Our/New York has unveiled a basil-infused vodka created with real basil sourced locally in New York City. The small batch infusion uses surplus basil from Brooklyn-based urban farm Square Roots, in partnership with transformational non-profit Rethink Food, to add a gentle basil flavor to the spirit. Our/New York Basil will be released in a limited run of 1,800 bottles, and is now available in select retailers, bars, and restaurants across New York City.
“We’re thrilled to align with local partners to repurpose this beautiful ingredient and use it to create something truly unique – a ‘sustainable spirit’,” said Dave Ortiz, local partner of Our/New York. “Working with a fresh ingredient like basil is an intricate process, requiring a lot of time and care to get just right. It’s a complex, yet familiar flavor that makes for a really compelling drink on its own or in any number of cocktails.”
Our/New York developed the infusion in partnership with Rethink Food, whose mission is to create a more sustainable and equitable food system by transforming excess food into nutritious meals for communities impacted by food insecurity.
“There is a collective urgency to create lasting change in our food system, especially in such challenging times,” said Matt Jozwiak, Rethink Food’s Founder and CEO. “We are very excited to be partnering with Our/New York and Square Roots to reduce food waste and raise awareness on food insecurity.”
To create Our/New York Basil, the basil is hand-chopped and added to a mixture of base spirit and water, before allowing it to infuse for 24 hours. The infused liquid is filtered and distilled to remove the basil itself, while keeping the distinct flavor. The basil distillate is then blended with triple-filtered New York City water and a corn-based neutral spirit; and finally, hand-bottled, all in their distillery on 26th Street. Our/New York Basil will be available in a limited run beginning April 2021 at select retailers, bars and restaurants throughout New York City, which can be found via the official website. It is priced at $29.
Our/New York is the first distillery in Manhattan since Prohibition and is part of the Our/Vodka family of urban micro-distilleries. The distillery plans to unveil additional collaborations in the future, with the goal of creating compelling products through partnerships with local artists, urban farms and in everything in between.
