Karlsson’s Vodka

THE STORY OF KARLSSON’S BEGINS IN THE REGION OF CAPE BJÄRE, LOCATED ON THE SOUTHERN TIP OF SWEDEN. LONG RENOWNED FOR ITS POTATO PRODUCTION, THE PICTURESQUE AREA SAW LAND VALUES DRAMATICALLY INCREASE IN THE 1990S DUE TO TOURISM GROWTH. THIS, COMBINED WITH THE CHALLENGES OF BEING AN INDEPENDENT FARMER DEALING WITH A VOLATILE AND UNPREDICTABLE MARKET, MADE THE FUTURE OF POTATO FARMING UNCERTAIN IN CAPE BJÄRE.

ENTER LOCAL BUSINESSMAN PETER Ekelund. Already a vodka legend for having launched the iconic Absolut brand in the United States, Ekelund saw an opportunity to create a new market for local potatoes and reintroduce Swedish potato vodka to the world. So, he rallied Cape Bjäre farmers to start a cooperative in order to share resources and develop a more sophisticated approach to bringing potatoes to market.

To realise his dream, Ekelund teamed up with some of his former associates from Absolut, including legendary master blender Björe Karlsson (after whom the vodka was ultimately named), as well as bottle designer Hans Brindfor and marketer Olof Tranvik, both of whom were instrumental in the success of Absolut.

In 2007, Karlsson’s Gold Vodka was released to spectacular media acclaim, signalling the return of Swedish potato vodka.

Karlsson’s Gold Vodka is handcrafted from several varieties of Virgin New Potatoes grown in Cape Bjäre, Sweden. Surrounded on three sides by the North Sea, the fertile soil is home to the most exquisite heirloom potatoes, known locally as “Farmer’s Gold.”

The heirloom varietal potatoes grown in Cape Bjäre are called “virgin new potatoes” because they are picked early in the season, when the skin has just barely begun to form. The developing skin is so delicate that it is stripped away during the process of washing. These young potatoes are extremely flavourful, due to the concentration of flavours from the lack of starch. Additionally, the absence of skin means the absence of impurity, allowing the essence of the potato to shine through the vodka.

Making vodka from potatoes is extremely expensive; it takes ten times the potatoes to produce the equivalent yield of wheat, and the tiny virgin new potatoes of Cape Bjäre are among the most expensive potatoes in the world. The end product justifies the effort, however, creating exceptionally rich and complex vodka that can only be achieved with such a premium base ingredient.

Distilled once and unfiltered to preserve the rich taste of the delicate, young potatoes, the vodka’s unique character is the result of the quality and quantity of the ingredients from which it is made. Approximately eighteen pounds of virgin potatoes are needed to make just one bottle of Karlsson’s Gold Vodka.

As a result Karlsson’s Gold Vodka is a beautifully balanced and smooth spirit, possessing some truly unique qualities — character and natural taste. ❧