Premium & Superpremium Vodka: The Topic

[beans]

This is stuff looks like a quickie, flash in the pan sort of thing. (Inspired by the not so quick flash nightmare their website represents to my poor ancient laptop).

A one night stand, only to be a distant memory, so to speak?

Yipes, the State of Ohio barely permits its residents to the varied selection and exciting world of alcohol and wine to purchase let alone combining it with something so hedonistic as Sex Vodka!

Get your collectible bottle now!

[malarkey]

The cutesy things they are trying to do with marketing are just too much but I'll give them credit for a clever idea.

Since when is using sex to sell something clever?! Don't get me wrong, I'm not offended, but geez, its hardly original.

[GordonCooks]

Sex Vodka is the brainchild of a local Rochester bar owner. I guess the stuff is distilled & bottled in Holland. I haven't tasted it yet but I hear their unit cost is quite reasonable. (profitable)

[phaelon56]

The cutesy things they are trying to do with marketing are just too much but I'll give them credit for a clever idea.

Since when is using sex to sell something clever?! Don't get me wrong, I'm not offended, but geez, its hardly original.

I don't mean the concept of using sex to sell something. That's the world's second oldest profession (advertising). I refer to the idea of actually using Sex as the product name. It eliminates the need for allusions or slightly subtle double entendres - everything is just flat out blatantly suggestive. My surprise is that no one has done this with some other food or bevarage product already - or have they? I think having the brainstorm to use something so blatant and obvious as a product name when no one else has done it is indeed clever. What they do with it once they've unleashed the idea is far from original, as you so aptly pointed out.

[GordonCooks]

The cutesy things they are trying to do with marketing are just too much but I'll give them credit for a clever idea.

Since when is using sex to sell something clever?! Don't get me wrong, I'm not offended, but geez, its hardly original.

I don't mean the concept of using sex to sell something. That's the world's second oldest profession (advertising). I refer to the idea of actually using Sex as the product name. It eliminates the need for allusions or slightly subtle double entendres - everything is just flat out blatantly suggestive. My surprise is that no one has done this with some other food or bevarage product already - or have they? I think having the brainstorm to use something so blatant and obvious as a product name when no one else has done it is indeed clever. What they do with it once they've unleashed the idea is far from original, as you so aptly pointed out.

You'll see a lot of this in the bar/nightclub business. Think in terms of drink names

a.) The Blowjob

b.) Screaming Orgasm

c.) Sex on the Beach

Etc., etc. ...

[beans]

I expected big things from their vodkas. Now I simply must acquire a bottle or two for a personal sampling and get it stocked into our speed rail at work!

NAPA, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinite Spirits Inc., a San Francisco Bay Area-based company founded by experienced drinks industry veterans, today announced that its three American-made vodkas swept the prestigious 2004 San Francisco World Spirits Competition in the tasting and packaging design categories. The newly introduced SHAKERS Rose Vodka, the first and only rose vodka in the United States, was awarded "Best in Show" along with a double gold medal, from a field of 40 flavored vodkas. SHAKERS Rye Vodka -- to be launched next month -- was also awarded a double gold medal, and for the second year in a row, SHAKERS Original American Vodka received a silver medal. In addition to sweeping the tasting categories, all three SHAKERS Vodka bottles won double gold awards for packaging design in the 200 ml and 750 ml categories.

Today's press release can be found here.

Cheers!

[Brad Ballinger]

I'm glad to see the acclaim for this vodka. It is produced in rural Minnesota, of all places. Last year, the plant/distillery had some sort of damage (maybe a fire, I can't recall exactly), and things looked dicey for a while.

Having had only the regular vodka, I can attest that it is good stuff.

[beans]

Well, is it any surprise that the designers of Shakers Vodka's packaging also won gold for their bottle?

Today's BusinessWire article here.

[WineMiles]

Interesting...

I've tried shakers on a number of occassions and I really didn't care for it. I much prefer Charbay or Hangar One as far a domestics go.

[beans]

ST. CLAIR SHORES — If Amazon Rainforest Vodka has its way, more and more acres of pristine rain forest will be preserved through the Rainforest Preservation Foundation.

CJCK Business Inc., the importer of the Brazilian-made vodka, works with the foundation in Ft. Worth, Texas, to buy rain forest land.

When a bottle of vodka is sold, the owner receives a preservation deed in the box that guarantees 5,000 square feet of rain forest has been saved.

The Detroit News April 8 article here.

I look forward to purchasing and sampling some of this double distilled, sugar cane distilled Brasilian vodka.

Caipiroska anyone?

[hillvalley]

This is so great. I wonder how it tastes? Here is the website.

[JAZ]

I wonder why it was able to be categorized as a vodka. That would be interesting to know.

[DrinkBoy]

I wonder why it was able to be categorized as a vodka. That would be interesting to know.

Do you mean because it is made out of sugar cane? Easy... there aren't any requirements that define "what" vodka can be made from. Potatoes, Grain, Grapes, Sugarcane, etc. Can all be made into vodka.

