44 Degrees North Mountain Huckleberry Flavored Vodka, Idaho

Huckleberry lemonade begins with a distinctly Idaho ingredient story in 44 Degrees North Mountain Huckleberry Flavored Vodka. This 35% ABV spirit combines a potato vodka base with Rocky Mountain water and an infusion of mountain huckleberries, the state’s wild fruit. Ripe berry sweetness meets a tangy edge and a smooth, clean texture, creating an expressive vodka for chilled sipping, pouring over ice, or mixing with fresh citrus. Its fruit character gives a simple lemonade or soda highball an immediate sense of place.

Product Details:

• Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 35%.
• Proof: 70 US proof.
• Base Spirit: Vodka distilled from 100% Idaho potatoes.
• Potato Varieties: Burbank and Russet.
• Fruit: Natural mountain huckleberries.
• Production: Potato vodka blended with Rocky Mountain water and infused with huckleberries.
• Infusion Method: A documented ten-day steep in mountain huckleberries.
• Water Source: Rocky Mountain water from the Snake River Aquifer.
• Gluten Status: Gluten-free.

Sensory Description:

Ripe huckleberry aromas lead with a combination of fresh berry tang and sweeter, lightly candied fruit. As the profile develops, darker plum and berry-preserve impressions bring additional richness, while a subtle savoury potato note adds contrast beneath the fruit. The palate is smooth and fruit-forward, moving from rounded sweetness into a more concentrated, jam-like middle. A gentle tartness and faint bitter edge keep the finish defined, leaving a lingering berry impression with the clean character of the vodka base.

Awards & Accolades:

• Bartender Spirits Awards, 81 Points: 2021, Silver Medal, Vodka category. “Complex nose of fresh berries with a savory component of roasted potatoes.”
• Second Place, Best Flavored Vodka: Sip Northwest, Best of the Northwest, 2015.
• Tastings, Beverage Testing Institute, 86 Points: 2012 archived review, Silver Medal and Highly Recommended, Flavored Vodka category.
• Bronze Medal: San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 2012, Flavored Vodka category.
• Wine Enthusiast, 90–95 Points: 2006 review. “Ends up fruity and properly bittersweet.”

Distiller's Background:

Ken Wyatt and Ron Zier founded 44° North in 2004, intending to build American spirits around Idaho’s agricultural resources. Mountain Huckleberry was the company’s first expression, bringing together the state’s familiar potato crop and its native huckleberry in a single vodka. The brand takes its name from the 44th parallel and has continued to develop spirits rooted in regional ingredients, including cherries and nectarines. Mountain Huckleberry also became the first vodka approved to carry the Idaho Potato Commission’s official seal, giving its ingredient provenance a visible place on the bottle. From its early Boise roots to its operation in Shelley, the brand’s identity remains closely connected to the farms, fruit, and water of Idaho.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve chilled at approximately 4 to 8°C in a small tasting glass, or pour over ice in a rocks glass to explore the balance of ripe fruit and berry tartness. For the brand’s featured Huckleberry Lemonade, combine 2 ounces of vodka with 6 ounces of lemonade, shake with ice, and serve over fresh ice with lemon wheels and mint. Club soda and a squeeze of lemon offer a lighter alternative that leaves more room for the huckleberry character, while ginger beer and lime provide a spicier variation. Pair with roast pork accompanied by a berry sauce, duck breast or creamy goat cheese; salted almonds, mild cheddar and buttery crackers make useful snack pairings. Lemon tart or a lightly sweetened cheesecake complements the fruit without overwhelming its tangy finish.