Charbay '02 Clear Vodka 1L

Charbay is produced by the Karakasevic family at Domaine Charbay on Spring Mountain in California's Napa Valley, a winemaking and distilling operation with roots stretching back generations in the family's native Croatia. Founder Miles Karakasevic became the first person in the United States to be recognized as a Grand Master Distiller in 2010, and the family has continued that tradition through his son Marko, a 13th generation distiller who personally tastes and approves every batch before release. Clear Vodka stands as one of the distillery's flagship spirits, distinguishing Charbay within a craft spirits category the family helped pioneer decades ago.

Charbay Clear Vodka is distilled from a blend of corn and rye sourced directly from Midwest farmers, then cut with northern California water. Unlike most commercial vodkas, which are distilled dozens of times and heavily filtered, Charbay takes a more restrained approach, distilling the spirit only a handful of times through a stainless steel column and skipping charcoal filtration, diamond dust, or other common filtering agents entirely. This method is meant to preserve more of the grain's natural character rather than stripping the spirit down to pure neutrality.

The nose is clean and grainy, with subtle mineral notes and a faint whiff of citrus zest. On the palate, the vodka carries a touch of corn sweetness alongside notes of vanilla and almond, with an oily, full-bodied mouthfeel that stands apart from lighter, more neutral vodkas. The finish is soft and smooth, closing with a light peppery warmth that lingers briefly after each sip.