In the US, the main regulation regarding "Vodka" is that it is distilled to at least 190 proof, and then diluted down to normal bottling strength. No indication is provided that it needs to be made from a particular product, or products.

-Robert

[DrinkBoy]

Further Details...

Here are the exact regulations regarding Vodka from the ATF:

Title 27

Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms

CHAPTER I

ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

PART 5

LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF DISTILLED SPIRITS

...

§ 5.22 The standards of identity.

Standards of identity for the several classes and types of distilled spirits set forth in this section shall be as follows (see also § 5.35, class and type):

(a) Class 1; neutral spirits or alcohol. ‘‘Neutral spirits’’ or ‘‘alcohol’’ are distilled spirits produced from any material at or above 190° proof, and, if bottled, bottled at not less than 80° proof.

(1) ‘‘Vodka’’ is neutral spirits so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.

...

These, and other fun and exciting facts can be found here:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/27cfr5_03.html

-Robert

[docsconz]

(1) ‘‘Vodka’’ is neutral spirits so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.

...

In other words, the antithesis of "premium" vodka!

Thanks for the citation.

[JAZ]

Here are the exact regulations regarding Vodka from the ATF:

(a) Class 1; neutral spirits or alcohol. ‘‘Neutral spirits’’ or ‘‘alcohol’’ are distilled spirits produced from any material at or above 190° proof, and, if bottled, bottled at not less than 80° proof.

(1) ‘‘Vodka’’ is neutral spirits so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.

Interesting that on the website, much is made of the fact that this vodka is made from sugar cane and is therefore "sweet":

Amazon Vodka is so sweet because it's distilled from pure sugar cane.

Seems to me they're trying to have it both ways: it's "vodka" and therefore flavorless, but made from sugar cane and therefore "sweet."

Ah, the joys of marketing!

[DrinkBoy]

Amazon Vodka is so sweet because it's distilled from pure sugar cane.

Yeah, I noticed that as well. Even rum doesn't taste "specifically" sweet, and it doesn't get distilled anywhere near as far as something needs to in order to be called vodka.

I can only imagine that perhaps the water that they are using to cut the distillate with to bring it down to bottle strength is one that itself has something of a sweet character to it. The dirty little secret about vodka is that it is the water they use to dilute it with that provides the bulk of what is percieved as its flavor profile.

[beans]

Perhaps it is more similar to the expression, as in:

********

"Hey! I just got a new car!" says one 20 something guy to his coworker buddy.

Coworker Buddy: "Sweet!"

********

Sort of to help their concept along and not to convey the literal sense of sugary sweetness, beit perceived from the sugar cane or actually from the lovely Brasilian (or Lake Michigan's .... I haven't examined the website thoroughly) H20.

Isn't anyone else finding the environmental/conservationist appeal as "Sweet"? Having grown up in a rainforest (visit Sitka, AK and you'll know it rains 350 days of the year), I'm a sucker for this sort of cool stuff. Everyone I told about this at work wants a bottle of their own.

[marie-louise]

Anyone know which flavored vodka Metropolitan Home Magazine listed as one of their "Top 100" in this month's issue? Is that vodka any good?

It sounded good when I skimmed through the magazine, but I didn't write it down and now of course, I cannot remember the name...

[KatieLoeb]

Anyone know anything about Turi vodka from Estonia? Salesman dropped me a little sample bottle today and I haven't had the chance to try it yet. Damn, I hate being a resposnsible adult.

When I get home tonight I think there's a martini awaiting me mixing it...

I'll report back but would love to hear anyone else's experiences with this product.

[marie-louise]

It feels strange to be talking to myself-especially in the cocktail forum -but since no one is talking to me, why not! The vodka Metropolitan Home liked was Hanger One vodka. From re-reading this thread, it sounds like some people like it.

Edited April 30, 2004 by marie-louise (log)

[beans]

Katie - Türi is from Estonia. It is quite enjoyable. We did one of their signature martini cocktails during the holiday season and got some great responses -- it was black olives (take your pick in preference) that were stuffed with red caviar on wooden kabob skewer. Beautifully presented and deliciously salty, robust and a wee bit decadent.

marie-louise - Hangar One is a decent product.

[Dan Ryan]

You can't get Zubrovka in the States? Now that is poor. Zubrovka and apple juice (real): superb. And I'm going to do something brilliant with Zubrovka and quince cheese one day...

[Marlene]

It feels strange to be talking to myself-especially in the cocktail forum -but since no one is talking to me, why not! The vodka Metropolitan Home liked was Hanger One vodka. From re-reading this thread, it sounds like some people like it.

Don't you just hate that? I'm not a fan of Hangar One myself. However, I do adore Belvedere

[sco-v]

I see some one already mentioned Hangar One. I can only give the nod on that too, great vodka!

Another one that I really like (forgive me if it is mentioned above and I missed it) is 3.

3 Vodka

Made with soy even.

Cheers -

Scott