve up.
(created by our Founder and Chief Distiller, Ian MacNeil)
Want to make these tasty cocktails at home? Buy a bottle in our Boutique & Tasting Room in Seattle or find one in a store near you.
Glass cocktail for this month – The Thai Nectar Mule
Check out the Teeqlife Review of Glass Vodka on Youtube
From the video description : “On this episode of Teeqlife Tastings, Mike and Don review Glass Vodka, a premium vodka made from grapes grown in the state of Washington. More than just a premium vodka, this bottle is nothing short of glass art. It actually was designed by a glass artist to provide the customer with a decanter worthy of saving and reusing. But how’s the vodka? Tune in to find out. We also have a surprise in this episode as we do something we’ve never done on Teeqlife Tastings before. What could it be? Have you ever had a vodka made from grapes? This is your chance to try it with us!”
My favorite quote from the review (around the 4 and a half minute mark) :
“You’re up in that range of the big boys that advertise the shit out of their product and honestly this is by far a superior product in my opinion versus the Vodkas of the world”.
We couldn’t agree more.
The video is nearly 20 minutes, and totally worth watching.
If you watch all the way through, they also review Glass Nectar!
Check them out online
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64bzGrRNsaaR3qnOog6-PQ
https://www.instagram.com/teeqlife/
https://www.facebook.com/TeeqLife/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/teeqlife
The Man Behind Glass Vodka, Ian MacNeil
We are honored to have the Glass Vodka Founder, Ian MacNeil, featured by QuickBooks in their “Own It Everyday” video series.
Here’s a look at the 5-part video series by Quickbooks with our founder, Ian MacNeil.
Ian MacNeil created his unique business making grape-based vodka to honor Washington’s rich wine industry and carve his own niche in the huge spirits industry.
Ian MacNeil started his own small grape-based Vodka business knowing that success comes from laying a solid foundation first.
Ian attracts new customers by mixing a strong social media presence that highlights spirit-focused recipes with invitations to try his grape-based vodka.
Ian cares deeply about how his business and his bottle are branded. There’s meaning behind each choice he makes to tell his business’s story.
Ian recognizes the importance of his business giving back to the community for good branding and good will.
More about our founder, Ian MacNeil
In 2012, Ian G. MacNeil launched Glass Distillery to introduce his flagship spirit, Glass Vodka, to the public. His goal was to create a vodka that was pure, smooth and artfully crafted, with a deep appreciation for the environment from which it was born.
Never one to shy away from the spotlight or quietly accept convention, Ian wanted Glass Vodka to represent a taste for curious rebellion.
Ian is a renaissance man, an entrepreneur, an artist, a pilot, a chef – a connoisseur of a variety of areas in life from food to wine to spirits to travel – and a consummate student of science, art and life. He is committed to producing the highest quality vodka in a place he loves. His ties and support for the Northwest community extends beyond the sourcing of grapes from local vineyards. Glass Distillery is honored to support the talent of the region’s glassblowing artists from which the name “Glass” is inspired.
His new guard vodka celebrates all that life has to offer from refinement and beauty, to conflict and creativity. He invites you to taste and share his dream that is Glass Vodka.
Jerome Adams – Creator of Detroit’s Classic Hummer Cocktail Has Died
Bartender Who Created Detroit’s Classic Hummer Cocktail Has Died.
Jerome Adams worked for more than 50 years at the Bayview Yacht Club.
Jerome Adams, the bartender who invented Detroit’s iconic hummer cocktail, has died. Adams died early Sunday morning, the Bayview Yacht Club confirmed on Facebook.
Adams was a longtime fixture at the Bayview Yacht Club and celebrated his 50th anniversarybehind the bar at the club in June 2017. Adams, who was originally from Georgia, started out at the Bayview Yacht Club as a dishwasher 1967 and over the course of a year worked his way up to tending bar, according to Punch.
It was there, in 1968, that Adams reportedly invented the hummer — a blended shake made with white rum, Kahlua, vanilla ice cream, and ice cubes. As Adam told it in countless interviews over the years, he was behind the bar and experimenting with a new blended drink for the menu when several customers including Ed Jacoby of Jacoby’s in downtown Detroit walked in. The group insisted on trying the new drink. “So I gave him and his two buddies three of ‘em, and they drank it and said, ‘You got any more?’ I said, ‘No, but I could make up some,’” Adams recalled to Metro Times in 2011.
Adams says, when they asked, he told the men that the drink didn’t have a name and one of them remarked, “You know what? After two of these damn things, kinda makes you wanna hum,’” he said. Thus, the hummer was born. Today, the boozy milkshake can be found on bar menus in Detroit and around the world.
