KARLSSONS - Gold Vodka

Karlssons Gold Vodka's signature serve is the "Black gold", served on the rocks with a crack of black pepper. It also makes great Martinis, and a mean Bloody Mary.

Karlssons Gold Vodka was developed over a period of three years by Master Blender Borje Karlsson, also know as "the father of Absolut", in a pursuit to transfer the ingredient properties of the "Virgin" New Potatoes (picked before the skin has formed) of the Cape Bjare region in S W Sweden into a full bodied vodka "with flavour"

What do our customers think?, here's how the critics at The New York Times put it (and they aren't easy to please !): "A slightly earthy, pleasant vegetal aroma; a clean flavour with hints of sweet nuttiness; and a smooth finish. It is very appealing on the rocks, and it might be shown at its best in a vodka gibson. What could be better" ........yes, what could be better?

The Bjare peninsula in Skane has grown new potatoes for centuries. Its farmers have cultivated the land in generations and the Cape Bjare new potato is now established as one of the most exclusive products in Sweden, sold for a substantial price premium in premium delis and markets in Stockholm.

Encouraged by the increasing demand for the Cape Bjare new potato, some of the farmers met in 2001 with one of their neighbours, Peter Ekelund, to discuss the idea of extending the Bjare new potato brand to vodka. The idea of transferring the unique characteristics of different new-potatoes to vodka intrigued Mr Ekelund, who more than 25 years earlier had been in charge of the launch of the most successful vodka introduction ever done in modern times with Absolut.

Furthermore, the introduction of potato based vodka would bring back old traditions to life - historically, all vodka in Sweden had been based on potatoes up until the late seventies. Since then, all Swedish vodka production had been converted to grain.

Peter Ekelund contacted an old colleague, the legendary master blender of V&S Company, Borje Karlsson, the man behind the recipe for Sweden's most famous vodka. Mr. Karlsson, now retired, was curious to find out if different top quality new potatoes could transfer their characteristics to different vodkas, and readily accepted the challenge.

Different varieties were tested during several years and Mr. Karlsson realised that different varieties and weather condition gave different character to the vodka. The first vodka with "terrior" was born.

To ensure this new and unique concept for vodkas was presented in a relevant and appropriate way, Peter Ekelund contacted another old partner from the Absolut launch, Hans Brindfors, the key person behind the Absolut bottle. Mr Brindfors created a new unique package for the Karlsson's vodka, based on a standard laboratory bottle. This unique design drives the focus to what is inside the bottle rather than to the bottle itself (a bold move for a designer).

To lay the foundation for an international expansion of the project, Mr Ekelund contacted yet another partner from the Absolut launch in New York, Olof Tranvik. Mr Tranvik re-structured the plans and created an organization with full focus on the development of an international brand for this new vodka.

In 2006, and based on all the previous knowledge and experience gained working with blends and varieties, Borje Karlsson successfully introduced Karlsson's GOLD, an ultra premium vodka based on a blend of seven different new-potatoes that are so well balanced that it mixes superbly in many cocktails (not all!) while still maintaining the new-potato characteristics.