But what's the right spirit for this very specific holy occasion? The question brings us to L'Chaim Kosher Vodka, made in Israel.
It should be noted that the bottle we sampled came gratis from Artesian Brands, one of the distributors for New Times' Pairings event, and we've reviewed other liquors from the same box.
Few things set the tone for a night like free, blessed vodka. And though we aren't experts on the finer intricacies of vodka, we do know a lot about what happens after you drink it. We had it chilled on the rocks, and later mixed with tonic water and lime.
On the back of the frosted bottle was short explanation of how L'Chaim is made:
"Nestled between Jerusalem, Nazareth, Tel Aviv, and Haifa, you will find Or Akiva. It is within these scenic hilled terraces and river channels that we draw our natural spring water and ingredients to produce the highest quality vodka product in all of Israel. We invite you to enjoy the taste and celebrate."
The chilled, crystal clear L'Chaim poured over the ice in a slow drizzle. We toasted: "To Life!" Then we sipped.
It's a smooth introduction--similar to a few other top shelf vodkas. There's a light spice to the tongue, likely softened in our sample by the temperature. Then there's a very clean finish. L'Chaim didn't deliver the subtle, unpleasant afterburn that comes with so many vodkas. This is crisp, quick.
Mixed with tonic and lime, it's as refreshing as a stiff drink can get. Mixed with friends, good music, and the right setting, and there's definitely something worth toasting. "To Life."
