Midtown Spirits Horseradish Vodka 750 ml

Midtown Spirits holds a genuine piece of Sacramento history — it's the first distillery to open in the city since Prohibition, founded in 2019 by Dave Abrahamsen and Jason Poole, two longtime hospitality industry veterans who met working together behind the bar at Pour House, just around the corner from where the distillery now stands. Jason first branched out on his own in 2014, launching Preservation & Co., a company specializing in cocktail mixes like Bloody Mary and Margarita mix; Dave eventually joined him there to help manage production, and between the two of them, they brought more than three decades of combined hospitality experience into the decision to finally open their own distillery. Today, the operation shares its facility with a working restaurant, meaning visitors can sit down for a cocktail literally feet away from where the spirits themselves are being made.

Horseradish Vodka begins its life as Midtown's own house Corn Vodka, then gets naturally infused with fresh horseradish root, entirely in small batches. It's a genuinely purpose-built vodka — designed, as the distillery's own copy puts it, "to add some extra kick to a Bloody Mary" and to serve as "a unique twist on a Gibson Martini." The producer's own tasting notes describe "a surprisingly sweet palate from the fresh roots, and a balanced spicy finish," while a separate description leans into the vodka's genuine intensity directly: "true horseradish heat will be front and center, with a long finish." ShopWineDirect's extended tasting confirms real intensity: "fresh-grated horseradish, pepper, and subtle earthiness" on the nose, developing into "bold heat, clean vodka smoothness, and savory spice" on the palate, closing "warm, spicy, and long-lasting." This is genuinely purpose-driven, culinary-inspired vodka — not a subtle flavored spirit, but a real ingredient built specifically for savory cocktails that call for actual heat.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Midtown Spirits was founded in 2019 by Dave Abrahamsen and Jason Poole in Midtown Sacramento, California — the first distillery to open in the city since Prohibition. The two founders met while working together at Pour House, a bar near the distillery's current location, and their shared background in hospitality eventually led to Preservation & Co., a cocktail mix company Jason launched in 2014 specializing in Bloody Mary and Margarita mixes, which Dave later joined to help manage production and operations. Midtown Spirits currently produces vodka, gin, and coffee liqueur, with plans to eventually age spirits including rum, whiskey, and agave spirit. The distillery operates alongside a working restaurant in the same facility, allowing visitors to watch spirits being produced up close.

Horseradish Vodka begins as Midtown's own house Corn Vodka, naturally infused with fresh horseradish root in small batches — a genuinely simple, ingredient-driven production process built specifically to deliver real heat and savory character for cocktail applications, particularly the Bloody Mary.

Tasting Profile

Nose
Fresh-grated horseradish leads immediately, joined by pepper and subtle earthiness — a genuinely intense, savory aromatic profile true to the fresh root itself.

Palate
A surprisingly sweet entry from the fresh horseradish root gives way to bold heat, with clean vodka smoothness carrying real savory spice throughout. Punchy and peppery, with genuine intensity.

Finish
Warm, spicy, and long-lasting, with a balanced, savory close — true horseradish heat that lingers well after the sip.

Quick Overview

Cocktail Suggestions

Bloody Mary (the vodka's signature application)
2 oz Midtown Spirits Horseradish Vodka · Bloody Mary mix · garnish generously.

Gibson Martini
2.5 oz Midtown Spirits Horseradish Vodka · dry vermouth to taste · pickled onion garnish — the horseradish adds a genuinely unique savory twist.

Ice-Cold Shot — the distillery's own recommended way to experience the vodka's full, unmixed intensity.