Rumor has it that while on a visit to Finland, Ronald Reagan took a sip of Koskenkorva Vodka and declared that it was “very good”. Considering this from the man who got us through the age of excess, either he was an expert on quality or just fond of vodka. If you board the next plane to Helsinki you can taste it for yourself and decide if Ronnie was on to something.
Koskenkorva, sometimes referred to as a “viina”, which in Finnish means a “clear spirit”, is the most commonly drunk vodka in the country. Because it’s produced entirely in Finland, it’s more than a brand. It represents one of the most famous authentic Finnish products and is a symbol for all things homegrown.
Altia, a state-owned company, runs the distillery in the region of Ostrobothnia in Western Finland. Since 1953, they’ve grown high quality barley straight from the surrounding fields to generate the highest starch content possible. Koskenkorva is distilled over 250 times, creating a high-purity ethanol, which is then diluted with glacier water and just a bit of sugar. In 2009, the brand won the title of Master in The Vodka Masters’ Premium category.
Any Finn will tell you that Koskenkorva is best straight-up, ice cold. But for those who like a mixer, go with coke, club soda, or even an energy drink. You can also get Koskenkorva in vanilla, blueberry, green apple, lingonberry, Nordic berry, and the original favorite salmiakki, or licorice flavor. Koskenkorva’s line of tasty liqueurs come in cranberry, mint, peach, strawberry, lakritsi (licorice with a hint of toffee) and salmiakki (a saltier, spicier licorice flavor).
Finns love the stuff. Since 1953, over a billion bottles have been sold. Finnish folk singer Irwin Goodman wrote a song entitled “Koskenkorvassa” in which each lyric can be interpreted as either an ode to the village of Koskenkorva or the sensation of being pleasantly under the vodka’s spell.
Here’s the not-so-good part: you can’t get it in the United States. Looks like Koskenkorva just jumped to the top of your list of reasons to head to Finland this summer.
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