Ketel One Vodka Pop-up Bar with Master Distiller Bob Nolet.

On October 26, 2017, Ketel One Vodka held an exciting pop up bar at Toronto’s Broadview Hotel. At the pop-up, invited guests had the chance to meet Master s Ketel One Master Distiller Bob Nolet from  Schiedam, Holland, of the Nolet Distillery.
The Schiedam, Holland-based distillery launched Ketel One Vodka in the U.S. back in 1983. “Ketel” is the Dutch word for “pot.” One is distilled from 100% wheat in copper pot stills. The name comes from the original copper pot  that was  and still used, called Distilleerketel #1.

Ketel One pop-up bar event at Broadview Hotel

Bob Nolet

Shane Mulvaney & Kaitlyn Stewart

(Photos by Allan Tong)

Bob Nolet‘s father, Carolus Nolet Sr. took over the family distillery in 1979. He wanted to create a smoother vodka that would create excellent cocktails and decided to combine the pot still method that had been used to make jenever and whiskey with a modern four-column distillation technique. The end result is the Ketel One Vodka that we get to enjoy today.

Joining Nolet were Kaitlyn Stewart, 2017 Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year and Shane Mulvany, 2016 DiageoWorld Class Canada winner. They created some beautiful Ketel One cocktails: Stewart‘s Wind Mule made with Ketel One, Amaro Liqueur, butter-washed coffee, citric acid, Lem-Marrakesh Bitter was topped with ginger beer and garnished with a lemon twist and coffee beans. It was a delicious combination.
Mulvany‘s The 11th Generation prepared with Ketel One, Laredo Bitter Bianco, and Esprit de June was very clean and flavourful. It was a lot of fun watching these World Class bartenders put together their cocktails and then getting to taste them all.

Bob Nolet is the 11th generation in his family business and understands the bartenders are the key to the success of Ketel One. He visits Canada annually to meet with the bartenders across the country and to educate them about the brand. In turn, he learns about the newest and innovative cocktails that are being created with Ketel One Vodka.

The Broadview Hotel prepared savoury appetizers that paired well with the Ketel One cocktails.

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