(80) This is a blend of wheat vodka and vodka distilled from aromatic wine (including Riesling and Viognier) that was first distilled through the antique Germain-Robin cognac still and again in a Holstein pot still.

The nose displays both the wheat and grape vodkas in the blend, with notes of butterscotch, vanilla, white grape and orange blossoms. The palate is light, slightly sweet and floral with flavors of vanilla, wheat grain, and orange blossom. The finish is slightly dry with delicate spice notes.

Ansley Coale, the co-founder of Germain-Robin has teamed up with Crispin and Devin Cain of Tamar Distillery to produce hand-made vodkas. DSP CA 162 Vodka is named after the registration number of the original federal license obtained by Germain-Robin for its first distillery in 1982. The portfolio is comprised of straight vodka and fruit infused vodkas, which are named using their Latin nomenclature: Citrus Reticulata var. Sunshine (tangerines and tangelos), Citrus Medica var.

Sarcodactylis (Buddha’s-hand citrons) and Citrus Hystrix (Malaysian limes and leaves). The fruit for the vodkas is sourced from John Kirkpatrick’s orchards in Exeter, Tulare County, CA.

Like Russell Henry Gin, Vodka DSP 162 derives from conversations between Crispin Cain of Tamar Distillery and Ansley Coale of Craft Distillers. Both men thought that there was room for significant improvement in how vodka could be produced by using both traditional and innovative craft methods. Serious experiments started in late April, 2013; Devin Cain, Crispins son, took on much of the responsibility for creating the fruit infusions, which took several months of trial and error (shortened by what we had learned from working on fruit- infused gin). The first bottlings were released in January, 2014.

The vodkas name comes from the resistration number of the original federal license obtained by Germain-Robin for its first distillery (1982) located on Eagle Rock Ranch west of Ukiah, DSP CA 162. That distillery and Jorg Rupfs St George Spirits were the first small distilleries licensed since Prohibition, 1919. The Ranch distillery is where all that we do began, and its where Crispin Cain learned to operate a cognac still.