Enter for a Chance to Win the Ultimate Home Bar
Is it time to upgrade your home bar?
The team at Glass vodka thinks so.
For a limited time only, Glass Vodka is giving away the ultimate home bar experience. They will overhaul one home bar with everything from a custom bar cart to all the cocktail-making accessories you need for the perfect martini. A $500 Value. Glass will select one name from our list on June 18th 2018 (Previously listed as May 1 2018). One entry per person.
UPDATE: This Giveaway is OVER.
About Glass Vodka
Is alcohol Gluten free?
Editors note: There have been a number of these type of articles, but we thought this was a great one. For an answer to the more specific question Is Vodka Gluten Free check out our post on the subject. This article is a re-print from supercall.com. You may also want to check out this incredibly insightful article: Gluten & Celiac Disease: Everything You Need To Know.
Is Alcohol Gluten Free?
by NICHOLAS MANCALL-BITEL
You might think the stakes are high when you order a cocktail and hope it’s worth the $14 you paid. But that’s nothing compared to what people with Celiac or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity face every time they go in for a sip of an unfamiliar drink. For those whose bodies can’t handle gluten for one reason or another, ingesting it can cause gastrointestinal distress like diarrhea or constipation, migraines, fatigue, breakouts, or—for those with Celiac—higher risk of developing cancer. So maybe don’t be so peeved about that $14 rip off.
There’s a lot of false information floating around the internet about gluten at the bar. To make sure those with gluten-related conditions can drink in peace, we talked to Emily Luxford—a registered dietitian, owner of deLUX nutrition and a member of the Celiac Disease Foundation board of directors—to learn just which drinks are truly gluten (and worry) free. Luxford explains that the FDA doesn’t require alcohol to be labeled gluten-free or even an ingredient list (which can give some hint to the gluten content of food items that lack specific gluten-free labeling), so there’s usually no way to tell if a bottle is gluten-free if the brand doesn’t advertise it prominently (the FDA and TTB are currently working to standardize labeling on gluten). So the best way to protect yourself from gluten is to get educated.
While Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and contaminated oats (oats are naturally gluten-free but we contaminate them in how we process them), Luxford explains that few drinks created from these grains contain gluten.
“For the general population, all distilled alcohol is fine, unless [distillers] were to add some sort of flavoring agent or some sort of item that might have gluten in it, but that’s very rare,” Luxford says. “Once the alcohol goes through the distillation process and becomes pure alcohol, the gluten content is negligible and doesn’t affect those populations [with gluten-related conditions].” Trace amounts of gluten may remain after distillation, but as long as that amount is less than 20 parts per million (ppm), the FDA limit, the product is considered gluten-free and safe to consume. Wine is generally safe as well.
Beer, on the other hand, is a whole keg of worms. Luxford breaks down beer into three categories: traditional beer, beer that’s made from cereals that don’t contain gluten, and beer that has been modified to remove the gluten. While traditional beers made from wheat, barley and rye are obviously out, Luxford also suggests avoiding the modified variety because there have been no conclusive studies on them and many people still report issues after drinking them. Beers made from non-gluten cereals are the way to go for gluten-sensitive beer lovers. Anything made from millet, rice, sorghum, buckwheat or corn will work.
This is about the point where we reach the limits of our scientific knowledge and enter the theoretical. Dig around on the internet and you’ll find plenty of people with gluten sensitivity that report symptoms after drinking pure alcohol distilled from grains. This probably doesn’t mean gluten is getting through distillation, but Luxford lays out a few possible explanations for the trouble.
For one thing, like other food sensitivities, those with gluten sensitivity may be susceptible to other ingredients as well. Another possibility is that the damage done to someone’s intestines during years of eating gluten with an undiagnosed gluten sensitivity may make them extra sensitive to the miniscule amount of gluten below 20 ppm. Finally, alcohol could exacerbate “leaky gut,” a condition that’s disputed among physicians but may make the intestines more permeable to harmful gluten and other nutrients. No matter the cause of distress from ostensibly gluten-free products, Luxford suggests those feeling symptoms after drinking some pure whiskey ought to consult directly with their doctors.
While all of these general guidelines are a good start to understanding gluten in your booze, it can be hard to find accurate information about specific brands. When in doubt, Luxford suggests sticking to tried and true gluten-free brands like Tito’s Vodka, Bacardi and Bombay Sapphire.
Originally Published 3/2/2018 at Supercall.com
Upcoming Events and Sponsorships
For more details on our upcoming events, check out the new event directory. Here are some events coming up soon!
