Pickers Original Vodka

Pickers Original Vodka was the first craft vodka to be made in Tennessee and is distilled in a state-of-the-art column still in Nashville, Music City USA.

As soon as I knew Pickers Original Vodka was from Nashville, I wanted to try it. As a big music fan, I’ve been to Nashville several times, to see places like the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Johnny Cash Museum, and of course visit the Grand Ole Opry. There I was lucky enough to see a great show, featuring Carrie Underwood, The Del McCoury Band, and The Secret Sisters, among others. What a night!

Pickers Original Vodka

Pickers Original Vodka is made by the Pennington Distilling Co. and is named to honor all the Nashville Cats, the guitar and other pickers who make it the music capital of the United States. I love the clever logo on the bottle, with six guitar strings running behind the name ‘Pickers’. It’s simple but fun and distinctive, and there’s a plectrum incorporated into the design too.

Charity Donation

I also really liked the fact that the distillery believes in giving back to the community. In October 2020 they handed over a check for $10,000 to the Music Health Alliance (MHA) to help them celebrate their Heal the Music Day. MHA is a non-profit that provides free healthcare advocacy and support to people in the music business. They include help with Medicare, and provide mental health resources too, and have helped over 11,000 members of the music industry across the United States, not just locally to Nashville.

Pickers Original Vodka bottle on a bar — Pickers Original Vodka

For October 2021, Pennington Distilling has already pledged to give MHA $1 for every bottle of Pickers Original Vodka sold. That’s a truly generous offer at a time when many organizations are suffering financially due to the pandemic.

About Pickers Original Vodka

Pickers Original Vodka was Tennessee’s first craft vodka, made in the heart of whiskey country. It’s made in a state-of-the-art column still, which is the only one in Tennessee and one of only four in the USA. It’s made using non-GMO corn and is gluten-free. It’s filtered four times and then blended with Tennessee limestone water, the kind that makes Tennessee whiskey so good, and bottled at 40% ABV. There are also several flavored versions: blueberry, pineapple, and blood orange. The company also sells canned cocktails.

Pickers Original Vodka bottle label detail — Pickers Original Vodka

I love the bottle, because as well as the neat label there are ridges on each side in the style of a guitar fretboard, making it easy to get a good solid grip on. I’m sure bartenders will appreciate that too. On the nose it has a pleasantly neutral aroma, with faint suggestions of grass and hay. In the mouth it’s smooth with hints of lemon, liquorice, and some vanilla sweetness, and it slips down smoothly with just a touch of pepper. My basic litmus test for any vodka is: can you sip it neat? Pickers Original Vodka certainly passes that test, and with a recommended price of $24.99 it’s very fairly priced.