{"id":353,"date":"2025-03-15T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-15T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/?p=353"},"modified":"2025-03-18T13:03:42","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T13:03:42","slug":"i-went-on-a-bar-crawl-with-jason-momoa-he-was-even-cooler-than-expected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/15\/i-went-on-a-bar-crawl-with-jason-momoa-he-was-even-cooler-than-expected\/","title":{"rendered":"I went on a bar crawl with Jason Momoa \u2014 he was even cooler than expected"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"Rob\t<\/div>
Jason Momoa is even cooler than you think he is (Picture: Rob Buckhaven)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When I was invited on a bar crawl with Jason Momoa<\/a> to launch his craft vodka<\/a>, Meili, I may have flipped my keyboard over in the flurry to say yes.<\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t you, though? He is the coolest-looking man I\u2019ve ever laid eyes on, and that\u2019s saying something as I\u2019ve met Idris Elba<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Both have a cool-factor that knows no bounds, but Jason is the only man that can make a waistcoat with a tank top underneath look like a fashion<\/a> smash. I, on the other hand looked like I\u2019d got dressed in the dark when I tried it once\u2026 Ah, the early noughties.<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not going to lie, being in the presence of Jason piled on the pressure to like his vodka. It wasn\u2019t just him either. My plus one, Clara Batten and I were rubbing shoulders with Jason\u2019s entourage; his security team, girlfriend (the actress, Adria Arjona<\/a> from Blink Twice) and business partner, Blaine Halvorson. <\/p>\n

In my mind, the slightest side-eye, purse of the lips or head shake between Clara and I would have been clocked in a heartbeat.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"A\t<\/div>
I was nervous to try the drink in front of the man himself\u2026 (Picture: Meili Vodka)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Look, I\u2019m always going to be honest in my feedback about drinks<\/a>. I felt bad when I smack-talked Dolly Parton<\/a>\u2019s range of wines for a Metro taste test<\/a>, saying they were poorly-made, and I\u2019m a giant Dolly fan.<\/p>\n

What happens if Jason\u2019s vodka tasted like paint stripper? I really wouldn\u2019t want to be in a feud with Aquaman<\/a>, even on dry land.<\/p>\n

As it happens, I needn\u2019t have worried. <\/p>\n

Firstly, the vodka is good, but we\u2019ll get into that later. Secondly, Jason and Blaine (who is also achingly cool to look at because he\u2019s a designer) are charming with a reassuringly warm demeanor and a shared passion for water. Yes, water, and before you ask, that has nothing to do with the whole Aquaman thing.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s because Meili Vodka (pronounced \u2018may-lee\u2019) is allegedly made from the purest water on earth. <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Rob and Clara with Blaine Halvorson and a Meili Vodka Martini (Picture: Rob Buckhaven)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Blaine explained that he fully geeked out in researching the world\u2019s water sources in anticipation of making their chosen spirit. He knew that the key to, as he put it, \u2018mending vodka\u2019 was to produce a spirit that was so naturally\u00a0pure and delicious that it could be sipped neat, warm, chilled or on the rocks like a top-tier whisky, tequila or cognac.<\/p>\n

Given that vodka is 60% water, the duo spent nine years researching the purest water for the job. <\/p>\n

Spoiler alert, it wasn\u2019t arctic water that proved the purest. What surprised them was that it came from an unlikely source \u2013 a 300 million-year-old aquifer in the US state of Montana, of all places.<\/p>\n

For those, like me, who haven\u2019t the foggiest what an aquifer is, Blaine explained it\u2019s an ancient underground river. Hence, he refers to it as \u2018old water\u2019, which doesn\u2019t do it justice. So pure is this water, in fact, that they don\u2019t even need to filter it.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
This botttle of Jason Momoa\u2019s Meili Vodka went down nicely, as you can see\u2026 (Picture: Rob Buckhaven)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But, given that neither Jason nor Blaine were vodka drinkers before creating their own brand, why did they choose, um, vodka? <\/p>\n

Their strapline explains it succinctly; \u2018vodka sucked, so we fixed it\u2019. <\/p>\n

It was precisely because they saw the vodka category as \u2018broken\u2019, or at least underdeveloped and unexciting, that they chose it. For them it was far more rewarding to reinvent a spirit that\u2019s known for its eye-watering burn, flavourlessness and its primary role as the neutral accompaniment to mixers in a drink, than hop on the celebrity tequila train in rush hour.<\/p>\n

Until now, vodka has (on the whole) been deliberately multi-distilled to achieve a kind of homogenous spirit lacking in flavour or texture. The more a spirit is distilled, the more is stripped out. So, when you hear the words three-times distilled, you know it\u2019ll be super pure but lacking in personality. It becomes a blank canvas to which the drinker can introduce flavour by adding in other components, like coke, orange juice or vermouth, in the case of a Martini.<\/p>\n

Jason and Blaine wanted to create a vodka with its taste profile in tact, that wasn\u2019t just an ingredient, but the main event. That\u2019s why you don\u2019t have to be an expert to smell and taste that Meili Vodka is single distilled. It\u2019s also housed in 100% post-consumer recycled glass, with no bottle being the same as another.<\/p>\n

