Laplandia Vodka with Moshe David
by Darinee Durai
@ 03 Feb 2018
We speak to Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Laplandia Vodka, Moshe David. He answers some questions for us: articulately sheding light on how the vodkas are made and how the journey from jeweller to vodka maker has been rewarding for him.
Image: Moshe David, founder and CEO of Laplandia.
DD: What is the essence of vodka?
MD: Most might say that it’s the quality of the grain used in the distillation of the spirit, but in reality, vodka is 60% water and the quality of the water can make the biggest difference.
Image: Espresso shot
DD:What makes Finnish vodka different?
MD: Vodka’s super-premium factor starts off with its distillation. Vodka producers usually tell you stories about distillation or filtration. They will say that they distilled the materials 20 times or 100 times. But if the raw materials used are not of good quality – if they are not completely natural, the vodka will never be good.
In Lapland, raw materials grow without any chemicals, so it makes a huge difference during pruning. The ingredients we buy are GMO-free and selected from pure sources. When you distil from good raw materials, you are considered super-premium because you do not need to distil multiple times. For example, you only need to distil four times to get the same results as other brands who need to distil nearly 200 times. There is also a very good chance that they will never reach the same results as us even after distilling so many times. The percentage of pure spirit normally ranges from 95% to 96.9% of alcohol. We never use less than 96.4% of alcohol – our target is always 96.7%. Other producers don’t do that as they do not distil the spirits the same way as us.
Image: Super Premium Vodka
DD: What is the purification process that the water goes through and what are the effects?
MD: The uniqueness of the water we use is exactly the fact that it does not undergo any treatments or purifications. It’s been purified naturally by bedrocks and eskers that were washed by ice-cold melted water after the ice age; we do not use treated water. Very few vodka producers in the world use non-treated water – most European producers use purified water for vodka. Vodka generally contains 60% water. We do not treat the water as it is a crucial ingredient and will greatly affect the quality. We use only fresh water, and that makes us even more super-premium.
DD:How are the vodkas flavoured?
MD:In our berry flavoured vodkas we use actual concentrated berries (no additives, no added sugar) that is infused in the vodka. In some of the other flavours we use different natural flavours made by essential oils for example.
This coming April, we will be showcasing our Super Premium Flavoured Vodkas at ProWine Asia, held alongside Food&HotelAsia (FHA), the preferred choice for food and hospitality industry professionals to access an international showcase of food, equipment and solutions needed to drive business excellence today and in the future. This is where distinguished brands from all over the world and the best in the spirits industry will come together to showcase their latest products. Hence, this will be a good chance for us to make vodka top the list of spirits in demand.
We hope to be the pioneer brand in building a thirst for luxury vodka in Singapore through e-commerce platforms and tradeshows such as ProWine Asia 2018.
Image: Lingonberry Flavoured Vodka
DD: Can any flavour be incorporated into the vodkas?
MD: Practically, yes. One of the most interesting flavours we’re launching in this year’s ProWine Asia 2018, held alongside Food&HotelAsia2018 in April, are Cloudberry and Bilberry.
Bilberries
This is the only vodka in the world made using real wild bilberries, and each litre contains an overwhelming equivalent of 570g of bilberries! Bilberry is Blueberry’s more aromatic wild cousin, which is found exclusively in the northern forests. It has a very mildly tart taste which is essentially overpowered by its sweetness. Its beautiful dark purple colour combined with its authentic bilberry flavour provides incredible
opportunities in the world of cocktails, but enjoying it chilled and straight is a total game changer.
