Square One is the original organic vodka.
Square One
Charlottesville’s Square One takes an organic approach to distilling spirits.
Allison Evanow
Allison Evanow of Square One.
Healthy drinking might seem like an oxymoron, but Square One Organic Spirits in Charlottesville has been proving it’s both possible and delicious for 15 years. Allison Evanow was a spirits industry veteran back in 2004 when she realized no one was applying the farm-to-table philosophy to the bar. There were few organic spirits on the market and no company exclusively making them—but many bottles full of artificial flavors and added sugar. “No one was using real organic botanical ingredients,” she says. “An idea was born!” With Square One, Evanow pioneered the concept of organic spirits, brought an eco-conscious mindset to the business, and became one of the first women to found a spirits brand.
Square One offers five flavors of vodka and botanical spirits (cucumber, bergamot, botanical, basil, and original), all made from certified organic rye and botanical ingredients, as well as a new line of mixers. “For some time, health-conscious consumers have been avoiding premade cocktail mixes because of high sugar and low juice content, not to mention the use of artificial flavors and preservatives,” notes Evanow. Her mixers—Spicy Ginger, Luscious Lime, Lively Lemon, and more—are made with organic ingredients, lots of fruit juice, and as little sugar as possible. “Our ginger syrup tastes like real ginger because we used actual ginger juice instead of flavoring,” says Evanow, adding that the mixers taste great as nonalcohol spritzers or combined with her spirits. What’s next? Evanow says, “A new line of organic canned cocktails coming out this summer. Stay tuned!” SquareOneOrganicSpirits.com