For more details on our upcoming events, check out the new event directory. Here are some events coming up soon!
Hour Detroit’s Best of Detroit Party 2019
Help Hour Detroit bring the Best of Detroit issue to life at the 14th annual Best of Detroit Party on Friday, June 21 at The Fillmore hosted by Evrod Cassimy from WDIV Local 4.
Enjoy the flavors, sounds, and fashions of Hour Detroit’s Best of Detroit winners with a special performances from The Killer Flamingos, DJ CAPTN20, and DJ John Arnold featuring live percussionist Jared Sykes.
VIP Tickets: $140
6:00 p.m. early entry! Limited VIP tickets allow early entrance for first tastes from participating Best of Detroit winning restaurants, with access to the exclusive Celebrity Cruises VIP lounge.
General Admission Tickets: $95
Doors open at 7:00 p.m. for General Admission ticket holders.
Tickets will be available for purchase at the door by credit card only.
Must be 21 or older to attend with valid I.D. All ticket sales are final.
Cystic Fibrosis Cycle For Life
Join us on Saturday, July 28 as we ride together to raise money and awareness in the fight against cystic fibrosis. Get your wheels in motion and cycle at your own pace. We’ll start and finish our event at Wilmot Gateway Park in Woodinville (just 20 minutes north of Seattle), and ride through some of the most scenic terrain in Western Washington. You’ll begin your ride in the heart of Woodinville, and continue through quiet rolling hills and beautiful landscapes showcasing the best scenery our region has to offer.
Ring in the New Year with Glass
To celebrate the new year we have come up with something special we think you’ll like. Check out the recipe below for the “New Years Kiss” cocktail.
Get Your Spirits before the 24th!
We will be closing the Vodka Boutique and Tasting Room for the dates of December 24th 2017 through January 2nd 2018 so be sure to get stocked up for your celebrations before then!
Why whiskey (and Selkirk) tastes better with a little water
By Ashley Strickland, CNN
- Diluting whiskey with water may enhance its flavor
- Water pushes alcohol and taste molecules up to the top of your glass
(CNN)If anyone has suggested adding a little water to your whiskey, you may want to give it a try. Rather than watering it down, the addition may act as a flavor enhancement, and we now know the science behind it, thanks to a new study.
The combination is a bit counterintuitive, which is part of the reason researchers wanted to look at the molecular chemistry behind what’s happening in your whiskey glass.
On the surface, whiskey seems simple: It’s mostly barley malt and water that goes through a specific process. But from a chemistry standpoint, whiskey includes a complex variety of molecules that contribute to its unique taste. One of those is the compound guaiacol, which lends itself to the smokiness associated with some whiskeys.
Guaiacol is the molecule that two researchers from the Linnaeus University Center for Biomaterials Chemistry in Sweden focused on for their study, published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports.
The researchers looked at both bottled and cask-strength whiskey. Bottled whiskey has been diluted to about 40% alcohol by volume, down from 70% after distilling. Cask whiskey is stronger, at about 55% to 65% alcohol by volume, even if some alcohol evaporates as it matures in barrels for at least three years.
What they discovered is that guaiacol is most present at the surface of diluted whiskey, which is why whiskey with added water tastes better: The taste molecules are at the top of your glass.
“From a molecular perspective, water and alcohol don’t completely mix,” co-author Ran Friedman wrote in an email. “Instead, we have clusters of water molecules and clusters of alcohol molecules. When whisky is diluted, the alcohol is driven to the surface, and many of the taste molecules follow it because they like to be in a slightly less aqueous environment. The taste that we experience is therefore enhanced — but there’s a limit. If we dilute the whisky too much the concentration of the taste compounds is reduced and the drink will be meager.”
In higher-alcohol whiskey, the flavor is different because the taste molecules aren’t reacting to the presence of water.
“The most interesting finding was that at high alcohol by volume concentrations — 59% and up, cask-strength whisky — the taste compound was surrounded by ethanol molecules in the solution,” Friedman wrote.
Friedman and colleague Bjorn Karlsson didn’t discover this through taste, although both like whiskey, but by using computer simulations of the molecules.
“They enable us to follow on chemical processes as if we’re watching a molecular movie. We usually work on problems that have something to do with biology or human health, but at some point got interested in understanding why dilution affects the taste of whisky,” Friedman said.
The researchers believe their findings can be applied to other aged spirits, like brandy, rum and tequila, because they have similar solutions, taste compounds and alcohol by volume.
Though they didn’t drink any whiskey during the study, the two researchers enjoy traditional Swedish snaps (what we might call schnapps), ice-cold and undiluted.
