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Many of us know that vodka can be made from various grains like potatoes, corn, rice, rye, and wheat, but did you know it can be made from fermented tulip bulbs? In 2017, the Netherlands distillery Clucius Craft Distillers released its handcrafted Dutch Tulip Vodka, a premium vodka made from tulips grown in the clay soil near the Dutch coastal dunes. The distillery currently produces two varieties of tulip vodka. Clucius Tulip Vodka is handmade from a combination of tulip bulbs and other grains and described by the makers as “a pristine and smooth vodka with gentle mineral tones, fresh floral aromas, and a subtle nutty twist.” This bottle runs about $40 and can be mixed in a cocktail or served straight.

Clucius Tulip Spirit Prestige is the premium counterpart, is made entirely of tulip bulbs (containing about 350 bulbs per bottle), and is limited in production. This exclusive vodka will cost you about $370. Both of the Clucius vodkas have an ABV of 40%. To buy the elusive bottles in-store, you may have to travel to the Netherlands since both bottles are not easy to find in the U.S. and are primarily sold in local Dutch stores. However, you may be able to have it shipped to you from online marketplaces like Cask Cartel Premium Spirits, although at a much heftier price tag.

The Dutch are proud of their tulips, and they have good reason to be. There is a rich history of tulips in the Netherlands, and cities like Amsterdam and Holland are home to some of the most extensive and exquisite tulip gardens in the world. Clucius Craft Distillers is named after 16th-century Dutch botanist and gardener Carolus Clusius, who was largely responsible for introducing tulips to the Netherlands. The private craft distillery has a patent-pending production process that involves fermenting 100 percent Dutch tulip bulbs by hand and using water that the Dutch sand dunes have purified.

After testing various methods, innovators Joris Putman and Bart Boucher, his cousin, discovered a method to distill tulip bulbs, a process that is known to be quite complicated. Their distillery currently utilises thousands of tulip bulbs each day for its vodka manufacturing procedure, one which results in absolutely no waste. The leftover tulip bulb components are fed to the cattle by a nearby farmer while the water is recycled.

The water employed for producing Clucius vodka is remarkable due to its exclusive sourcing and high grade. According to the makers, the water is globally recognised for its clear taste, purity, and quality.

Those who are not familiar with the vodka manufacturing process should know that vodka is composed of roughly 60% water, with the remaining 40% being ethanol derived from fermenting fruit, grains, vegetables, or in this case, tulip bulbs. Bar professional and “Vodka Distilled” author Tony Abou-Ganim states that, “Water has a profound influence on the final product’s character and adds to the texture and mouthfeel.”

Therefore, it might be assumed that vodka made with water naturally filtered through Dutch sand dunes could possess a superior taste compared to vodka made with ordinary tap water. If you get a chance to taste this rare, top-of-the-line spirit, you can discern for yourself whether the floral notes are evident in the vodka and if the water truly enhances the flavour.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.