Reyka Small Batch Vodka 1.75L

Reyka is produced at Iceland's first vodka distillery, located in the small town of Borgarnes and founded in 2005 by the family-owned Scottish spirits group William Grant & Sons. The distillery sought out Iceland specifically for its pristine glacial water and volcanic landscape, and production is overseen by master distiller Thordur Sigurdsson, who also serves as the town's local fireman and police officer. Reyka's name, meaning "smoke" in Icelandic, reflects both its geothermal surroundings and the steam-powered process behind every batch.

This vodka is distilled from a blend of wheat and barley using a rare Carter-Head still, a design more commonly associated with gin production for the additional copper contact it provides during a single pass. The entire distillation process is powered by renewable geothermal energy, and the spirit is diluted using glacial spring water drawn through a 4,000-year-old lava field before undergoing a final filtration through porous volcanic rock. Each six-hour distillation run yields only around 330 cases, and the finished vodka is bottled at 40% ABV.

The nose offers bright citrus zest and a touch of black pepper over a delicate grain sweetness. On the palate, the texture is velvety and rounded, carrying notes of vanilla, toffee, and light licorice alongside gentle spice. The finish is clean and of medium length, closing with a subtle mineral quality drawn from its volcanic filtration.