Why We Chose One of North America’s Most Unique Vodka Stills for Charm Vodka
Inside Deep Blue Distilleries in Richmond, BC sits a 450-litre still that is one of only two of its kind in North America.
It’s a Hagyo still – designed and built in Miskolc, Hungary by a family-owned distillation equipment manufacturer founded in 1999 by a winemaker wife and a distiller husband. Hagyo has earned international recognition for its innovation in distillation technology, holding three international patents and twelve EU patents. In 2020, the company’s flagship still received the Hungarian Innovation Grand Prize.
The only other Hagyo installation of this type in North America is located at Boardroom Spirits in Pennsylvania.
At Deep Blue Distilleries, our Hagyo still produces Charm Vodka.
What Makes a Hagyo Still Different?
Most craft distilleries produce vodka using conventional column stills designed to efficiently create neutral spirit at larger volumes. The Hagyo system takes a different approach.
At the centre of the still is a two-metre purification column packed with porcelain. The exact technical design inside that column remains proprietary and protected under Hagyo’s patents, and we respect that craftsmanship and engineering.
What we can talk about is the result.
The Hagyo system allows us to create a vodka with exceptional smoothness, clarity, and balance – qualities that define Charm Vodka as our premium spirit.
For us, distillation is not simply about producing alcohol. It is about producing character, texture, and refinement in the finished product.
Why Equipment Matters in Craft Distilling
A 450-litre Hagyo still is not equipment that appears in a distillery by accident.
It is not the type of still chosen by operators looking for the cheapest or fastest route to high-volume neutral spirit production. It represents a deliberate investment in quality-focused distillation.
When building Deep Blue Distilleries, we made clear decisions about the type of spirits we wanted to produce and the standards we intended to uphold. That meant investing in world-class equipment capable of producing vodka at a level we believed could compete with any premium brand on the shelf.
The still itself reflects that philosophy.
Small Batch Distilling in Richmond, BC
Every bottle of Charm Vodka is distilled here in Richmond, British Columbia on our Hagyo still.
Because we operate in small batches, we maintain close oversight throughout the distillation process. Every run is monitored, evaluated, and refined before it ever leaves the building.
That approach allows us to prioritize consistency and quality rather than scale alone.
For customers, bartenders, and restaurants pouring Charm Vodka, it also means knowing exactly where the spirit was made and how it was produced.
Craft Vodka vs Corporate Vodka
Today, many vodka brands present themselves as “local” or “Canadian,” even when the actual production process relies heavily on mass-produced neutral spirit sourced from large industrial suppliers.
Craft distilling offers a different model.
At Deep Blue Distilleries, the focus is not simply on branding or packaging. It starts with production itself – the equipment, the process, the batch size, and the people operating the still.
The difference between a true craft vodka and a mass-market vodka is not only where the profits stay. It is also found in the decisions made long before the bottle reaches the shelf.
Visit Deep Blue Distilleries
There are only two Hagyo stills of this kind operating in North America.
One of them is here in Richmond, BC – just minutes from Vancouver International Airport and directly accessible from the Canada Line.
If you want to see how Charm Vodka is made, we invite you to visit the distillery, tour the production space, and experience the difference firsthand.
Explore Charm Vodka at Deep Blue Distilleries
Located in Richmond, British Columbia
Proudly distilled in Canada