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FREE THERMOSTAT , Y SALE! 35% Off35% Off INsTALLeD fOr $249900 PLUs HsT INsTALLeD fOr $219900 PLUs HsT When you sip and toast with Ukrainian vodka, the jubilant toast to shout out is "Budmo!" It's a tradition that John and Katherine Vellinga loved so much that they created their own ultra- premium vodka, against a sea of corporate distilling giants, to pay homage to the spirit's origins and its homeland, Ukraine. "Toasting with vodka is an extraordinary art form, a way of gathering, that's magic around the table," says Katherine, a first gen- eration Canadian with Ukrainian heritage. It was at Katherine's family events that John fell in love with the Ukrainian tradition and therefore, of course, vodka. He was born and raised in Waterloo (where, as a kid, he had a Waterloo Chronicle paper route) and attended Water- loo Collegiate. The pair had met as Uni- versity of Waterloo engi- neering students before moving to Ukraine and set- ting up a business from 1997 to 2002 -- when their interest in and knowledge of vodka grew. "It was a voyage of dis- covery," Katherine says. "We went with an eye to see- ing what we could learn." They combined a desire to steep themselves in the essence of Ukrainian vodka with their industrial engi- neering experience in man- ufacturing and supply- chain logistics to create an earlier vodka brand in 2005 before Zirkova vodka ap- peared on LCBO shelves in 2019 and has seen steady growth in popularity, as many vodkas have. There are several Onta- rio-made vodkas, one using potatoes and another distill- ing unused milk sugar from the dairy industry, but not all are ultra-premium. Zirkova, distilled in Zo- lotonosha, in Central Ukraine, captures the his- tory of the spirit, says John. "We wanted to bring that authentic heritage back to vodka and the way it's meant to be made." Working with master distiller Ludmilla Petrivna -- women are traditionally master-distillers in Ukraine, the Vellingas say -- over several years, the team developed Zirkova One to both honour vodka authenticity and the way people drink it. In Ukraine, that means a toast straight up, which is a good way to try Zirkova One (it also makes a very good Martini). Zirkova To- gether, its partner vodka, is excellent in cocktails. During online tasting sessions the Vellingas offer, participants first sip orange juice on its own and then with Zirkova Together. "It's surprising how much the orange juice is improved," John says, "rather than be- ing sour and boozy." Both Zirkova vodkas, described as "fraternal twins," are a blend of rye and wheat, quadruple dis- tilled and drawn from the "centre cut." While the lighter parts of spirits, or "heads," cause a boozy, alcohol smell and the heavier parts, or "tails," can be harsh on the palate, the centre cut produces the best spirits. Good water is essential, too. "That's vodka's ter- roir," John says; it's history too. "The distillery we work with is the oldest one in the country, built in 1896 be- cause of its water source." The spirit is filtered slowly in massive columns of birch charcoal sourced from the region to produce an excellent mouthfeel, he adds. With its dedication to tradition, Zirkova, it's safe to say, has been in the van- guard of a vodka revolu- tion, despite the ascen- dance of brown spirits: lit- tle-known in the 1950s, John says, basic vodka be- came popular for its mixa- bility and versatility. The 2000s produced pre- mium and ultra-premium vodkas, which distin- guished for people that there were different levels of vodka quality and distill- ing mastery. "This is the fastest grow- ing segment," John says, with Katherine adding that today people are looking for that authenticity. "We love that people are becoming more educated and learning about drink- ing spirits straight and the traditions and nuances they have. It's an exciting time." For more information, visit zirkova.com. Andrew Coppolino is a Kitchener-based food writ- er and broadcaster. Visit him at andrewcoppolino- .com. WATERLOO DUO SAYS 'BUDMO!' WITH VODKA OPINION WITH ITS DEDICATION TO TRADITION, ZIRKOVA HAS BEEN IN THE VANGUARD OF A VODKA REVOLUTION, WRITES ANDREW COPPOLINO ANDREW COPPOLINO Column