Premium & Superpremium Vodka: The Topic

[edsel]

The crumbs really don't touch the drink (unless of course the bartender pours the cocktail a little bit sloppy) and therefore do not become soggy.  Think of the salt rim on a Margarita -- the salt doesn't (or shouldn't!) come off the rim and float around and mix with in the drink.

Beans, I didn't mean to inpugne the bartending skills of Katies colleagues! In my experience a marguerita tends to get saltier towards the bottom of the glass, but maybe I'm a sloppy drinker!

the only spices that you would add to the cocktail would be that of the ones found in a Key Lime Pie.

Do people usually add cinnamon to graham cracker crusts? Do modern commercial graham crackers contain cinnamon or other spices? I don't have any in the house to check the ingredients list. I think that Dr. Sylvester Graham's original recipe called for only whole-wheat flour, molassis and water (that's right, no salt, no spice, no nothin'! ) but the commercial versions have strayed from his Puritanial vision. Of course I doubt he'd approve of his creation being used as inspiration for a martini....

[beans]

In my experience a marguerita tends to get saltier towards the bottom of the glass, but maybe I'm a sloppy drinker!

Nah, just enjoying yourself and a good drink.

[Marlene]

Hubby picked this up at Beekman Liquors on his way home from New York last week. The lady told him it was brand new. Of course I had to have a martini to try it out. I'd say it's better than Skyy but not as good as Belvedere or Grey Goose.

Anyone else tried it?

[beans]

I've seen it mentioned, but doubt it will be making its way to State of Ohio liquor store shelves anytime soon.

I understand it is a small batch Polish, rye vodka.

While not discussing or evaluating it, here is last month's article by Dale DeGroff's Cocktail Corner, as seen on Bevaccess.com (Beverage Journal), January, 2004, The Vodka Wars here. (subscription not necessary)

And a wee bit here on Polonaise Vodka and the Potocki family. A long history, no?

At any rate, cool looking bottle. And I see it was represented in last year's VodkaFest.

Enjoy and cheers!

[beans]

A small write up here on this Idaho vodka.

Cheers!

[Marlene]

I knew I could count on you beans! Yes, it's fairly nice. Of course I had to do a side by side martini tasting - one with Belevdere and one with Potocki! They are both from rye so I felt they were close enough - even if Belvedere is 4 times distilled!

The Potocki bottle does state that it is small batch, made from a family recipe.

Edited February 11, 2004 by Marlene (log)

[beans]

It is gaining additional distribution, so it may be available soon in a nearby liquor store!

Orange V® is a smooth American small batch vodka distilled from organic grain and infused with the intense flavors of Florida oranges. The sensation you feel when tasting Orange V is akin to biting into a fresh sweet orange. Orange V® can be savored neat, on the rocks or in your favorite cocktail.

Orange V® begins with fresh spring water that flows from the Rocky Mountains through the Snake River in Wyoming and then to the Silver Creek Distillery in scenic Idaho. The pure spring water is combined with naturally farmed organic grain that has been hand selected for quality and taste. The resulting smooth and pure vodka is distilled through a modern four-column process and filtered through a state of the art reverse osmosis system yielding a smooth 100% organic certified spirit. The organic spirit is then infused with a proprietary blend of sweet Florida oranges that result in an extraordinary orange vodka.

Today's Press Release here.

Bevnet, January 22, 2004, article here.

(much of the same press release)

Website: http://www.orangev.com

Cheers!

[beans]

In a recent press release early this morning the six column, continuously distilled vodka has announced a new and unique Rose vodka to be available for sale.

Sorry no direct linking to anything at PRNewswire other than their home URL.

http://www.prnewswire.com

The vodka is then carefully flavored with a delicate elixir of rose and over a dozen other natural flavor components -- including honey, vanilla and hints of citrus. The resulting vodka is incredibly smooth, great tasting and filled with the subtle and unique essence of the rose.

This cannot be found on their website as of yet, but if curious about this special vodka, check out:

http://www.shakersvodka.com

Cheers!

[slkinsey]

Sounds very tasty!

BTW, if you search PR Newswire for an article and then right click on the appropriate search result to "open in a new window" you get a unique URL for each release, like this one.