\n
Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">Will you be trying Meili Vodka?<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does Meili Vodka taste?<\/h2>\n<p>That\u2019s all fine, but let\u2019s cut to the chase, how did Jason and Blaine do overall? During my time with the pair, we stopped at several different London bars to try Meili Vodka in various different forms. Here\u2019s my verdict on each\u2026<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Neat<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A tumbler of neat Meili vodka (not full) was thrust into mine and Clara\u2019s hands on entering the Karma Sanctum Soho Bar\u2019s roof terrace. All eyes were on us (they probably weren\u2019t) as we went in for our first sip. We both found it to be soft, textured with a sweet cereal nuance to it. A good start, even at a slightly warmer temperature. <strong>9\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Vodka Cranberry<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Look, all I\u2019ll say is diluting this vodka with cranberry juice is a heresy. It was fine, but tasted predominantly of cranberry. Best to use one of the mass market bottles for that. <strong>5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Dry Martini<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The first version was brought over with a touch of vermouth in the mix. It tasted, well, like a perfectly decent vodka Martini. Blaine took a sip and deemed the vermouth level too high. He then ordered one made with vodka and a twist of lemon only, so basically neat vodka again. He was right, the smooth, chilled, creamy vodka took on the lifted nuances of the lemon rind, making it a delicious sipping experience. <strong>10\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Dirty Martini<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>We tasted this in the Artesian Bar at The Langham Hotel. Waiters were bringing out trays of Meili cocktails from all angles, and at one point, Jason joined the bartenders behind the bar, to uproarious applause. The Dirty Martini was transformed by Meili\u2019s cushiony texture and sweetness, into a more approachable, softer landing of a cocktail for anyone who finds Dirty Martinis overly aggressive and intense. <strong>7.5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Negroni<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The fact that you can swap out gin in a Negroni for vodka was one of the biggest reveals of the evening. Unlike the botanical nature of gin, vodka\u2019s creaminess dials back the bitterness, softening the angles of the Campari and Vermouth for a smoother riff on a classic. I\u2019m a Negroni purist though, so will be sticking to gin for this particular cocktail. <strong>7\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tLooking for more expert drinks content?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>If you count yourself a purveyor of the finer things in life, Metro\u2019s Drinks Column is where you need to be.<\/p>\n<p>Immerse yourself in the world of good drink, fronted by industry expert Rob Buckhaven \u2013 a place for readers to\u00a0whet\u00a0their\u00a0whistle\u00a0with the latest and greatest in the world of drinks. From\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/10\/05\/best-red-wines-10-aldi-tesco-lidl-21736213\/\">unpacking the best supermarket wines<\/a>\u00a0from Aldi, Tesco and Lidl, to introducing audiences to the wallet-friendly\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2023\/12\/02\/10-99-cremant-tiktokkers-say-better-champagne-19912183\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cremant out-bubbling the fanciest of French Champagnes<\/a>\u00a0(or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/09\/21\/this-best-wine-drink-sex-case-want-know-21612760\/\">the best wines to drink after sex<\/a>), this is a haven for those who love to celebrate.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/09\/07\/9-red-wines-radar-aldi-m-s-21551848\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Stay ahead of the curve<\/a>\u00a0as Rob plucks from the vines the wines of the season and the spirits you need to know about; speaking with experts and mixologists while unpacking the latest concoctions, finding\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/10\/12\/expert-shares-best-low-non-alcoholic-drinks-octsober-21768360\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the best non-alcoholic options<\/a>\u00a0for those looking to moderate, discovering the best food pairings for your drops, and going up against the latest TikTok chatter to demystify the liquid landscape.<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2023\/11\/18\/vodka-a-brita-filter-hack-actually-work-try-19837594\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Can you really make cheap vodka taste expensive by putting it through a Brita filter?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2023\/10\/14\/drinks-expert-tests-the-social-media-drinks-hacks-so-you-dont-have-to-19659862\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What happens when you put wine in a blender?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2023\/10\/21\/best-places-to-store-wine-at-home-the-kitchen-isnt-one-of-them-19695499\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">And, truly, how\u00a0<\/a><\/em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2023\/10\/21\/best-places-to-store-wine-at-home-the-kitchen-isnt-one-of-them-19695499\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>should<\/em><\/a><\/strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2023\/10\/21\/best-places-to-store-wine-at-home-the-kitchen-isnt-one-of-them-19695499\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u200b\u00a0we be storing our wine?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/metro-drinks-club\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read More.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Get in touch by emailing <a href=\"mailto:MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk\">MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jason Momoa is even cooler than you think he is (Picture: Rob Buckhaven) When I was invited on a bar crawl with Jason Momoa to launch his craft vodka, Meili, I may have flipped my keyboard over in the flurry to say yes. Wouldn\u2019t you, though? He is the coolest-looking man I\u2019ve ever laid eyes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":355,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":360,"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353\/revisions\/360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}