A drink with… Joe Petch, Reyka Vodka

As an expert bartender, brand ambassador, and a one-time inventor of the chainsaw-powered cocktail shaker, Joe Petch is a man of many talents. He spills all about the inventive world of Reyka Vodka.

Why is the small batch, handcrafted nature of creating Reyka important to
the brand?


There are several reasons that this is an important part of how we make Reyka. Firstly, it gives our master distiller Thordur Sigurdsson complete control over our unique copper Carter-head still. He oversees each 1,000-litre batch to ensure the highest quality and consistency in every bottle. He controls the geothermal energy that powers the distillery and the untreated pure spring water we use throughout the process, makes sure the lava filtration is working optimally and removes the first and last part of the distillation – the harsher, more volatile heads and tails. Reyka really has reinvented the process by which vodka is made; that is what drew me towards the brand in the first place.

What inspired you to become a brand ambassador?


I have been working as a bartender and consultant for many years and always admired the work ambassadors did in inspiring new bartenders, setting up amazing events and holding training sessions. William Grant & Sons called on me to help set up a training and drinks development programme across the UK, and I learned so much about the work involved and really enjoyed creating bespoke events for bartenders and consumers alike. Much like the unconventional nature of Reyka, I’ve approached past cocktail competitions by making edible Daiquiri boiled eggs, pick- your-own Bloody Mary tomato plants and edible glassware. I enjoy using the inventive and resourceful nature of Iceland and Reyka in my serves, often looking at alternative technology, locally sourced and foraged ingredients for inspiration.

What makes Reyka stand out from other vodka brands?


Interestingly, aged spirits have dominated my drinks cabinet and bartending career, often overlooking un-aged, neutral spirits. After I started working with William Grant & Sons I found a new appreciation for gin – a category I had never been excited about until then. After I was asked to help with Reyka around two years ago, I sat down with a bottle and tried to determine why I’d overlooked the vodka category for so long. It didn’t take me long to realise that there were very few vodka brands that actually excited me. Reyka has a very unique offering in its production, its provenance of Iceland and in the people who make it.

What’s the on-trade scene like in Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik?


The on-trade is quite small, but thriving for a city centre that has a population of only 120,000 people. There are a great number of amazing restaurants and bars all enjoying increased business from a huge tourist boom over the past few years, and this has really helped the on-trade evolve and begin to catch up with many other countries around the world.

What’s next for Reyka?

To represent the unconventional process in which Reyka is made I recently started an “inventive bartending” campaign, where I designed and built a chainsaw-powered cocktail shaker and a Martini dispenser that serves the cocktail at -18°C. The creations don’t really change the classic drink we make in them, but the process itself has been completely reinvented. Over the last year I have helped to launch Reyka in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and South Korea, and we are certainly looking at more parts of the globe.

How do you drink Reyka?

Either with tonic and red grapefruit, in a classic Martini or straight on ice.