The whole six-column, slow-drip filtration thing makes me suspect that they end up with something that is, for all intents and purposes, completely flavorless ethanol at the end -- which is probably a good thing when one is planning on adding other flavors.

I am curious about this text, however:

The vodka is then carefully flavored with a delicate elixir of rose and over a dozen other natural flavor components -- including honey, vanilla and hints of citrus.

"Flavored with elixir of ___" strikes me as code for "we dump in a few gallons of ____ flavoring," don't you think? I mean, if it were infused with roses, etc. don't you think they would have said "infused?" Then again, I suppose there is some question as to whether infusion is the best vodka flavoring process, or is practicable on an industrial scale.

[beans]

The press release has made it to HappyHour.

Here is an easy link to same: http://www.happyhours.com/pressRelease_story.htm?&itemid=187

edited to add: Here is another easy link from Adams Beverage Group to Yahoo:

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040213/sff023_1.html

This is a large introduction for this new vodka.

I wish this was available and in time for today -- barely 11:30 am and the restaurant I work for looks like it is going to be in for a hellish day. I could enjoy this new, unique vodka on the rocks guaranteeing a pleasant mood lifter.

Is this going to be the new direction for flavoured vodkas? Florals? I'll have to see if I can make time to upload my Johnny Jump Up violets infused vodka tomorrow on the infusion thread....

Edited February 14, 2004 by beans (log)

[beans]

More news on this rosey vodka.

Seems as though Shakers has another one in the works too.

Today's West Central Tribune article here.

[beans]

NEW YORK, NY -- Beginning in March, The Absolut Spirits Company is rolling out a new superpremium vodka called Level. The 80 proof spirit is produced in Sweden using a combination of distillation techniques, a first for vodka, the company says. This production process includes both continuous and batch distillation. In continuous distillation, the vodka is distilled hundreds of times for smoothness, the company says. It then undergoes batch-by-batch distillation in pot stills.

Adams Beverage Group, State Ways article here.

(scroll down a bit)

Cheers!

[beans]

I managed to snag our OLBA Ohio Beverage Journal and take a look through it. Somehow it always seems to disappear because it will sit on someone's desk -- either our bookkeeper (who generally gets all of our mail first), our owner's, then the General Manager's. After that amount of time, I may find it, on rare occasion, in the magazine rack in our upstairs office, managerial loo.

I checked under new products and promotions and behold! Another new vodka! So I search the web. Their website is still under construction, but I did locate a link to a press release about the stuff.

Nice Absolut-like bottle with a longer neck ("an elegant French bottle" per the publication blurb) with a jewel shaped, cut stone, emerald cap.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Emerald Spirits Inc., a San Francisco based company founded by vodka industry veteran, Russ Dale, today announced the launch of their signature product, Emerald Vodka. Imported from Canada, Emerald Vodka is the first ultra premium vodka six times distilled from a unique blend of pure Canadian winter wheat and baby spring corn and seven times filtered for extreme smoothness and superior taste. Emerald Vodka is currently available in San Francisco and will be available in nationwide major metropolitan markets in 2004.

Press Release about this new spirit here.

Emerald Vodka's URL under conctruction: http://www.emeraldvodka.com

Cheers!

[Betts]

As a Canadian ex-pat I'm thinking Maple Leaf Martinis will be in order soon.

Now what would be a suitable garnish ?

[beans]

How exotic. Yum.

Auckland, 2nd March 2004: Vodka maker, 42 BELOW, today announced to the New Zealand Stock Exchange that it has gained US approval for their flavoured vodkas, Passionfruit and Feijoa by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).

Full Press Release here.

Cheers!

[beans]

    NEW YORK, March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The Absolut Spirits Company announced today the national launch of DANZKA® Vodka, a smooth aromatic vodka rich in taste with a distinct character of citrus fruit.  In addition to its unique flavors of citrus and grapefruit, DANZKA's signature is its proprietary metal bottle that is made to chill vodka at optimal temperatures -- and literally keep vodka colder.

Full Release here.

I've been waiting to see this bottle. Kinda cool. I also look forward to Absolut's other new vodka: Level.

Cheers!

edit: I hope the URL is fixed....

Edited March 8, 2004 by beans (log)

[docsconz]

I tasted a martini made with Levl this past Saturday night at Jean-George. While it was nice and smooth, I can't say it blew me away.

