Cold River Vodka

Maine is a tricky place for imbibement, as gas stations sell jug wine, and high end spirit shops are rarer than the spotted loon.


A few years back, we went up to Maine for a concert and stayed at the Eastland Park Hotel in Portland. After the show, we took the elevator to their "rooftop" lounge, Top Of The East.
I had been ordering vodka tonics, when a few local hipsters turned me on to Cold River Vodka ($$$). Mainers (Maine-uhs) take pride in everything made locally, and this seemed to be their crowning achievement. Cold River is made from Maine Potatoes, Maine Aquifers, and triple distilled. This is the one of the smoothest vodkas I have ever tried. It can be had straight, at room-temperature, and would still rate with any top shelf producer.
The secret is in the potatoes. Potato starch is a natural sugar that slightly sweetens the vodka. It is a little pricey ($40-50 per 750ml bottle) but definitely worth the purchase, if you're the type who can avoid consuming an entire bottle in one sitting.