“We believe that the principles we describe are true for a long list of taste compounds,” Friedman said. “In that case, one can find an optimal alcohol content for a spirit to taste best for many drinkers. The conclusions may also apply for the food industry, as some extracts that are used in the industry are stored in diluted alcohol solutions.”
When it comes to whiskey and how best to enjoy it, it can be a very personal choice.
As a mixologist at the Bar at Husk Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, Rod Weaver likes to offer a pour of bourbon or rye whiskey in two ways: neat and over ice. “This approach allows the drinker to compare the two; one room temp, and the other throughout the natural dilution as the ice melts over time,” Weaver wrote in an email. “There will be considerable change as it ‘opens up.’ This can also happen with oxidation.”
But as a whiskey lover, he recommends becoming acquainted with the type of whiskey “just the way the maker intended” before changing it in any way, whether it’s “a 10-year plus, non-chill filtered, barrel-proof ‘Haz-Mat’ (over 140 proof) face-melting monster, or a 6-month-young local and grainy infant” whiskey.
He believes that Scots were most likely the first to dilute their whiskey in the glass, while blenders and distillers of whiskey decide how much to dilute their products individually.
“But the best way to taste bourbon is hot, straight out the bottle,” Weaver said. “Chew it around your mouth, swallow, and feel the Kentucky hug.”
LeNell Camacho Santa Ana, owner of LeNell’s Beverage Boutique in Alabama, tells people to drink whiskey however they like it best. She isn’t one to say there’s a “proper” way to drink.
She also sells her own brand of whiskey called Red Hook Rye, and includes a formula for how to add water to reduce proof in the packaging of her barrels. The formula comes from Chuck Cowdery’s book “Bourbon, Straight”.
“Divide the proof you have by the proof you want and subtract one,” she wrote in an email. “Multiply that number by the amount of whiskey you want to dilute and the result will be the amount of water to add. For example, to reduce 2 ounces of 135 proof whiskey to 100 proof, divide 135 by 100 and subtract one. Multiply that number by 2 ounces. You add 0.7 ounces water to 2 ounces Red Hook Rye to make it 100 proof.
“The only time I do highly recommend adding water is when drinking a cask-strength whiskey, a whiskey that has been bottled straight from the barrel to the bottle without addition of water,” Smothers said. “Those high proofs are fine for a sip to taste the power of the spirit; however, if you drink barrel-proof whiskeys, the strength could damage the lining of your esophagus, besides the fact you may end up with a nasty hangover.”
Originally published here. References to Selkirk added by Glass Vodka.
Join us for Glass Boutique’s Open House!
PLEASE JOIN US FOR GLASS VODKA BOUTIQUE’S HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13TH 4PM – 7PM
• Complimentary Tastings
• Holiday Hors d’oeuvres
• Special Gift Packages
• Free Gift Wrapping
• 15% off any purchase in the Boutique
Glass Vodka Boutique and Tasting Room
1712 1st Avenue S
Seattle WA 98134
206-743-8070
[email protected]
Is Vodka Gluten Free? The Answer May Surprise You
Is Vodka Gluten-Free?
In an age of heightened awareness toward food sensitivities, and what we put into our bodies generally, more people are asking questions about the foods and drinks they consume. That’s a good thing, as it keeps manufacturers honest and consumers safe. But it has also opened up an entirely new marketing channel, as those same manufacturers—from cereal magnates to gourmet retailers to liquor brands—have used this opportunity to target people with certain dietary restrictions. Some restrictions due to legitimate health reasons, and others due to lifestyle choices.
The result: labels touting everything from gluten-free alcohol to grass-fed beef and non-GMO vegetables. Overall, more transparency is a good thing, especially when it comes to our food and drink. But about that first one…
Is vodka gluten-free? Is whiskey? How about gin? The short answer to all of these questions is “yes.” But there’s more to it.
In many cases, spirits are distilled from potatoes, corn, agave, sugar cane and grapes, foods that do not contain gluten. So whenever imbibing a distilled liquor derived from such ingredients—regardless of what the label does or does not state—you can rest assured that you’re not consuming any gluten. Well, that’s provided that the company isn’t incorporating any gluten-laced flavors or additives before bottling—a rare practice.
What if its from Wheat, Barley, or Rye?
But is vodka gluten-free if it’s distilled from wheat, barley or rye? These grains absolutely contain gluten, a scourge to those suffering from celiac disease and other select digestive disorders. The question here isn’t whether the raw ingredients contain gluten, but whether the gluten from the grain carries over into the distillation process.
