Until very recently in the United States, vodka was tasteless by law—"without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color," according to regulators. American vodka was only allowed to taste less rough at best. The "smoothest" vodka was the one least likely to smell like rubbing alcohol and make mixers go down like cough syrup.
Then in May 2020, the world of vodka changed: Regulators lifted the ban on distinctiveness. For the first time, premium vodka didn't have to be defined by what it lacks. The question was: Who could come up with a refined, complex distillation and filtration technique for American vodka that would forever change the way we define "smooth"?
Spoiler alert: It’s us.
We created White Claw Premium Vodka to set a higher bar. We believe that "smooth” isn't just the absence of alcohol smell or burn. It's a minimal yet complex combination of feelings, aromas, and tastes in your mouth and nose—subtle notes of citrus at first, then grain, then a velvety finish. It's the spiritual equivalent of the whole-mouth sensation foodies know as umami. You can see it in the long "tears" stretching down the glass after you swirl it. It's the first ever vodka that can be sipped from a champagne flute.
