Spirit-distillation
has entered the 21st Century with the release of the Square One
range. This is one exceptionally
forward-thinking company and Regional Wines & Spirits commends and supports
the initiatives taken by Square One.
Established in northern California by Allison Evanow, a marketing whizz
with extensive experience in FMCG and wine and spirits, with the support of
Deborah Jones, a financier and business specialist, in 2006, Square One creates
artisanal organic luxury spirits with sustainability and environmental
consciousness as philosophical tenets.
The concept has found incredible support in some of America’s
finest and most influential hotels, restaurants and bars and the Square One
spirits are increasingly sought-after in the best liquor retailers and
specialist grocery stores. With limited
availability, the spirits are now rationed for export, and Regional Wines has
acquired an allocation.
At the heart
of the Square One spirits is the use of 100% certified organic American Rye
grown in North Dakota and the use of pure,
fresh water that originates from the Teton
Mountains in Wyoming.
Only natural nutrients are used for the fermentation process which is
certified organic. There is only one
single distillation using a four-column still, rather than multiple passes, as the
initial impurity level is so low in comparison with conventional, mass-produced
spirits. The packaging of the spirits
continues the theme. Tree-free and
recycled content labels which are removable are employed, soy inks, and the use
of un-frosted bottles are all environmentally friendly. The distillery is 25% reliant on wind power
and ferment waste is donated as cattle feed.
Recycling and use of recycled materials is used in Square One’s
marketing and administration!
“The proof is
in the pudding” is the phrase and Square One’s distillates are more flavoursome
and pure, leading to spirits which have rounder and richer aromas and flavours,
and smoother textures, which are carried through to the finished drinks and
cocktails. Go to www.squareoneorganicspirits.com
for a fabulous resource of cocktails and mixes.
Regional Wines offer the following two Square One spirits:
Square One ‘Cucumber’
This is
Square One’s organic vodka flavoured with the essence of fresh cucumber. Being certified organic has meant the rejection
of GMO yeasts, chemical additives and synthetic de-foaming agents in the
fermentation. Only a simple carbon
filtration to achieve clarity is required.
Real cucumbers, organically grown, are used. Two different processing procedures are used
with the cucumber: distillation with water to preserve the aromatics and
micro-distillation with organic spirits to extract the flavours. The flavour profile is delicate and tastes
like real cucumber. Try with tonic and a
twist of lime. 40.0% alc, 750 ml bottles.
Square One ‘Botanical’
Technically,
this is classified as a ‘specialty spirit’ rather than a flavoured vodka or
gin. This is based on grain neutral
spirit infused with the distillate of eight individually handled botanicals:
pear, rose, lavender, chamomile, lemon verbena, coriander, rosemary and citrus
peel. As with the ‘Cucumber’,
water-based distilling enhances the aromatics and spirit use extracts the
flavours. The result is a unique and
intriguing spirit with nuances of fruit, herbs and florals that will be
excellent on its own or mixed in a cocktail.
45.0% alc, 750 ml bottles.