On Monday, Philadelphia Distilling launched a seasoned vodka that is flavored with Old Bay-like spices and notes, or what they call “Chesapeake seasonings.”
“We were certainly not trying to clone Old Bay exactly,” says Philadelphia Distillers president Andrew Auwerda. “But we know a lot of crab houses make their own seafood seasoning, so that was sort of the model we were following.”
The vodka, which is currently available in some bars in D.C. and will be available in Baltimore “in a matter of days,” is described as a briny and spicy concoction, best suited in Bloody Marys, oyster shooters, or even Negronis.
And, in case you were worried about a Philadelphia company making an Old Bay-like drink, Auwerda, who is a University of Maryland graduate and Cecil County resident, assures us it’s the real deal.
“Members of the Baltimore Bartender’s Guild were part of the taste-testing last summer,” he says. “And all of the spices are made in Maryland.”
Check out the vodka’s Facebook page for updates about where to find the spirit in local bars and liquor stores.