Image: Lingonberry Flavoured Vodka
Cloudberry-Aureus
The Latin word Aureus is defined as golden, magnificent, shiny, fabulous and vivid, all of which perfectly
describe this product in its entirety. Cloudberry, having its growth habitat limited to the northern hemisphere, is considered the king of wild-berries
amongst the northern people and is thus often referred to as ‘’Lapland’s Gold’’. This is the only vodka in the world made using wild cloudberries, and every litre contains an impressive equivalent of 210g of cloudberries. Cloudberry is related to raspberries and blackberries, but has an
initial bitter taste and is therefore usually consumed with a little touch of sugar. This product is perfect whether you consume it straight, on the rocks or as heart of a cocktail, but in order to truly grab its real essence, we recommend trying it straight, slightly chilled.
DD: What sort of technology is used in making the vodkas?
MD: The distillation process is used the traditional process of distillation, hydroselection, concentration and demethanolization, after which it added into a sterile steel tank with the water and flavours where it blends for 2-4 weeks.
DD: As Laplandia’s vodka comes in French glass, does the container that the vodka is stored in make a difference?
MD: Not in the taste.
Image: Lingonberry Flavoured Vodka
DD: Why is French glass the medium of choice to bottle the vodkas?
MD: As a matter of fact, today we are using a Polish producer as they have the reputation of being one of the leading glass decoration companies in the entire world.
DD: What would be the best method and temperature to enjoy vodka?
MD: Depending on the flavour course, we would recommend between two and four degrees Celsius. Taste-wise, when you are in the mood for coffee, or want a drink as a dessert, I would recommend a shot of our Espresso Vodka. However, if you are into drinking it as a cocktail, I will recommend the Lingonberry Vodka. Lingonberry Vodka and the original will always be my choice for cocktails. If I want a spirit with a flavourful taste, I would go for the Cloudberry Vodka.
For post-dinner cocktails, you can get the original Laplandia. If you’re in the mood for spirit but with a coffee aftertaste or as dessert, go for the Espresso Vodka. If you’re in the mood for a really smooth and good quality spirit which is strong, but still manage to taste the nature and the berries, then go for the Cloudberry Vodka. Also, I love Singaporean food as it mixes the different cultures available here in Singapore. If I were to have a seafood dinner, it will fit perfectly with the Cloudberry Vodka. The flavour is rich on your palate, and it burns as it is strong.
DD: How versatile are the vodkas in cocktail mixes?
MD: The flavoured vodkas are perfect for making cocktails because each product contains 3 important elements; the ALC content, the colour and the actual flavour of the berry/fruit. In many cases, creating a nice looking and tasting cocktail would have to have 3 different ingredients in order to achieve that. With ours all you need is one mixer and you are set. This has been well received especially in the bar tender community as they say it saves them a lot of effort, time and money which can be essential on a busy night.
Image: Super Premium Vodka
DD: How did you incorporate your experience as a jeweller into this field?
MD: You can mostly see it in the decoration and design of the bottles which have real 24 karat gold in them. In terms of international business connections, it has also been helpful. Otherwise, it’s a completely different industry that had to be learned from the ground up.
DD: Why the change and how has it been rewarding?
The change wasn’t really planned and it happened in phases. At first it was just a part of a smaller project which then escalated rather unexpectedly, which then further led to new ideas and eventually brought us to this point. And it’s been a hell of a ride.
Our reach throughout the globe has expanded, including in Asia. In fact, Singapore was the first Asian country we stepped into and it all started when we exhibited at ProWine Asia 2016. This was where our current distributor found us and that was our entrance to the Asian Market. We’re now in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and China; we’re also sending a few products to Vietnam and Malaysia.
Image: Espresso Shot
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Laplandia Vodka will be exhibiting at ProWine Asia (Singapore) 2018 held at Hall 10, alongside Food&HotelAsia2018 at Hall 1 to 9, from 24 to 27 April 2018 in Singapore Expo.
Also, visit their website here and order your vodka here at:
https://www.lapspirits.com.sg/
Wanna try the versatility of these vodkas at bar instead? Head down to:
Huone Events Hotel Singapore
Fulin @Boat Quay
Blu Kozina
Bar-A-Thym
BOCA
Coconut club
Orchard Hotel, Intermezzo Lobby Bar