Conventional thinking—from scientists, mind you—is that distilled alcohol does not contain gluten because gluten peptides, which are amino acid-containing molecules, are too large to survive the distillation process and be carried over into the final product. Distillation turns the fermented, liquid-y grain mash into vapor, which travels through the still, where it’s cooled and condensed into ethanol. At no point do those gluten peptides join in the party—instead they’re left in the mash—so gluten won’t be present in the final product. At least, not enough to matter.
Technically, any product containing less than 20 parts per million of gluten can be labeled “gluten-free.” In this range, products should be safe for those with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. Of course, everyone is different, and some people with severe cases of celiac disease have reported feeling ill effects after drinking spirits, though it’s rare.
Here’s a quote from the Celiac Disease Foundation, an organization that knows a thing or two about gluten and its effects.
“Alcoholic beverages, including wines and hard liquor/distilled liquors/hard ciders are gluten-free.” Source.
This organization takes gluten seriously, and doesn’t want to steer anyone with celiac disease toward an unpleasant experience. So their vote of confidence is worth noting.
So What’s The Deal?
And yet, despite the fact that alcohol is, indeed, gluten-free, you can still find splashy labels on liquor bottles touting gluten-free alcohol. It smacks of a marketing gimmick—a “me-too” mentality that capitalizes on this trend and values buzz words over candor.
The first liquor brand to receive the go-ahead from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to put “gluten-free” on its label was a potato-based vodka out of Idaho. This was back in 2013. Potatoes don’t and never did contain gluten. The company said this initiative was a proactive means of ensuring the increasingly gluten-aware population could be assured they were drinking a gluten-free product. Whatever the case, it started a trend, and today, dozens of spirits across several categories now tout their products as being free from pesky gluten.
So, to recap the question at top: is vodka gluten-free? Yes, and so is every other spirit, including grain-based whiskeys and gins, agave spirits like tequila and mezcal, fruit-based brandies and sugar cane-derived rum. If you see the words “gluten-free” on a spirits label, the product isn’t special—it’s simply following the same general production process of every other distilled spirit. The label isn’t a marker of quality, or even one of uniqueness. It’s just a marketing choice employed by a company in a climate where some people make buying decisions based on such labels.
A distilled spirit brand that opts to exclude this label is not selling products with discernibly higher levels of gluten. They simply chose not to announce what’s always been—the fact that alcohol is gluten-free.
Location, price, distilling prowess, heck—even a bottle’s artwork—are all legitimate reasons to pick up a bottle of vodka at the store. But choosing said vodka based on a disingenuous label… well, that one’s hard to support.
Our Glass Vodkas are all distilled from (gluten free!) grapes that are harvested from the rich soils of the Pacific Northwest, which is home to some of the world’s top wineries. The terroir you’ll find in the grapes and soil imparts nuanced flavors and characteristics into the vodka that leads to a light, floral nose, a silky mid-palate and a cool, clean finish.
For more on our award-winning Seattle-based vodka, check out the full lineup, from the flagship sipping vodka to flavored varieties infused with ingredients including cold brew coffee, Ceylon cinnamon and honey.
WE’RE ALL OVER THE MAP!
We are so proud Glass Vodka is featured in many of our home state’s finest establishments. Please make a reservation at any (or all!) of these creatively impressive restaurants. Not only will you experience the best cuisine Washington has to offer, but you can order up a cocktail of your favorite Connoisseur Class spirit in the following locations. We thank you for being part of the Glass Vodka family!
Deadline / Seattle
Front Street Grill / Coupeville
Monsoon / Bellevue
T. Maccarone’s / Wallla Walla
Fiction @ J. Bookwalter / Richland
Place Pigalle / Seattle
Prime Steakhouse / Redmond
Stay tuned here for updates on where you can enjoy Glass Vodka in Washington State!
Parigi Restaurant in Dallas returns to the James Beard House with Glass Vodka
One of our favorite customers in Dallas, popular chef and restaurateur Janice Provost of Parigi Restaurant located in the hot/hip Uptown area returned to the James Beard House June 26th to a sold out dinner met with raves and applause!
Her “American in Paris” dinner featured cuisine from her Parigi Restaurant’s French Bistro with a little bit of Italian and American thrown in. Janice asked Glass Vodka to join her for the night and our founder, Ian MacNeil was mixing cocktails and introducing our Connoisseur Class Spirits to the lucky guests. A great time was had by all!
Selkirk, our very first Barrel Aged Vodka, exclusive to our Vodka Boutique
Be the first to experience Glass Vodka’s limited edition release Selkirk.
