Inside Upstate Vodka’s Ultra-Limited Expression Distilled From a Rare Apple and Unveiled at Auction With a $600 Winning Bid

(Photo: Upstate Vodka)

In Upstate New York, where orchards stretch across rolling hills, Sauvage Distillery is building a spirits portfolio rooted in place, craft and character. Known for its apple-based Upstate Vodka, the Charlotteville, New York distillery is expanding its lineup while marking a notable milestone: the debut of its ultra-limited Black Oxford expression, introduced at Couture for a Cause’s charity auction, one bottle of which sold for $600.

Vodka With Provenance

Sauvage Distillery was founded on a simple idea: vodka can tell a story. Instead of grain, the team distills Upstate Vodka from 100% New York apples, relying on fruit rather than flavoring to shape its profile. Each bottle uses roughly 70 to 80 apples sourced from regional orchards. The result is a clean, naturally smooth spirit with light apple nuance and a crisp finish. “Partnering with local farms isn’t just part of our process – it’s the foundation and at the heart of what we do, says Ilio Mavlyanov, CEO & Founder of Sauvage Distillery. We proudly source from orchards and farms across the Hudson Valley and Schoharie County, building direct relationships with growers to ensure the highest-quality ingredients while investing back into our local community.”

The vodka is twice-distilled in 16- and 18-plate column stills and made with water pulled from the New York watershed, giving it clarity and softness. It’s certified gluten-free and Kosher-certified, produced by an all-women distilling team in Charlotteville.

Upstate Vodka’s versatility has helped it earn a place on backbars and home bar carts alike. It shines in fruit-forward cocktails, seasonal spritzes and classics like the Appletini or Espresso Martini.

Building a Portfolio: Cinnamon, Brandy and More

As the brand broadens its reach, it’s also expanding its lineup. Upstate Vodka Cinnamon adds a warm, spiced layer to the base vodka, making it a natural fit for fall cocktails and winter drinks.

Newer releases include Upstate Brandy, which blends two-year aged apple brandy and pure maple syrup sourced locally from Schoharie County, and Upstate Black Oxford — an even more specialized expression crafted from one of the rarest apples in the Northeast.

Ilio Mavylanov, CEO & Founder of Sauvage Distillery

Inside Upstate’s Black Oxford

Black Oxford is distilled from the heirloom apple of the same name, known for its deep purple skin, concentrated flavor and limited availability. Sauvage sourced hand-picked fruit from select New England orchards, then took a meticulous approach to preserve the apple’s character in the finished spirit.

Only 32 bottles were produced of this incredibly limited spirit, each bottled at 40% ABV for balance and approachability. The debut took place Sept. 12, 2025, during the Couture for a Cause charity auction in New York City – an evening blending fashion and philanthropy, with designer Nancy Gale of JAMAH and NBA star Precious Achiuwa uniting to raise funds for their nonprofits, AMBITION and What If Unlimited. One of the earliest bottles sold for $600, underscoring the collectability of this micro-batch release.

For Sauvage Distillery, the Black Oxford bottling represents the high end of its work with apples — experimental, expressive and firmly tied to orchards of the Northeast.

A Mission Rooted in Land and Craft

Across their releases, Sauvage’s core philosophy remains constant: celebrate local agriculture, honor traditional methods, and capture a distinct sense of place in every pour to showcase what apple-based spirits can be. In an industry dominated by grain, the distillery is carving out a distinctive path by focusing on provenance and simplicity.

Upstate Vodka (40% ABV; SRP $29.99) and other Sauvage releases are available nationwide via direct-to-consumer shipping at drinksauvage.com and at select retailers, bars and restaurants in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Texas.