Hereford’s potato farmer-cum-entrepreneur William Chase, having recently sold his well-established Tyrrells potato chips franchise, has taken to the fine art of producing pure vodka with absolute aplomb. Using potatoes grown on his Herefordshire farm, Chase prides itself on incorporating a rigorous and traditional distillation process that would impress even the most dubious vodka-swilling Muscovite; initially distilled three times through a copper pot, it is then distilled twice further through a 70 foot column with 42 bubble plates before finally being chill filtered.

The result truly sets Chase Vodka apart from many of its competitors. Unscrewing the bottle cap, you will be greeted with a pleasant and heady peppery aroma in accordance with a 40% alcohol volume. To begin with, I sampled it neat and was able to discern the slightly earthy, yet subtle taste of buttery mashed potatoes of which the vodka is comprised.  It also works well with mixers- I spent the rest of my evening supping on a favourite tipple of vodka with cranberry juice loaded with ice, the cranberry not diminishing the product’s lovely spicy palate.

Launched on April Fool’s Day 2008 as England’s first potato vodka, it can currently be purchased at quality retailers nationwide including Selfridges and Waitrose. If any sceptics or detractors believed it to be an April Fool’s joke upon its inception, they’ll surely now be kicking themselves as Chase Vodka is seriously groundbreaking stuff.