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A thousand years in the making! York pub launches city’s very own vodka

Wed 9 Aug

The nectar of the Viking gods… Valkyrie Vodka. Photograph: Valhalla York

Wed 9 Aug 2023  @ 5:46pm
YorkMix
Business, Food & drink, News

You’ve sipped the gin, you’ve sampled the beers. Now there’s a new local drink in town – York’s very own vodka.

And it has come from one of the city’s very popular independent pubs.

Valkyrie Vodka was dreamed up by the team at Valhalla, the Viking themed hostelry on Patrick Pool.

As the name suggests, Valkyrie Vodka continues the theme of all things Norse.

Matt Bedingham, who co-owns Valhalla with Vincent Roberts, said they wanted to make their own spirit in the same way as they had made the pub – working with passionate local craftspeople to create something special.

Why vodka? “Well, we love vodka at Valhalla and have felt for some time that it sits a bit behind gin in terms of popularity,” Matt told YorkMix.

“We wanted to play our part in maybe changing that perception. So we approached York-based Cooper King Distillery in early 2023 to explore what we could do.”

Soon they were trying out different flavour combinations.

Matt Bedingham and Vincent Roberts in Valhalla York. Photograph: Richard McDougall

“We settled on the recipe of raspberry leaf and bay leaf as we loved the subtle blend of flavours it lends to Valkyrie. It is not what we would call a ‘flavoured’ vodka as such.

“But the notes are definitely there which give it a really unique and beautiful touch.”

The name has a story behind it.

“For those that maybe don’t know, the Valkyries in Norse legend are beautiful female warriors that fly high above the battlefield,” Matt explained.

“At the moment of death, for the bravest and most worthy, the Valkyries swoop down from the skies and take them to Valhalla. It’s probably one of the most enduring and beautiful parts of Norse belief – and we knew early on that it was the name we had to go with.”

Distilled by Cooper King, designed by Mike Bolingbroke

Matt said they loved working with Cooper King. “They are not only masters of their craft but they are also a very responsible producer, operating on 100% renewable energy.

“We also donate 40 pence from each bottle sold to the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust which allows them restore one square metre of wildflower habitat in Yorkshire.”

That wasn’t the only collaboration – Mike Bolingbroke from Public Designers helped create the custom artwork and unique labelling, as he has done with all the Valhalla branding. 

Valkyrie Vodka, which is 40% ABV, is only from Valhalla York – either by the glass or the bottle to take away.

You can also order a bottle from the Valhalla shop here – it is £39 for a 70cl bottle.

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