Three Meadow Spirits recently released a unique, 5-times distilled vodka, developed from a recipe infused with an array of botanicals. Not to be confused with a ‘flavored’ vodka, Peony Vodka’s floral notes result in a spirit that resembles the profile of a gin, but lacks the sharp juniper taste associated with gins.

Created by Three Meadow Spirits founder Leslie Farhangi, the brand was developed with inspiration taken from the uncomplicated ‘country-living’ lifestyle found in Dutchess County, located one hundred miles north of New York City. Home to Farhangi, the 170-acre horse farm also has an abundance of lush Peony flowers, which led to the brand’s name.

After a year of experimentation, numerous focus groups and countless taste tests, Farhangi and her team settled on a recipe that consists of Geranium, Vanilla, Jasmine, White Pepper, Gardenia, Peony among other botanicals.

Although the liquor business has long been a bastion of male ownership and management, Peony vodka has an all woman management team and 80% of the founding investors are also self-made women.

“Our team put great effort into developing Peony Vodka. In addition to the recipe, which has steadily been winning a diverse fan base, we also expressed the brand and our lifestyle through the bottle design. It reflects who we are, what we love, and what we sense others are drawn to,” said Farhangi.

The bespoke bottle design, created by Alexander Isley, further conveys the brands beauty and elegant character. A single eye-catching peony flower adorns the front label while the reverse features one of three unique artistic works. Each a part of a triptych commissioned from internationally renowned illustrator Romy Blümel, the three different scenes evokes Hudson Valley country life: a summertime farmyard; a garden frolic; and an amble across the rolling landscape.

Three Meadows Spirits Peony Vodka (70 proof)
Visual: Clear.
Nose: Some florality, but more vanilla in the top notes. Delicate and shy.
Taste: Slightly sweet with a semi-saccharine flavor. Whether this is due to the botanicals or a sweetening agent, is unclear. Certainly not a flowery vodka, but one that will mix well with sodas and tonics.
Finish: Medium long, but with a peppery finish that lingers for a good while.
Overall: I had hoped to get more of a floral quality from this vodka, and certainly less sweetness. It’s an interesting idea, but I think it needs some tweaking to have the recipe shine.
GSN Rating: B-

For more information go to: Peony Vodka