Who is On the Sauce Again?

Hi I’m Inka, lovely to meet you!

First of all, I actually like spirits. Growing up in Finland you cannot avoid getting exposed to the vodkas and other spirits from a politically incorrect early age. I believe we should understand each spirit the way some people understand wine, to learn the best ways to drink it, to indulge the smells, the colours and the flavours of the products. There isn’t enough information available about spirits, and often people are somewhat afraid of the firewater. They do not know how to drink it or what to look for when buying a bottle of gin, for example.

It doesn’t help that some countries try to hide spirits from the public eye. In Finland, for example, they do not allow any advertisement or information to be available about alcohol spirits over 22% ABV. I feel there’s no need to hide the products, people just need to be educated more about them and how to drink responsibly as a result. There are university courses dedicated to wines, and craft beer drinkers are replacing the wine bores, so why not treat spirits with the same interest and give them a proper airing? The stories behind strong alcohol are so much more fascinating, and as there are many ways to drink them, they are anything but boring.

During my travels and research I will go to the source and hopefully get to touch the barley they make my favourite vodka from, or help to pick the grapes whilst learning to understand the origins of Pisco. I want to listen to the amazing back stories of many spirits and the people who dedicate their lives to producing them, whilst along the way gaining more travel and cultural experiences. Hopefully, at the end of each journey I get to share a drink or two with the locals, and this way learn the true secrets of each drink – the stuff no one ever tells you when they serve them in the cool, sophisticated bars of London, Paris or New York.

There are several pros and cons of starting to drink at a young age. Nothing can beat the feeling of success when you taste your first ever moonshine that had been brewing in the nearby forest, or your father’s face when you asked him for a shot of vodka. No doubt there are some blanks in my teenage memories, but over the years I have learned to appreciate the firewater. You may be thinking I am just another Finn who thinks she can drink – well, first of all, most of the time, I can drink, but the aim is not to party my way around the globe (been there, done that) but to live life to its fullest, on my own terms by doing what I enjoy the most – to travel, to understand cultures through people and to be able to share my passion with the people I love.

I don’t want to bore you with too many nitty-gritty facts about the technical stuff; however, there is an option to find out more if you feel the need to satisfy the inner geek. I am here to help you to impress your fellow drinkers at the local with interesting stories and the strangest facts and of course to share my passion for getting on the sauce again…

Who is she?

I’ve worked in the hospitality industry for years and studied tourism and hospitality management in Joensuu, Finland. I’ve travelled, drank and lived in different countries (including England for nearly 8 years) and currently live in Florence with my Scottish partner. (I only mention his nationality for you to imagine how much damage we might do on a night out.) I like tattoos, wild colours, warm weather and shoes, obviously.

Below are answers to the questions you might find yourself asking:

Is there anything she doesn’t drink? – Milk

Favourite cocktail? – Pisco Sour

Shots? – Yes please, Tequila for me. Or whatever you are drinking.

Current mood? – Aperol Spritz o’clock

Best thing about Finland? – They invented ‘Gin Long Drink’ in a can – Gin with grapefruit soda! (Still the most sold drink in the country, originally invented for the 1952 Summer Olympics to help vendors serve hundreds of thirsty foreigners faster!)

Random fact about me? – I can’t pronounce Sushi

I hope you will find the blog interesting and learn something new about your favourite spirits. Feel free to comment, share, like or even email me for any ideas for future trips or to ask more questions.