Ever wanted to sample a whiskey before you bought it?  Ever want to taste an aged balsamic vinegar before you invested in a bottle?  You can do both of these at Vom Fass, a 258-store franchise operation.  Originally from Georgia, I never enjoyed the Vom Fass experience; relocating to Greenville has yet another benefit.  Ms. Jeanj Brodnax-Martin owns the Woodruff Road location with her husband, Michael.  Providing “the world’s best retail-sampling experience,” Vom Fass has a practical way to engage visitors.

The Vom Fass Experience

You will open the front and discover alcohol is on the right, vinegar and olive oils are on the left.  Of course, I headed right.  A canvas of whiskey, liqueurs and spirits are sitting in racks of labeled casks, each elegantly placed against a fully decorated wall with a delicate lever pour spout.  Hannah greets myself and my husband with a smile and offers to retrieve any sample we wish to try.  We are handed a delicate, small goblet, ideal for sampling.

Spirits

The brightness and comfort the room makes me feel comfortable immediately.  Seeing all the colored bottles, so ornately sitting on the glass shelves, I realized it would require several, possibly many trips to sample the vast inventory.  I started in the whiskey, scotch section.  I immediately fell in love with the American Whiskey.  Aged in American White Oak barrels, this classic corn mash spirit prides itself on being not only full-bodied, but also, very smooth.  No lingering burning in your throat like many domestic whiskeys harbor.  Shipped from Madison, Wisconsin, I advise all Vom Fass visitors to give this popular classic a try.

Never being a scotch fan, I moved on to the liqueurs.  All so beautifully displayed, the liqueurs parade many colors of the rainbow.  I decide to try the Caipirinha Lime.  It’s namesake is a traditional Brazilian cocktail, made from the fermentation of fresh sugarcane juice.  Although tart, the lime scent is refreshing. It was like drinking a key lime pie.

I like vodka, therefore, I had to try Von Fass’s signature white vodka.  Distilled from American grain and apples, it was very smooth and I would consider it a sipping vodka to be enjoyed on the rocks.

Fruit Balsamic Vinegar

We finally moved to the left side of the store.  Being on a barbecue competition team, we are always looking out for good quality fruit infused vinegar.  The plethora of choices was almost overwhelming.  Doug decided to try the following:

Waldburg Balsam Apple Vinegar– Originally from Waldburg, Germany it is 6% acidity.  Although all vinegar is sour to me, the mango quality was very evident.  Hannah recommended trying the recipe, which was printed on a note card accompanying our bottle, Mango Guacamole, to be made with the vinegar.

Next Doug tried the Apple Balsamic Vinegar.  Amber in color, he liked the apple flavor married with a cider vinegar touch.  It could pair well with any type of pork dish.

Olive Oils at Vom Fass

With extra virgin olive oils – some aged, some from various countries around the globe and some infused oils – the choices are impressive for a foodie, like me.  Cooking with olive oil has become the staple at my home.  Benefits of cooking with olive oil, according to the “Olive Oil Times,”

I limited myself to just trying the basil infused extra virgin olive oil from Italy.  Bright, light, and not overwhelming, it was very pleasing on my palette.  Last weekend, I prepared some ciabatta bread, of which I drizzled a bit of this olive oil and it was delicious. I will be returning to Vom Fass to purchase other kinds of olive oils.

For the gourmet foodie, this was a such an exciting experience.  The selection of gift boxes and ideas for the foodie in your life are indulgent.  The customer attention level is off the charts.  Hannah was so attentive and knowledgeable.  She took great care to wrap our bottles and hand label each one.  The “boutique” attention to detail was unparalleled for a gourmet market.

Please click the links I have indicated if you are interested in making a purchase of any of the aforementioned products.  Visit the Vom Fass website to see if a location is in your state.  I highly recommend scheduling a visit.

While at the Greenville location, I discovered Vom Fass has an oil & vinegar of the month club, and a wind & tasting club.  I may need to investigate these opportunities further, for a follow up article.

This was not a paid endorsement from Vom Fass to JoAnn Johnson.  I honestly, love this place.

Vom Fass Greenville
4 Market Point Drive.
Suite F.
Greenville, SC 29607
Email:  info@vomfassgreenvillesc.com
864-288-3277

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