This Is The First Oyster-Distilled Vodka In The US
These days, you can find vodka in all sorts of unusual flavors, from bacon and wasabi to tobacco and even electricity (via Thrillist). Well, one boutique distillery has gone even further by creating the first vodka in the U.S. (and possibly the world) to be distilled with oysters. Yes, oysters. Based out of Providence, Rhode Island (fittingly enough, the "Ocean State"), the Industrious Spirit Company (ISCO), which produces small-batch vodkas, gins, and bourbons, recently released their Ostreida oyster vodka, made with a neutral spirit made from organic corn and distilled with locally sourced oysters, reports Food & Wine.
Although it may seem unusual at first, the pairing of oysters and vodka is not actually a surprising one. Fans of oyster shooters, which often uses vodka as the base spirit, already know how well the two go together. Freshly shucked oysters can also be enjoyed raw, with just a few drops of vodka and lemon, explains 5280. So it really isn't that much of a leap to simply combine the two together into an oyster vodka, though it did take some trial and error to get the recipe and process just right, according to Food & Wine.
ISCO is the first to use oysters in the distillation process
The idea for an oyster distilled vodka first came about as the ISCO team was out celebrating their first year in business over oysters and vodka cocktails (via Food & Wine). They're not the first ones to have the idea of combining oysters and vodka — Distillery 98 in Florida uses oyster shells to filter out impurities in their Dune Laker vodka, while Oyester in the Netherlands infuses their Oyester44 vodka with oysters and seawater after the distillation process — but ISCO is the first to add the oysters during the final stage of distillation, according to the Boston Globe. The final result is "smooth and balanced with hints of minerality and the salty ocean," reports Food & Wine.
So the next time you're indulging in some briny bivalves on the half shell, an oyster shooter, or some salty olives (which oyster vodka also pairs well with — dirty martinis anyone?), try using some Ostreida vodka for a true taste of the ocean. You'll also be drinking to a good cause — ISCO will also donate a portion of the Ostreida proceeds to GreenWave, a non-profit supporting ocean farmers and coastal communities impacted by climate change (via the company's website).