Grand Traverse Distillery Named Among Top 50 Spirits of 2009 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Wine Enthusiast magazine has released its 2009 “Top 50 Spirits” list which includes True North Vodka made by Grand Traverse Distillery – Northern Michigan's original vodka micro-distillery, based in Traverse City. The list, compiled by F. Paul Pacult – an esteemed spirits evaluator and editor of The Spirit Journal, singles out only six vodkas, along with other spirits such as gin, rum, whiskey and tequila.

“Each year, I arrive at this point trying to whittle down the year’s finest 50 spirits from among all those that received high ratings reviewed in the Spirits Buying Guides,” Pacult wrote in his introduction in WE. “The increase in higher ratings is not, I assure you, due to me becoming more lenient or indulgent with age. Just the opposite is true, my peers tell me, if anything, I’ve grown even more demanding after 20 years as a spirits evaluator.”

In his listing for True North Vodka, which ranked 90-95 as Superb/Highly Recommended, Pacult wrote: “Very nice bouquet consisting of pleasant aromas of bread dough, black pepper, new leather and toasted grain. The grainy toastiness and spiciness continue at palate entry; mid-palate shows a touch of spirit heat in line with the inherent peppery quality. Finishes with tastes of fudge, egg cream, toasted wheat and toasted rye bread.”

“We are elated to be listed as one of the top six vodkas in the country,” says Kent Rabish, who began distributing the True North Vodka in June 2007. “For someone of Pacult’s caliber to critique and rate this as among the best of the best is one of the greatest ways we can think to end 2009 and toast the New Year.”

The original True North Vodka has been ranked a “Gold Medal” spirit by the Beverage Tasting Institute (BTI) twice (92 - 2009 / 92 - 2007) as part of its annual International Review of Spirits Competition. It also received a “Gold Medal” rating in 2008 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, where Pacult was Director of Judging.

True North is super-premium vodka that celebrates the natural gifts abundant to Michigan's 45th parallel. Ingredients originate from the beautiful Grand Traverse region, where the rich soils produce the quality rye and the crystal clear glacial waters blend to create this premium vodka. With these quality ingredients and the triple distillation process, each True North Vodka is truly one of a kind.

As a Michigan distiller, using Michigan grown grains is a top priority for the distillery. As such, Grand Traverse Distillery is proud to support Michigan agriculture and has purchased over 300,000 pounds of rye, wheat and corn from local farmers since it began distilling its hand-crafted spirits.

Hand-crafted in small batches, more than 4000 cases of True North Vodka, Grand Cherry Vodka and Wheat Vodka have collectively sold in just the past 30 months. It can be found in over 800 retail outlets and 250 restaurants/bars in Michigan and is distributed in Michigan by General Wine & Spirits.

For more information, log on to www.grandtraversedistillery.com