Rested in a charred oak barrel for over a year, Selkirk presents a taste profile of vanilla, caramel and oak with the finesse of Glass Vodka. This is a very limited release, only 1000 bottles have been produced and will only be sold at the Glass Vodka Boutique in Seattle, WA. All bottles are hand numbered and signed by Ian MacNeil, our founder.
The name and our coat of arms on the bottle, pays homage to Ian’s homeland of Scotland and his beloved Labrador, Selkirk.
Come visit us and be one of the first to indulge in this new experience.
We’re all over the map!
More news from Michigan! We are so proud Glass Vodka is featured in many of the state’s finest establishments. Plan a trip to experience our Connoisseur Class spirits in the following locations. We thank you for being part of the Glass Vodka family.
Ann Arbor Chop House / Ann Arbor
La Lanterna / Detroit
2 FOG’s Pub / Howell
Morton’s Steakhouse / Troy
The Union Cabaret and Grille / Kalamazoo
Chandler’s / Petoskey
We will showcase many more in the coming months, stay tuned. Even though we are based in Seattle, WA, Glass Vodka is “Pure Michigan!”
In the Cellar
As you walk into the posh new wine cellar in the newly remodeled Fred Meyer in Bellevue, WA, you might think you are walking into an art gallery. Front and center in the new wood lined space you are surprised to encounter the dramatic art piece, Escape Velocity by Harry Pollitt. This one-of-a-kind experience is shown in partnership exclusively with the Traver Glallery in Seattle. Surrounding the piece, also exclusively, is another art form, the elegant and exquisite Glass Vodka. From the crystal bottle who’s very form was inspired by the Glass Art Movement to what’s inside, the clean, modern spirit conceived from an artist’s passion. Stop in, take a break and drink in the culture in the room.
Mixing it up for Charity
If you missed Glass Vodka at this year’s Susan G. Komen’s Grace Notes Gala “A Night at the Races,” you are going to have to make plans now for next year’s soiree.
One of the most fun items that raises a ton of money is the Martini Table Service by none other than our Founder, Ian MacNeil. He comes to your table and personally mixes up a batch of Glass Vodka cocktails for you and all of your guests during the auction. This year the item went for $16,000! And the Glass Vodka dinner party for 10 people at the distillery went for $4500. This is a very worthy event that benefits our Seattle community and we are very honored to be a part of it.
It’s Great to Recycle with Glass Vodka
Glass Vodka is pleased to kick off a new recycling program that’s pretty tasty. Bring your empty Glass Vodka bottles to the Vodka Boutique and receive $5 off a purchase of another bottle of our Connoisseur-Class® spirit. Recycling feels good and tastes exceptional! Everyday… here at Glass Vodka.
Now Appearing!
Glass Vodka is proud to be a part of Arcade Lights at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. Arcade Lights is an artisan food, craft beer, cider and cocktail tasting event that benefits seniors and families in the Pike Place Market.
Over 70 of Seattle’s premier food and beverage companies will be in attendance. Glass Vodka will be serving tastings of our Connoisseur Class Spirits. Use this link to purchase tickets and join us.
http://pikeplacemarketfoundation.org/events/arcade-lights/
The Glass Gimlet
Date: October 19, 2016
The wildly popular Wild Ginger Asian Restaurant & Satay Bar in Seattle features the wildly delicious Glass Gimlet and customers crave it. The perfect night – a Glass Gimlet and Seven Flavor Beef and Wild Ginger Fragrant Duck.
Recipe for making for your home celebrations:
Lightly muddle a slice of cucumber and three leaves of Thai Basil.
Shake 1.75 oz. of Glass Vodka with 1.5 oz. of fresh lemonade and ice until chilled; serve in a glass with crisp cucumber, and garnish with a sprig of Thai basil.
Exclusive Shopping Elegant Dining Perfect Cocktail
Date: October 15, 2016
Find your Glass Vodka in only the most exclusive places. The superbly elegant Neiman Marcus Zodiac and Mariposa restaurants in Dallas now feature a number of enchanting Glass cocktails. Picture yourself here… on a break from shopping… Honey Glass Martini in hand…. the perfect afternoon.
Stanley Korshak, Dallas
Glass Vodka is privileged to join Stanley Korshak and 505 Ranch Club to support the AIM at Melanoma fundraiser. The event takes place at Stanley Korshak with a fashion show and live auction. And the official signature cocktail comes from yours truly!
