Enlightened Grain Spirits

Ugh. Yum. What can I say? This stuff is magical!
When you first hear rosemary and lavender infused vodka, it may sound like something you should marinate some lamb in… but the cocktails I’ve had with this stuff. Heavenly!
EG Spa Treatment? Tooootally the PERFECT refreshing summer cocktail! It makes me wish this stuff was available everywhere I go, because that would definitely be my drink of choice. The EG bloody mary I had was also phenomenal! So light and yummy!
Inspiration by itself? Actually, really great! I usually have a hard time drinking straight vodka, even flavored ones, but this is so great! First tasting it straight, it did make me think that it would go amazingly well with a lamb or steak dish… Yummmm!
Now I’m craving a Spa Treatment! I need to go buy myself a bottle… Haha!

I love me a cocktail or four, and EG’s vodka is fantabulous.
The first flavor they have launched is ‘Inspiration.’ I wasn’t sure what to expect when I found out it was infused with lavender and rosemary, but after a few sips I was sold.
I recently attended a tasting event for EG at Hannibal’s on the Square where I was with a party of 4. Between us, we tried EG Spa Treatment, EG Canary Diamond, EG Bloody Mary, and EG Cosmopolitan. Their other signature drinks include: EG Lady Lavender, EG Artist’s Touch, EG Liquid Brunch, and EG The Summit.
My favorite is Canary Diamond:
3 oz. of INSPIRATION
2 Slices of Lemon
1.5 oz. of Simple Syrup
1 oz. of Pear Juice
In a cocktail shaker: add; INSPIRATION, lemon slices, pear and simple syrup. Shake until icey and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a fresh strawberry.
Whatever your drink of choice, EG is a great addition.

So yummo!!! I heart me some vodka but this seems to be on a whole other level. What I love most about this brand is it was envisioned and created in our very own Winter Park, FL! How awesome is that? Talk about local love! Matt, the founder, used to work at Hannibal’s on the Square and that is where it all started.
The first flavor that Enlightened Grain has launched is «Inspiration» which is a refreshing light mixture of Lavender and Rosemary infused vodka… divine! I was shocked at how easy this goes down just on the rocks with such a robust flavor. However, my favorite way to experience this flavor is the Spa Treatment:
2 oz. of INSPIRATION
6 Mint Leaves
2 Slices of Cucumber (I do 4)
1 oz. of Simple Syrup
0.5 oz. of Lime Juice
0.5 oz of Lemon Juice
2 oz. of Soda
In a cocktail shaker: add; INSPIRATION, mint leaves, cucumber, lime, lemon, and simple syrup. Muddle and strain over ice. Fill with soda water. Garnish with cucumber.
YUMMMM! There are also various other recipes on the website, so make sure to check it out. I am not even a fan of bloody mary’s but WOW… with Inspiration it is a phenom salty treat!
The very first time I was introduced to Enlightened Grain was at the Unilocal event at Hannibal’s on the Square. I could not leave without purchasing my very own bottle to take home with me, best decision I made that week =)
There are various locations around town that carry Enlightened Grain including Hannibal’s and Ceviche. I can’t wait to find more locations so I can indulge in this amazing vodka!

This is a brand new vodka company based out of Winter Park. They’ve created a vodka that is good straight, but makes exceptional drinks. If you like lemondrop martinis, or mojitos, definitely try one with this vodka and see the difference the rosemary and lavender infusion makes (this infusion by Enlightened Grain is called Inspiration. but if you ask for «EG» or «Inspiration», the bartenders should know what you are talking about. This is a really well crafted vodka by guys with a lot of heart, passion, and most importantly, good palettes. I personally love a drink called the «spa treatment» that they list as a recipe on their website. They just started carrying it in most of the bars on Park Ave. (310 and Luma I know for sure (I had some at Luma last night)).
Go to one of the bars on Park Ave in Winter Park (for now, soon in downtown Orlando as well, from what I understand) and try one of these drinks I listed above. See the difference. the rosemary and lavender really does make a subtle, yet really quite a profound difference to any drink. Experiment with it a little too… it’s not everyday you get to try your hand at mixing an infused vodka like this (it is quite unique, this is no absolut mass produced nonsense, these vodkas are infused with all organic grains and spices). I believe their goal is to release a few more infusions in the future, but for now, go support a local company that also is rooted in community and charity. See their website for more information… if what I predict is right, this won’t be a secret for long. Check out their website for more information…