The White Birch Gift Set – The Perfect Gift for Winter.
Hi, I’m Al Myers, the director of operations at 1147vodka.com. This is my first post. We just got word from our customs agent that our first shipment of White Birch and Old Russian is due to arrive at the Port of Savannah on September 15. From there, the cartons will be offloaded and trucked to our prime distributor, Continental Beverage Corporation, in Marietta. And thence to a retailer or restaurant near you.
What a long strange trip it’s been! Bob (director of sales) formed our company in 2003, and one or both of us have been working steadily ever since to bring our vodkas, White Birch and Old Russian, to America. Starting a spirits import company from scratch (like we did), is full of twists and turns. There were a lot of setbacks on the way.
We’ve had plenty to inspire us, though. From the very first sips in Russia those many years ago, we knew we were tasting two of the finest vodkas in the world. They had taste, they had aroma, they had flavor, they had body. So many vodkas we had experienced in America were flat and featureless. Potent to be sure, but basically nothing for our palates to get excited about. White Birch and Old Russian were different. We didn’t know exactly how to describe the difference, but we knew they were different.
In the fall and winter of 2005-2006, the critics discovered us. They had the words that we lacked. One critic characterized White Birch as having a “clean, sweet fruit pastry and cream aromas,” finishing with a “clean mineral and a pepper marmalade fade.” This critic summed up White Birch as “effortless and classy with an exceptional mouthfeel” and gave it the coveted “93 Points-Gold Medal-Exceptional” rating.
To our delight, the other critics were all unanimous in their praise. Old Russian scored an 88-point rating and was called “elegantly sweet, medium-bodied and creamy textured, and mineral-like, with a welcome and warm taste of spirit.” Both White Birch and Old Russian were rated “Exceptional,” “Highly Recommended,” “Four Stars,” and/or “Best Buy.”
Flash forward almost two years. This past summer of 2007, we finally obtained all the permits and approvals we needed, and we were set to go. Over the summer, we ordered our first shipment, and it set sail from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk last month. At long last, it’s finally here.
I’ll post again in a few days once we have more information about when and where you can expect to find White Birch and Old Russian in Atlanta and the rest of Georgia. In the mean time, please enjoy our website, and let us know your thoughts. The whole point of our company is to make your vodka drinking experience the most enjoyable one you’ve ever had. Only you can tell us how we’re doing!