Vodka Made from Potatoes, in America

We’re highlighting small businesses from around the country as nominated by you, our readers. If your favorite small business is using Twitter to communicate with customers, let us know about it @fbsmallbiz with the hashtag #mysbc, and it may be featured as an upcoming Small Business Spotlight.

Small Business Spotlight: Cirrus Vodka

Who: Paul McCann, @CirrusVodka

What: Hand-crafted vodka made from high-quality potatoes

When: 2006

Where: Richmond, Va.

How: McCann, who previously worked as a policy analyst for the state of Virginia, had worked in the restaurant business for most of his life. He put himself through college by waiting tables, and when working as an analyst, invested in restaurant partnerships.

In 2003 while sharing a drink with a friend, McCann said he was struck by the idea of making high-quality vodka in the U.S.

“I found there were only a couple of premium vodkas being made here in the U.S., and even fewer being made from potato,” he said.

From there, he set out to start Cirrus.

Quote from the owner: “All you have to market [vodka] on is the quality aspect, because you are very limited on the regulatory aspect,” he said. “In the development process we worked on the product and entered it into international competitions to establish equality amongst our peers before coming out into the market.”