Introducing VOD-K, Caramel & Truffle Flavored Premium Vodka From Paris.

VOD-K, the subtle combination of pure grain vodka, caramel and black truffles is a new premium vodka from Paris-based Fryd Food & Drink produced and bottled in Cognac in the Charente, the birthplace of expertise and tradition in quality spirits and liqueurs.



An exceptional vodka, VOD-K differs from its sister premium pure grain through the subtle aroma of truffles and caramel it releases every sip. This exclusive alliance gives contrasting notes, leaving the palate an impression of strength and softness.



Fryd Food & Drink tapped agency QSLD Paris to brand the new premium vodka. The agency worked on the name research, the graphic identity and the package design.

Frydlender Lawrence is a lover of terroir and flavors forgotten. A true epicurean, he has always advocated a return to the earth and the real. After more than 20 years in the world of cosmetics and traveling the world, he created Fryd Food & Drink. As a nod to the founder, VOD-K is nestled in a crystal bottle much like a vial of perfume. Composed mainly of crystal glass, it features a thick base which supports pattern etched glass that results in a brushed metal nose with a plastic insert designed much like perfume.




"I wanted to reconsider, premiumize and modernize the distillery sample bottle. The bottle of Vod-k is cylinder-shaped heavy and weighted to underline its premium character. This character is highlightened by the mat finishing of its Brown anodized metal cap. The bottom of the bottle is truffle shaped. The concept of Vod-k has been thought from the beginning to the end to create a consistent universe. Vod-k is a modern interpretation of the « demijohn ». Unique by its shape and its graphic design, Vod-k is also a decorative object. Thought to be exhibited, no detail has been left to chance." Denis Boudard of QSLD says.



The name « vod-k » is phonetical and looks like an sms word. A universal name, easy to remember, to understand and pronounce all over the world.



Specializing in truffle based fine foods, Fryd Food & Drink has previously trusted QSLD Paris with the design and graphic identity of their own logotype and QSLD worked on the graphic and volume design of many of their products (e.g.Olive oil, truffle flavoured salt and pasta).

EFFEN VODKA Presents The Art of Design. March 16th In Santa Monica.

If It's Hip It's Here, along with other Los Angeles area bloggers and companies, has the honor of being one of the co-hosts of The Art of Design event with EFFEN Vodka that takes place tomorrow night. The event, open to anyone over 21 years of age, will feature local mixologists competing to design the most Provocatively Premium™ EFFEN® Vodka martini.




Sample cocktails, vote on your favorites and watch a local artist and fashion designer reveal pieces inspired by EFFEN Vodka. Complimentary Happy Hour, too.

I hope to see you there!

When:
March 16, 2011 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM

Where:
William Turner Gallery at Bergamot Station Arts Center
2525 Michigan Ave
Santa Monica CA 90404

How:
Only those 21 years of age and older can attend.
Please click here to get on the guest list


RSVP

Another Vodka Tries Attracting Women. Introducing Van Gogh Blue.

In today's New York Times, Stuart Elliott, in his campaign spotlight column, wrote about Van Gogh Blue, a triple distilled wheat Vodka that specifically targets women.

Having previously written several posts on this blog about premium vodkas, including other female-targeted brands like Diva and Igor Velodin's Damaskaya, both of which seem to have gone by the wayside* after a very short period of time, I was intrigued to say the least.

*Both the Diva and the Damaskaya websites have disappeared and neither can be found on the web or in liquor stores anymore.

above: Diva Vodka was packaged with real Swarovski Crystals emulating a stripper pole in the middle.


above: Russian brand Damaskaya caused nothing but headaches for the brand.

Will yet another "Ladies Only" Vodka make it? Van Gogh Blue does have the social media support behind it (a facebook page and twitter account) that the other two lacked and an advertising campaign with an edgy sense of humor. Diva and Damaskaya went the ultra feminine route with butterflies, diamonds and a nod to Marilyn Monroe.



The ads for Van Gogh Blue:




On their website, they the lure ladies to the liquor with the following text:

"Come unbottled with the only premium triple wheat vodka that’s guaranteed to be smoother than most of the men you meet out at the bars. Okay, all.

Sometimes a girl just wants to shake things up a bit. And we think there’s no better way to do that than with a great cocktail and some great friends. That’s why Van Gogh Vodka has been serving up five-star rated flavors that are smoother than silk sheets for…well, the exact number doesn’t matter. But let’s just say it’s been a while. And now we’re introducing women everywhere to Van Gogh BLUE, the first premium, triple wheat vodka made from three international sources (France, Germany and Holland). It’s 80-proof. And already proving to create some of the best ladies night memories. Ever.

So, leave the kids with the babysitter, and join the party on Facebook and Twitter. See you there."