James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour
Date: October 20, 2016 / Denver, CO
Glass Vodka was a sponsor of the James Beard Celebrity Chef tour and was the exclusive vodka for dinners during 2016 in Grosse Pointe, Boulder and Denver. On March 4, 2017, Glass Vodka sponsored the Celebrity Chef dinner in Seattle hosted by Chef Tyler Hefford of the Columbia Tower Club which featured courses from Oregon restaurants Ox, Imperial and Jory with San Francisco’s RN74, Seattle’s Altura and Team Sawyer Restaurants from Cleveland rounding out the dinner. The evening began with a cocktail reception featuring Glass Vodka, followed by a multi-course, wine paired dinner with other Glass Vodka cocktails featured throughout the evening.
Seattle Wine and Food Experience
We’re excited to be back with the Seattle Wine and Food Experience.
Friday night we are at McCaw Hall with all the movers and shakers for POP! Bubble and Seafood. We’ll be mixing up the Glass Pop! cocktail for attendees so please stop by!
The Glass Pop!
1 ½ oz Glass Vodka
½ oz lemon juice
3 oz San Pellegrino Melograno E Arancia (Pomegranate and Orange)
3 dashes bitters
Stir in shaker with ice and pour into glass with ice
On Sunday at The Grand Tasting, we are sampling Glass Vodka through an ice luge – an experience not to be missed!
Glass Vodka’s Valentines’ Dinner – February 13th, 2017
Glass Vodka is taking Valentine’s Day and Blowing it wide open!
A sensuous six course tasting menu paired with Glass vodka, champagne and perfectly selected wines presented in an intimate setting. Only 28 people will be able to experience this exquisite evening celebrating the love of flavor. Don’t miss out. $100 per person.
New Year’s Eve Brik in York
Hey Colorado friends! Looking for something to do on NYE? The best place to ring in the new year is with Glass Vodka and Brik On York, in Denver. Live music, open bar, yummy bites… what more do you need? Time to celebrate the new year!
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden Holiday Event
And on the 10th day of Christmas…Our CEO, Ian MacNeil joins the festivities at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden‘s Holiday at the Arboretum event today! He’ll be mixing a yummy cocktail and tasting Glass Vodka in celebration of the 12 days of Christmas theme. The featured cocktail can be found on a recipe card at the event which highlights 12 different cocktails from twelve Dallas restaurants that feature Glass Vodka. Thank you to all these amazing restaurants and their delicious recipes: Parigi Restaurant, The Tipsy Alchemist, Neiman Marcus Mermaid Bar, Mariposa and The Zodiac, Dragonfly Restaurant, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, Ida Claire, La Bodega, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House, Dakota’s Steakhouse, Savor Gastropub, Al Biernat’s, and DISH Preston Hollow.
Glass Vodka’s Holiday Party
Awww, shucks…(pun intended). Our Holiday Open House was full of many sweet moments, just like this one. The evening included complimentary vodka tastings, oysters and cocktails. If you couldn’t make it this year, there will be more parties to come so stay tuned to Glass Vodka!
Gift the Unexpected – Glass Vodka’s Holiday Open House
Our Holiday Open House in our Vodka Boutique is the place to be for all of your holiday shopping. Join us for complimentary vodka tastings, tasty treats, specialty cocktails, gift wrapping and more. After a bit a holiday cheer, take home gifts for every connoisseur on your list.
Glass Vodka’s Holiday Cocktail Recipes
Unleash your inner mixologist this holiday season with Glass Vodka! Every weekend in December, the Boutique will highlight a signature holiday cocktail coupled with tastings of all our products. Join us each week to learn new cocktail recipes to add to your repertoire.
Here’s the line up:
Dec. 3 – The Winter’s Kick made with Glass Nectar. Our take on the Moscow Mule that will have you kicking up your dancing shoes!
Dec. 10 – This weekend experience the “sizzling, spicy, ultimate brunch essential like you’ve never experienced before,” Bloody Mary made with Glass Vodka.
Dec. 17 – With a cold wave hitting the U.S., “Baby It’s Cold Outside” feels like the perfect holiday cocktail to feature at the Boutique this weekend. Shop for all the vodka-lovers in your life while you sip on this delicious drink.
Dec. 23 – “You know who” will be coming down your chimney this week and he’ll be expecting more than cookies and milk. “The Spicy Santa” is the naughty and nice answer that will make Mr. Claus glow and Mrs. Claus sparkle on Christmas Eve!
Dec. 30 – Ring in the new year with a “kiss!” Mix sweet, citrus and a few surprises with the smoothest vodka this side of heaven – the “New Year’s Kiss!”
All recipes are in the recipe section of our website.