[beans]

Busy day for Absolut.

Today they announced a new Marketing VP, if interested, full Press Release here.

But more interesting is their third Press Release for the day.

"Chill parties" (a pre-party prior to a night out) as defined by their study:

The poll of 1,631 adults ages 21 and over revealed other interesting

characteristics of today's typical chill party including:

    - Chill parties are a tight knit group with 85 percent saying their crew

      is three to seven people.

    - The average chill party isn't an "all-nighter."  Roughly half of survey

      respondents hang for only two hours.

    - Nearly three out of four people experience a relaxed vibe at their

      chill party with 41 percent describing it as "the calm before the

      storm," or an opportunity for conversation.

    - Approximately 30 percent spend the night playing video games or

      watching T.V.

    - The pack mentality prevails with 42 percent making it a guy's night out

      and 50 percent going out as a mixed group

I can see this. While I toiled away as a legal assistant my coworker friend, Laura and I met up with another legal assistant in a private sector firm that we retained as "of counsel," and we found we quickly became close friends that did just about everything together. He had a bunch of roommates and coincidentally lived about four blocks away. Without fail, every Friday that was the place to gather have a drink then head out to a show, dinner and/or club hopping. There were usually six or seven of us -- Terry, Chris, Dave, Laura, Robert, myself and/or Matt, and/or Dan (if either were in town). We really had a few great summers of concerts, eating out, dancing and cookouts. I can still laugh at some of the fun and funny things that happened....

In the press release a drink called the Danzka Tease was provided:

    The DANZKA Tease:

    1 part DANZKA Citrus Vodka

    3 parts Iced Tea

    Pour DANZKA over ice cubes and slices of lemon, and top off with iced tea

      Garnish with a sprig of mint

(on rare occasion we did this with Skyy and Dairyman's brand Ice Tea on lazy Sunday afternoons in the Summer sun. Don't knock it until you try it! )

Inspiring New Press Release Here

Read. Chew. Discuss.

[KatieLoeb]

I had a chance to taste the Level last week. My very up-to-the-minute sales rep dropped by so I could check it out. I found it pretty tasty and certainly capable of holding its own with Grey Goose and Belvedere. Sharp looking packaging (tall skinny bottle) as well. Since the Absolut line is our well vodka, I suspect we'll probably end up getting Level as well.

I've still not tried a vodka as good as the Zyr vodka. It's a shame it didn't sell well at Rouge and we've discontinued it. We sold lots of it over at Striped Bass, but it just didn't seem to catch on with the crowd three blocks away. Go figure.

[babyluck]

When I read this,

DANZKA is the only vodka in the world offered in aluminum packaging, and available nationally in grapefruit flavor.

I first thought "bullshit, I've had vodka in an aluminum bottle before." Then I realized that it was this vodka, before the graphics were updated (probably by Absolut--was Danska recently acquired?). It was OK--tasted somewhere between Stoli (good) and Absolut (bad) to me. I wanted to like it because I enjoyed the packaging, but I never got it again.

Curious about the "one-of-a-kind" aluminum bottle thing, I did find this, launched in the UK in '95. Now I wonder--are they saying that it is the only vodka in the world that is both packaged in aluminum and available nationwide in grapefruit flavor?

Anyone ever see any other aluminum vodka bottles?

[phaelon56]

Their tag line.... not mine. Is this product new? I'm surprised I haven't seen it here on the cutting edge in eGullet but a forum search turned up nothing. Just spotted it on sale at a local liquor store. The cutesy things they are trying to do with marketing are just too much but I'll give them credit for a clever idea.

Sex Vodka

[slkinsey]

Is it distilled from Colt 45?

[Adam Balic]

Nice placement of cherries..........

One of the brothels in Melbourne had a large billboard advert "Its fantasy week at the Daily Planet - are you coming". Maybe they use the same advertising people.

[KatieLoeb]

There's a brand of vodka called Effen.

Their tag line is, "Give me an Effen Martini!'

[phaelon56]

Is it distilled from Colt 45?

I represent that remark. Seriously though.... it's currently available in FOUR states, uses only the finest grains (they said so - must be true) and is made with a FOUR column distillation process. Notice how the fabulous Colt product has the number FOUR figuring prominently in its name? Coincidence? I think not