So, what makes this one women-targeted vodka different from the other two?
Well, first of all, Van Gogh Vodka is already a well established brand. This particular release is the eleventh vodka from the distillery. Secondly they have a very large US distribution, not to mention ad advertising budget of one million dollars, which both Diva and Damaskaya lacked. These facts coupled with the social media efforts may just make this female-specific vodka work.

So, put away those wine spritzers, girls and raise a glass of Van Gogh Blue.

info and images courtesy of the NY Times and Van Gogh Vodka

Pavé - The Luxury Liqueur Distilled Through Real Diamonds In Amsterdam.

An interesting unique luxury liqueur that is distilled through genuine diamonds, Pavé Amsterdam - The Luxury Liqueur™, had me intrigued from the start. I did as much research as possible and even contacted the owner multiple times for details, but I didn't learn much more than I had by poking around the internet. So, I will share with you what I can.



Nowadays the word "luxury" is tossed about quite carelessly. I've been guilty of doing so in this very blog. But when it comes to a luxury liqueur, Pavé claims to be the paragon. After all, it's said to be distilled and filtered through 500 carats of the finest grade earth-mined diamonds.



Pavé, the Luxury Liqueur, is described as an ultra premium, 60 proof clear fruit liqueur infused with a distinct blend of ripened citrus, tropical and passion fruits, hints of caffeine and delicate herbal notes. Distilled from organic fruits through genuine diamonds. It is said that Pavé is designed to be a standalone drink, though it can also be enjoyed with a splash of your favorite mixer.



The company says that Pavé’s finesse is in its elaborate creation process and secret family techniques that have been passed down for generations.



The bottle design:

From their website:

The ultra-lux liqueur is encased in its proprietary rectangular bottle. Standing strikingly tall and crystal-like, the bottle is fused with metal and Swarovski Crystals. The bottle was designed by founder Moghaddam* and inspired by the diamond distillation method used to produce the delicate liqueur. A 750ml bottle of Pavé weighs nearly 5 pounds.

The distillation process:


From their website:

Pavé is the first and only liqueur distilled with diamonds. For this “diamond-distillation” process, over 500 carats of the world’s finest genuine diamonds (category: IF/VVS1 – D/E) were examined and hand-picked by experts. After an elaborate distillation, Pavé is filtered through these flawless diamonds just before bottling, using a brand new batch of gems for every distillation. This enables filtration to 1.0 microns – conventional filters, on the other hand, only filter within a range between 30.0 and 15.0 microns. This fine, high-grade diamond dust makes this possible, removing even the most minute particles and impurities from the distillate. The sophisticated process gives Pavé its exquisite softness, exceptional clarity and clean, fresh finish - a liqueur of perfect purity and smoothness.

So, who is behind Pavé the Luxury Liqueur?



Well, this is not an easy one to answer. You may have noticed that the liqueur label and logo read Pavé Amsterdam, and when I asked owner Moghaddam*, I couldn't get a specific address nor pictures of the offices or distillation location. And from my own amateur research, I couldn't find any indication that it's created, owned, distilled or distributed in or from Amsterdam, so I am taking his word for it.

*Mehran Moghaddam, is named as the founder and President of the company, the designer of the bottle and as per his Linked In profile, a young entrepreneur who received a degree in Biochemistry at UC Davis in 1996 and a masters at UC Davis in Business Management in 2005.



The links to the "media" for Pavé on their site don't work, so I couldn't see any other articles about the trademarked "luxury liqueur". And when it comes to their social media presence, they are definitely a mess. On Facebook, one of their group pages calls it Pavé Vodka, but it is not a vodka and the marketing address for that is the Idol Music Group which is in New York. The business group page on Facebook lists Amsterdam as their location, but again, no working address or link. The myspace page for Pave is sparse and neglected and hasn't been updated in over a year.

This kind of makes me doubt the diamond distillation process. After all, 500 carats of Internally Flawless (IF) diamonds with D or E color would cost millions (unless they are chips, which is possible) and a new batch is used every time? Are there armed guards standing by during the process? And who are these 'experts' who hand picked the diamonds? Unfortunately, I could not find the answers to these questions.



Regardless of the veracity of its claims, the concept has an appeal and the bottle design is aesthetically pleasing. I can't comment on the taste because it's virtually impossible to locate in a retail location or online, with one exception -- it is available through Hi Time Wine. How did I even hear about it? Pavé seems to be most commonly present at music-related launches at the hippest events and parties.

all images courtesy of Pavé Spirits and Mehran Moghaddam

25 Unusual & Premium Vodkas From Ed Hardy To Bacon Flavored

Seems that every year or so, there's a new influx of premium and/or unusual vodkas on the market. Therefore, every year or so, I have a new vodka post for you. Not necessarily about the taste since, in all honesty, I have not tried all of them, but more about the bottle design or concept. And in some case, just unusual, limited editions or hard to find vodkas.

