Golden Eagle Vodka, a new American-made vodka distilled in Montana, makes its debut in Southern California. Departing from the trend of neutrality and flavor extraction, Golden Eagle boldly presents a character-driven and naturally flavorful sipping vodka.
Rated 97 points by Tasting Panel Magazine and having received a platinum medal at the globally recognized LA Spirit Awards, Golden Eagle Vodka debuts as a tribute to the enduring American spirit.
Under the leadership and vision of founder and CEO Dakota Blaze Rader, Golden Eagle is poised to enter the ultra-premium market segment as America’s foremost specialty vodka offering. Rich in natural flavor and character, Golden Eagle deliberately diverges from the norm of neutral vodka. Its debut disrupts the ultra-premium vodka category by introducing a character-driven “sipping spirit” crafted to be enjoyed neat, chilled, on the rocks, or in reserve cocktails.
Woven in a rich tapestry of American heritage, Golden Eagle Vodka’s story begins over a century ago. It culminates two families’ courageous paths pioneering Montana’s bountiful frontier. In 1901, Rader’s great-great-grandfather John, a skilled tradesman and rancher, emigrated from Holland and traversed the great American West, settling south of the Yellowstone River on Blue Creek Ranch. Meanwhile, in 1905, the Droge family patriarch Jacob, also a Dutch emigrant, homesteaded the hills of Montana’s Gallatin Valley. Defying skeptics who deemed the land barren, he planted grain varieties that would yield a fruitful harvest for decades to come. Five generations later, the Rader and Droge families’ paths crossed, igniting a shared vision to craft the best-tasting, ultra-premium sipping vodka the United States has ever produced. Today, their united American dream embodies the Golden Eagle’s spirit—a symbol of strength, freedom, and nobility forged by their deep-rooted connection to Montana’s captivating frontier.
“Our mission is to proudly represent America in the ultra-premium vodka segment,” states Dakota Blaze Rader. “This expression is a naturally complex sipping vodka that celebrates the art of small-batch vodka making and honors the rich character of Montana’s terroir, its unique grains, and the skilled hands that nurture it.”
Distilled in Big Sky, Montana, Golden Eagle Vodka is crafted in small batches using 100% Hard Red Spring wheat and mineral-rich Yellowstone spring water. While grain varieties from moderate climates generally yield milder flavors, Golden Eagle’s specialty red wheat variety, known as “Dark Northern,” is selectively bred to endure Montana’s extreme growing conditions—arid climate, extensive temperature swings, and nutrient-deficient soil. Thriving under pressure, these plants foster deeper root systems, yielding grains with intensified flavors and exceptional complexity.
To preserve the uniqueness of its Dark Northern Red wheat, Golden Eagle Vodka is distilled one perfect time to enhance and deliver its signature, unmistakably rich flavor profile. Lastly, to reinforce its quality, Golden Eagle utilizes only the highly desirable hearts, the pure middle alcohols from the distillation run, discarding the heads and tails.
Each sip of Golden Eagle Vodka pays tribute to Montana’s terroir and unique grain. It begins with a soft and approachable fragrance of vanilla and brioche bread, and its full-bodied palate offers an impressive depth of flavor – subtle sweet cream and caramel flow into toasted almond undertones laced with soft citrus and delicate spices. Its luxuriously smooth mouthfeel cascades into a long, plush finish.
Golden Eagle Vodka is available online and in select restaurants and retailers ($49.99 MSRP) throughout Southern California. Equipped with a talented salesforce and brand advocacy team, Golden Eagle Vodka is forging its path through independent distribution, actively exploring state-wide distribution partnerships, and priming itself to enter three additional major markets.