Vodka 14 Raising the Bar - USDA Certified Organic Vodka

This holiday season, stocking your bar with high caliber chemical-free cheers is a cinch. One company raising the bar with boutique organic spirits is Vodka 14. According to their website, "Vodka 14 is a strikingly pure, craft distilled vodka from the Rocky Mountains. Vodka 14 is USDA Certified Organic, made exclusively from the finest organic grain and Rocky Mountain spring water and distilled to achieve a remarkable smoothness and taste." But do their statements live up to the Organic Gurus standards?

About Vodka 14
Vodka 14 is distilled and bottled at the foot of the majestic Teton range by Altitude Spirits, an independent spirits company based in Boulder, Colorado and run by the father-and-son team of Mitch and Matthew Baris. Mitch and Matthew have revived a tradition of vodka distillation running back five generations in their family to their Eastern European antecedents. With Vodka 14, Altitude Spirits set out to prove that craft quality can set a benchmark for purity and taste unrivaled by mass-market brands.

Taste

First we chilled the bottle in the freezer and tested it unadulterated, straight up, without ice. Typically, straight vodka can make one cough and finish with a burn. Not so with Vodka 14, it was crisp, clean and did indeed have "a remarkable smoothness and taste", even a subtle sweet note of licorice could be detected.

Then we mixed up a dirty martini with Divina organic olives... hands-down, it's the best dirty martini to date!

Vodka 14's Wicked Dirty Martini Recipe

A savory take on the classic: Shake 3 ounces of Vodka 14 with ice. Add up to a tablespoon of olive brine, to taste, and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a generous skewer of pimento stuffed olives and finish with a generous coarse grind of fresh black pepper.

Price

Those who think organic is a splurge, organic ≠ $$$, check out this price comparison of organic vs. conventional vodkas. Vodka 14 is competitively priced with leading conventional brands.

Organic (750 ml)
Vodka 14, $34.99
TRU, $34.99
Square One, $35.99

Conventional (750 ml)
Grey Goose, $38.99
Skyy, $39.99

Belvedere, $32.99

Organic Gurus Scoop

• Taste: ultra smooth, crisp & clean, burn-free finish
• Packaging: the bottle, safety seal and closure, are all 100% recycled and recyclable
• Price: competitive with mainstream vodkas
• Bonus: made in the USA

Cheers!

source: vodka14.com

Uber Eco Organic Essence Shea Cream in a Compostable Jar

Need hand and body moisturizing to the max? Made with shea butter, known to increase the skin’s capillary blood flow, Organic Shea Cream provides lasting skin softening wherever you need it. Organic Shea Cream is a powerful all over body moisturizer that doubles as an excellent massage cream and make-up remover.

Organic Grapefruit should be on your "best friend’s skin list" as it’s well known to be an anti-aging skin detoxifier. Like most citrus aromas, the fragrance evokes a feeling of euphoria and is most useful for its invigorating tonic purposes. When life finds you dragging your feet, reach for the grapefruit cream.

Packaged in an eco-responsible biodegradable organic jar. Even the label is eco-friendly, no need to peel off. Don’t worry about the adhesive, it’s organic, too.

Benefits:

• USDA certified organic
• Fairly traded shea butter
• 100% sustainable ingredients
• Highly concentrated - maximum moisturizing
• Not chemically or heat processed
• No water or fillers, questionable chemicals, preservatives, parabens, artificial fragrances
• No animal testing

Eco Packaging:

• No plastic
• Printed with pure soy ink on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Post Consumer Waste (PCW), 100% recycled paper
• Label is affixed with organic adhesive and glaze
• Completely biodegradable
• Safe for home composting

Organic Gurus Scoop:

• Scent: the grapefruit scent is light & lively
  
• Texture: thick & rich but easy to apply, feels & looks more like a salve or balm than a cream
• Color: golden yellow
• Results: moisturizes well, gives skin a light sheen

Available in Lavender, Lemongrass Mint, Vanilla Orange, Grapefruit & Pure Shea Butter

Shopping Savvy for Organic Foods