Superlative Vodka for the Discriminating Palette

By R. Peltier

Hammer + Sickle delivers a vodka worthy of its Russian heritage with a smooth flavor, iconic emblem and stark, icy packaging. Characterized by its round, smooth taste, subtle vanilla sweetness, and flawless finish, it can be enjoyed in its purest form over ice or as an ideal cornerstone for cocktails. Russian vodka always embodied the spirit of celebration and was traditionally the drink of choice for weddings, birthdays and holidays. Now, it is a staple of the modern bar.

Hammer + Sickle Vodka

Relying on a six-time filtered, six-time distilled process, using only the finest hand-cleared winter wheat from the Black Earth region, Hammer + Sickle’s carefully crafted formula represents decades of premium vodka making and centuries of vodka appreciation that was born in Russia in the 15th century:  during the reign of the Great Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the esteemed prince of Kiev, the distilling process emerged and gave way to the production of vodka. Vladimir, rumored to be an ardent supporter of alcohol, chose Christianity over Islam to avoid the Muslim prohibition of alcohol. In the year 987, this paramount decision enabled vodka to evolve into the symbol of Russian culture that we know it as today.

Hammer + Sickle begins its life each winter, when the winter wheat grown from Chernozem, an extremely fertile black soil, is harvested and dry shipped. It arrives at the distillery in Klin, Russia, where it begins its transformation into vodka. After the distillation and filtering, Hammer + Sickle Vodka blossoms into the pristine, full-flavored and smooth authentic Russian Vodka that is then poured into a bottle of unmistakable shape (it emulates a cube, with prominent angles and edges) with the frosted exterior that reflects the arctic climate of the Black Earth Region and the vodka’s evolution from winter wheat. The final touches of regal red accents and letterings recall Hammer + Sickle’s strong Russian ties; the crossed hammer and sickle (created in 1922 and originally including a star) represented unity between industrial and agricultural classes. Today the emblem evokes the nationalistic spirit of Russia and reflects the performance of modern Russia.

Hammer + Sickle was introduced here in the US in February of 2007 and is distributed in MA, RI, CT, NJ, NY, DC, and DE. It’s produced in very small batches and is imported by Klin Spirits, LLC, in Lowell, MA.

Absolutely perfect for savoring on its own, Hammer + Sickle also elevates any cocktail from tasty to extraordinary.

For more on Hammer & Sickle ~ including delicious cocktail recipes, head to www.hsvodka.com.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 29th, 2010 at 2:16 pm and is filed under Dining, Vol.18. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.