Snow Leopard Vodka Review and Giveaway

Christmas and New Year for many of us means the time to have a tipple, to stock up on old favourites, but also a chance to try something new.

I was asked if I would like to try the Snow Leopard Vodka, which apart from hopefully giving me festive cheer also aims to raise a million dollars a year to conserve snow leopards.

These unique creatures are fast disappearing from our world and I applaud any brand who helps to raise awareness and vital funds for animals in need.

I was also curious to try the drink. I like vodka, I tend to drink it with ice and I often add cranberry juice. I was encouraged to try it at room temperature and neat. I was a tad reluctant as I tend to like cold and with a mix.

But as you know I am always open to new ideas and trials so I did.

Chris wanted to get in on the action, he is more a whisky man, but the description I read to him appealed.

 As Snow Leopard vodka is crafted in small batches at the century old Polish distillery, ‘Polmos Lubin’, using natural spring water drawn from an ancient well in its grounds. Overseen by master distiller Joanna Dawidowicz, the unusual process involves six distillations to deliver a unique purity. 

The vodka is also made from spelt grain - the rare and expensive variety of wheat affectionately known as the ‘grandfather of all grains’. 

The grain taste was the pull for Chris and also he drinks spirit neat and not chilled. 

So we both toasted snow leopards and had a sip.

For me the nutty taste was very evident, what I loved was the real smoothness and fiery warmth. Its definitely not how I choose to drink spirits, Chris thinks I am a heathen, but of all the neat drinks I have tried, this was enjoyable.

Chris said it tasted almost malty to him, incredibly smooth and yes he agreed a nutty flavour. He also said "Hmmm first time I have ever enjoyed vodka, I could get used to this" 

Its certainly a drink I am going to savour over the Christmas period.

Snow Leopard vodka was created by a passionate conservationist determined to save these critically endangered big cats.

Stephen Sparrow, an ex-drinks industry expert, heard about the snow leopard’s plight during a trip to the Himalayas. Shocked at learning there were less than 5,000 left in the wild, he came back and founded the Snow Leopard Trust UK – and then created this super-premium vodka to help fund its projects. Stephen has set a global goal to raise a million dollars annually for snow leopard conservation by 2025. That’s the the figure the President of the Snow Leopard Trust has advised could provide the ‘step change’ to remove the animal from the endangered list. This goal has been helped by the vodka recently gaining national distribution in Waitrose.

With 15% of the vodka’s profit going direct to the Snow Leopard Trust, funds are provided to community-based conservation projects. These range from replacing farmers’ livestock that might be taken by snow leopards; through to helping educate herders’ children and training for adults in spinning wool and handicrafts for extra income. Supporting these projects helps educate the local communities and fosters a positive attitude towards the snow leopard. 

More about spelt and the distillation

First farmed by the Egyptians over 5,000 years ago, spelt has a distinctive and delicious nutty, slightly sweet, taste. Unlike other grains, it has a hard husk which protects it from pollutants and insects, meaning growers can avoid using any pesticides or fertilisers. This eco-friendly grain’s scarcity – and the need to remove its husk - means spelt is typically five times more expensive than grains used in other vodkas.

The final stage of distillation involves Snow Leopard being filtered twice over charcoal. The entire artisanal approach results in a pure vodka with a smooth, creamy clean finish and a distinctive nutty flavour. 

Snow Leopard is now being recognised for its quality, winning a gold medal at this year’s world renowned International Spirits Challenge. £36.00 RRP for a 70cl bottle and available at Waitrose, Harvey Nichols and Ocado.com, as well as all good independent drinks retailers. Snowleopardtrustuk.org / snowleopardvodka.co.uk

I have a real treat for Given To Distracting Others readers

Three of you will win one bottle each.

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