Harlen Davis Wheatley - HDW CLIX Vodka 750ml

Perfection in Vodka Buffalo Trace Distillery has a long and storied history as a bourbon distiller. This truly special place enjoys a legacy that spans all the way back to 1773. Some years ago, our master distiller decided to embark on a project to craft the world’s most perfect vodka. As one could imagine, this pursuit turned out to be quite an undertaking. With a commitment to quality, using only the finest hand-selected grains, and a dedication to a small-batch distillation process, we are proud to share with you HDW CLIX. We trust you will share our view that HDW CLIX is the finest vodka ever distilled. What's in a Name? HDW CLIX is named for two vital components of the project. "HDW" represents Harlen Davis Wheatley, Master Distiller at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Harlen led a small team of specialists throughout the decade-long process of producing the first batch of HDW CLIX – from seven years of design, planning and installation of a specially-constructed series of copper and stainless steel stills, cookers and fermenters, to the final distillation which resulted in only 2,000 bottles of this unique craft vodka. "CLIX" or "159" in Roman numerals, represents the 159 separate distillations that were required to produce the initial bottling of HDW CLIX. "Producing high quality spirits is a passion for our distillery, so when our team set out to craft the world's finest vodka, we knew we couldn't stop until we created something truly special. We began with hand selecting only the highest quality grains of rye, wheat, corn and barley and then distilled them to produce precise characteristics desirable in vodka. It was a diligent process that resulted in 159 separate distillations. We are proud of what we achieved and we are excited to share this unique vodka experience, with a fortunate few, that is unlike any other. " — quote from Harlen Wheatley, Master Distiller About the Vodka The Product: While odorless, colorless and tasteless by definition, consumers have debated the unique characteristics of their particular vodka brand for many years. In creating HDW CLIX, we strove to capture the essence of perfect vodka - smooth; subtle; soft; elegant; structured; clean on the nose and palate. Extensive organoleptic testing and sophisticated chromatography confirm the results – we achieved the perfect vodka. The Packaging: We would like for your purchase of HDW CLIX to be memorable from the first drop to the last and also for the attention to detail in the packaging. HDW CLIX is contained within a custom, hand-formed decanter from Nouvel Studio, a company dedicated to the artistic production of glass. We have taken great care not to brand or otherwise permanently mark the decanter so that you may enjoy its beauty for years to come. The spotlessness of the decanter is achieved through an elaborate methodology developed over decades of glass production. This exclusive glass is often called "lead free crystal" which superbly characterizes its excellent transparency. The decanter for HDW CLIX has been closed with a cork travel stopper to ensure the quality and integrity of the product is retained during its journey to you. Once the travel stopper is removed, the crystal stopper may take its place to complete the beauty of the decanter. Similarly, great pains have been taken to design and build the handcrafted, elegant burl wood case in a manner that is free of markings and that will allow you many years of enjoyment. The Distillation HDW CLIX is dedicated to a small batch distillation process, which ensures that we consistently achieve the perfect vodka every time. For each release, we ensure that the quality matches the original standard set by the Master Distiller Harlen D. Wheatley. History: The initial 2,000 bottles (or 332 gallons) started out as 28,400 gallons of mash that were divided into 143 very small 200-gallon batches. These small batches were made from four different mash bills, each containing varying amounts of the finest hand-selected grains – corn, wheat, rye, and barley malt. Each batch was carefully cooked, fermented and distilled over a period of six months, resulting in only 20 gallons of vodka for each of the 143 distillations. These were then carefully matched and blended into 14 small batches, each of which was distilled once again, resulting in a mere 400 gallons of vodka. Finally, the 14 batches were combined into a single tiny batch, which was distilled an additional two times. From 28,400 gallons through 159 distillations to 332 gallons for 2,000 bottles over a 12 month time span! The final result was rested in a cool and dark stainless steel tank for 12 months to ensure the smoothest finish before bottling.