HANDCRAFTED, APPLE-BASED SPIRITS

Upstate Vodka, kosher and gluten-free, produces a unique spirit.

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Upstate Vodka is very traditional and unique for handcrafted, apple-based spirits. The final product is not “flavored,” but the apple base does lend a wonderful mouthfeel and a nice hint of fruit on the back end of the palate. It is also kosher and gluten-free for an extraordinary spirit.

The fruits of their labor can be tasted in every bottle of Upstate Vodka. Not every apple is created equal, and not every batch is exactly the same. Part science, part art, using locally-grown apples; they take the time and a hands-on approach to make the finest quality vodka every time. It is with pride that Sauvage produces a small batch of truly handcrafted agricultural products.

The Catskill watershed is only the source of high-quality local water used in Upstate Vodka. In the county where Upstate Vodka is produced, the Schoharie Reservoir was added to the Catskill system in 1926. This adds to the flavor and freshness of the spirit.

CEO Ilio Mavlyanov founded Upstate Vodka and Sauvage, which was originally an apple cider company; in 2018, Ken Wortz, the head distiller, and his son Kyle Wortz (one of the distillers at High West Distillery) joined Sauvage

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Team and worked on the Upstate Vodka to come up with quality vodka with a smooth finish.

Originally, Sauvage started in Oneonta in a 2,000-square-foot building space with only 460 square feet allocated for vodka production, where they produced the spirit in a small 150-gram single-column still. In 2020, Sauvage Distillery acquired the distillery building from Kymar Farm Distillery in Charlottesville, New York, where Upstate Vodka is produced and bottled under one roof.

Vodka is one of the most popular spirits, mostly produced from grain. “We wanted to create innovation into this marketing by making it from apples while maintaining the unflavored profile, so it could be used for cocktails and simultaneously being a sipping vodka,” explains Ilio.

“We picked apples because New York is the second biggest apple-producing state, also known as ‘the Big Apple.’ Since we are located in upstate New York, we wanted to make products from ingredients that the state and region are known for, which are apples. At the same time, we are supporting local agriculture and farms.”

As for being kosher, Ilio is Jewish, and it is important for his company to produce kosher products. Their first accounts were kosher liquor stores, and currently, they have a big presence in the kosher market and are distributed by the biggest kosher liquor distributor, Royal Wine Corp. They also produce a special batch for Passover, one of the fastest-growing Passover spirits in the United States.

Upstate Vodka is currently distributed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Texas, and Illinois. They are working to expand the distribution footprint, and customers can order online. For more info, visit drinksauvage.com and applevodka. com. Follow on Facebook @ Upstate Vodka and Instagram @ Upstate Vodka and @ DrinkSauvage.

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• Product name: Upstate Vodka

• Distillery Name: Sauvage Distillery

• Distillery type: Farm Distillery

• Category: Vodka

• Origin: Schoharie County, New York

• Distiller: Ken Wortz, whose background is in whiskey and brandy.

• Certifications: Kosher by OK, Gluten-Free by GFCO

• Category: Craft

• Bottle size available: 375ml and 750ml

• Designer: Stranger & Stranger

• Flavor/Odor: Flavorless/Odorless

• Tasting note: Slightly sweet pre-taste with a hint of an apple.

• Main points: around 75 apples in each bottle of 750ml. Award-winning.

• Fermentation of juice: 4-6 weeks (several times longer than grain-based vodka).

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