Seattle Magazine’s 50th Anniversary Party
You are going to love the build-a-mule bar at Seattle Magazine’s 50th Anniversary Party! Glass Vodka along with Westland Distillery, Heritage Distilling Company, Inc, Copperworks Distilling & Tasting Room, DRY Sparkling, Soda Jerk Soda and Timber City Ginger Beer all come together for the “Craft Your Own Cocktail” bar. Let’s raise a glass with that cocktail and toast Seattle Magazine for a great 50 years.
The Fifty Best Competition
And the flavors of Glass Vodka stole the show! We’re thrilled to announce that The Fifty Best has awarded Glass Nectar with a Silver medal, Glass Spice with a Gold medal, and Glass Kona with…drumroll… a Double Gold medal for “Best Flavored Vodka” in 2016!
Glass Vodka’s own head distiller, Melaina
Today, the ever-impressive Melaina is celebrating her one-year anniversary as Glass Vodka’s Head Distiller. She continues to dazzle us with her creativity & distilling expertise, and has also won a handful of awards. We can’t wait to see what she does next! Well here’s a little clue…. she’s setting the stage for a new ten-year product working with Charlie Hoppes of Fidelatas winery. Melaina – we are waiting in anticipation for your first Brandy.
Brotherton Cadillac, Mary’s Place, Seattle Met Magazine and Glass
Today we had the pleasure of hosting a wonderful crew from Seattle Met Magazine, Mary’s Place, Washington State Auto Dealers Association and Silver Scout Partners.. all in the name of a good cause. Brad from Brotherton Cadillac Buick GMC purchased Ian MacNeil‘s painted car at the Washington State Auto Dealers Association fundraiser for $2,500. The money was donated to Mary’s Place, a women’s and children’s homeless shelter. Our event was in conjunction with Starbucks‘s December giving initiative. Starbucks will match every dollar donated by customers in participating King County Starbucks stores between Dec 1-31. Thank you Brad Brotherton and of course, thank you Starbucks, the Schultz Family Foundation and Mary’s Place for helping to give every child a bed to sleep in!
Chrysler VIP Preview with the Lincoln Motor Company, Navigator concept, 2017
What a privilege it is to be invited to the Lincoln “Luxury is” event in Los Angeles. Glass Vodka CEO, Ian MacNeil was there with Christi Meshell of House of Matriach perfumes making a signature cocktail and introducing the influencers to the perfect combination of perfume and vodka in a glass. What an exquisite treat!
Come for a Taste, Take Home the Unexpected
Very exciting news for Glass Vodka! Our Vodka Boutique and Tasting Room has been launched on October 15th and is now open. All of the silky, smooth, sultry flavors of Glass Vodka, Nectar, Kona, Spice and GridIron are presented together for your sipping pleasure. The vodka, the great service and the beautifully artistic design of the boutique come together for a true Connoisseur Class Lifestyle experience.
Art Cars for Kids
Glass and pedal cars come together for a good cause! Ian was selected to be one of the artists to create a cool art car that was auctioned off at the VIP Preview Party at the Seattle International Auto Show. The WSADA’s “Art Cars For Kids” cause” brings together artists, and new car and truck dealers. Ian and Glass Vodka were humbled to be able to choose the charity the money raised from his car was going to. The money raised from his car will go to. Mary’s Place, a women’s and children’s homeless shelter. Ian’s car ion display at Pacific Place Seattle until Nov 7 & then at the Seattle International Auto Show on Nov 10.
James Beard Taste America, Portland
Off to Portland for the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America dinner. Chris Cosentino of Cockscomb and Boccalone both of which are widely acclaimed and award winning restaurants in San Francisco was the featured chef. Our founder, Ian MacNeil (of the acclaimed and multi-award winning Glass Vodka which hails from Seattle Washington) was there too, serving up cocktails. It was a distinct privilege to partner with such an accomplished and passionate craftsman.
The Glass Sky!
Also appearing at the new Delta Sky Club — The Glass Sky! Glass Vodka’s signature cocktail is exclusively served at the Club in the Seattle International Airport. Stop on by, grab a cocktail and relax while you wait for your flight.
Delta Sky Club
What an entrance Ian MacNeil shines on the “blue carpet” at the opening of the new Delta Sky Club – Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Ian was there serving up Glass Vodka signature cocktails and marveling at the beautiful and amazing new Sky Club.
Congratulations Delta and thank you for a great partnership!
Intuit and Glass Vodka
True story: Intuit interviewed our founder and CEO Ian MacNeil in Seattle ON National Vodka Day. Teaser – Ian gives his tips on a successful vodka business. He mixed his passions for wine and cocktails together and a connoisseur class spirit was born! Learn more about the intricacies of the distilling business and how the Seattle art scene played a part in the naming of his company.