Kalak Peat Cask Irish Single Malt Vodka

An Irish Single Malt Vodka finished in peat-smoked casks.

After spending fourteen years working in France and Russia for Moët Hennessy, in 2013 Patrick Shelley founded Origin Spirits Ltd. in his native Ireland. With all that spirits marketing experience and time in Russia, Vodka was the natural choice for his first commercial product release. Thus, Kalak Vodka was born. Shortly thereafter he launched Ornabrak Gin. Both are made from 100% Irish Single Malt distilled in copper pots in a partnership with West Cork Distillers.

Traditional Irish Single Malt Whiskey is triple-distilled in copper pot stills. Both Kalak Vodkas are that same Single Malt Spirit distilled one more time — for a total of four passes — to push it the rest of the way to Vodka. Kalak Peat Cask Irish Single Malt Vodka takes in one more step. The barley is NOT peated, but the Spirit is rested in virgin American oak barrels that have been charred with burning peat. We’ve never seen — or tasted — anything like it. It’s a Spirit that balances on a point beyond Vodka, but definitely not a Whiskey. The effect is like a premium Vodka infused with a light, earthy brine. And it makes one of the best bases for a Bloody Mary or Dirty Martini that we’ve ever sampled.

Smartass Corner:
Kalak is an Anglicized spelling of the Irish Gaelic "Cailleach" — the Irish Celtic Goddess of nature. But this version of Mother Nature is less about flowers and sunshine and more about unbridled power.