It’s easy to find gimmicky vodkas. You know the kind: They list an overabundance in the number of distillations, or highlight “gluten free” front and center on the bottle, or filter the spirit through diamonds—the list goes on. But every so often something that seems gimmicky at first makes for an actually interesting vodka and brand ethos. Such is the case with Ocean Organic, a Hawaiian vodka that’s cut with deep ocean water.
ABV: 40 percent ABV (80 proof)
Price: $30
Where it’s available: Across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean
How Ocean Organic Vodka Is Made
Ocean Organic is a rare vodka that focuses on its base ingredients rather than being as neutral as neutral can be. The brand grows 30 different types of sugar cane on a portion of its 80-acre farm Hawaii Sea Spirits Farm and Distillery on Haleakala in Maui. Much of that sugar cane is grown for historical preservation of the 50 varieties of sugar cane native to the Polynesian islands (out of the more than 100 varieties overall). As the name suggests, Ocean Organic uses certified organic farming practices.
The other side of the name isn’t just because the vodka is made on an island surrounded by the ocean. It truly uses ocean water. Ocean Organic sources water from 3,000 feet deep off the Kona coast that goes through reverse osmosis and is filtered to take out the salt and larger particles. What’s left is a mineral-heavy water that is loaded with calcium, magnesium, and potassium, to name a few compounds, that the brand describes as “seasoning” that compliments the feel and taste of the spirit.
The water comes from the same company that sells bottled deep ocean water in Japan, though Ocean Organic is the only company in the world that uses deep ocean water for vodka. Water is an often overlooked part of all spirits—a 40 percent ABV spirit has 60 percent water, after all. Water does more than just bring the proof down. It can also impact the overall flavor in subtle ways (think about adding a drop or two of water to open up a glass of high-proof whiskey, for example).
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