The copper, says Jonas Tåhlin, the CEO of Absolut Elyx, is key in the process of making the vodka and not only for presentation and marketing purposes.
Creating the ‘raw spirit’, Absolute Elyx is distilled using single-use pieces of sacrificial copper in a process called copper catalysation, purifying the spirit and adding trace compounds to it, giving it its unique taste and texture.
All the Elyx vodka is further distilled in a vintage copper still from 1921, affectionately named by the company as ‘Column 51’. Unlike the Area, there are no mysteries here. The still is hand operated by a team of expert craftsmen headed up by Master Distiller Krister Asplund.
The handcrafting process gives Elyx a unique character that you don’t get from other vodka brands, along with a ‘mouthfeel’ of liquid silk.
We are given a helicopter tour over the fields of ‘winter wheat’ that make up the raw spirit, this specific type of wheat is chosen for the consistency.
All the wheat for Absolute Elyx comes from the Råbelöf Estate – a family-owned farm that has produced this ‘winter wheat’ since the 1400s. That’s some provenance.
Every drop of Elyx is 100% traceable to within 15 miles of the factory in Åhus, so every drop of the vodka is ‘absolut’ely accounted for, from grain to when it is bottled. This allows an exceptional amount of consistency to the final product and means every bottle that leaves the factory is nothing less than perfect.
The company also pride themselves on being ethical. For every bottle of Elyx they sell, one week of safe water, 140 litres, is supplied to someone who needs it most. They do the same for every Elyx Pineapple of Hospitality sold but provide one month’s supply, 560 litres, of safe water instead. So far, they have provided 15,000 people with access to clean, safe drinking water. Seeing a luxury company with a moral compass pointing in the right direction is incredibly refreshing.
Absolut Elyx, despite being unbeknownst to be before now takes pride of place in my drinks cabinet at home alongside a copper pineapple ‘challis’ from the brand. I’m now a convert to the ‘liquid silk’ from Sweden.
Recommended neat with a single ice cube. Skål!
Absolut Elyx – Where and how
For more information, please visit the official website here
Please drink responsibly and with moderation
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