Yes, I've covered the gun shaped and skull shaped bottles, those with Swarovski crystals and gemstones and even those whose bottles are made from renewable and sustainable materials. But, just when I thought there wasn't much more Vodka talk out there, I found out there are vodkas infused with bacon, vodka bottles for which a tree is planted each time one is sold, bottles in Faberge eggs and even that tell your horoscope! How could I keep from sharing these with you? That said.... cheers!

1000 Acres and Blaze Vodka:


These stunning glass bottle designs for 1000 Acres vodka and Blaze Vodka By The Arnell Group (images from daily icon). These have made the rounds on design and packaging blogs, but I cannot find either of these Vodka companies, so I'm pretty sure these are protoypes. If you have a link to either manufacturer, please let me know!

The rest in this post are real actual purchasable vodkas.
Karlsson's Vodkas
Whether it's their newest Gold Vodka or their Vintage Vodkas, the apothecary-like packaging by Swedish art director and designer Hans Brindfors is modern and clean:





Go here to learn about all their vintages and flavors.

Double Cross Vodka



Double Cross Vodka is a spring water and winter wheat based , seven step distilled luxury vodka produced in the Slovak Republic at a family run distillery.



above: While the gorgeous glass bottle is beautiful to look at, inscribed with Slovenian poetry on the back and a snap top lid, it's unwieldy, and very difficult to pour.
Order it online here

Tru Organic Vodkas


Tru Organic Vodkas use American wheat, California lemons, Bourbon Vanilla beans and vapor distilled water to bring you 3 different flavored vodkas.



By being efficient and careful in their manufacturing process and by planting a tree a bottle, two ounces of TRU vodka—the amount in a standard cocktail—help remove 62 kgs of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. So those two ounces of vodka don't just eliminate your carbon footprint but help pull out an additional seven kgs of carbon dioxide from the air, where they contribute to global warming. For each bottle of Tru sold, a tree is planted. Find where you can purchase Tru Vodkas here.

Lovejoy Vodkas

Lovejoy Vodka from Integrity Spirits in Portland Oregon pays homage to the Great Clear One. Lovejoy Vodka is hand-crafted in small batches with compulsive care and affection, giving it a smooth quality with a unique character and flavor.

But Lovejoy Vodka also gets its character from its distinct labels. Lovejoy Vodka comes in four different designs, so you can choose the one that fits your mood. Same vodka, just different labels. You’ll even see new labels over time as we add new designs to the family.

And now, there's Hazelnut Flavored Lovejoy vodka:

buy it online here.


BU-TAY Vodka



(yep, that's pronounced Boo- tay' like a big ol' butt)
BU-TAY Ultra Premium Vodka starts with some of the purest water in America, in Bend, Oregon. American Made, it uses corn grain Vodka and is filtered it five times through charcoal and crushed lava. Also comes in a Citrus flavor.


Buy BU-TAY here.

Triple Eight Vodka



From Cisco brewers, this Nantucket Vodka has been around since 2001, but I've just now found it and really love the simple graphic label.



Triple Eight Vodka is the flagship product of Triple Eight Distillery. The super-premium vodka is triple distilled using organic corn from Holland and blended with ultra pure water from their Nantucket well # 888. It also comes in flavored versions, such as cranberry, blueberry and orange (which was introduced to the line in 2003).


Cisco Brewers and The triple eight distillery also have an online store that sells some fun gear with the wonderful label design like coasters and olives.



Learn more here.

Ed Hardy Premium Vodka


Don Ed Hardy, the legendary artist and Christian Audigier, the men behind the now ubiquitous Ed Hardy brand has just announced a Vodka (they have several other beverages as well).



The bottle designs vary, so I'm not sure which you can find where. But in my searching, Hitimewine and NapaCabs are the least expensive I could find the liter bottles of Ed Hardy Vodka.

Bakon Vodka (yes, you heard right.. bacon)



Black Rock Spirits, LLC in Seattle Washington set out to do something different, something savory… something bacon. The company started with a superior quality potato vodka. Made from Idaho potatoes, it is smooth, slightly sweet with the well-rounded flavor that you only get from a quality potato distillation, with no strong burn or aftertaste.



Then they added the prefect peppery essence of actual bacon. Before you balk, take a look at these recipes, bet your mouth will start watering for Bakon Vodka:




As of today, Bakon Vodka is only available in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
For information about distribution, where to find Bakon Vodka, or on becoming a distributor for Bakon Vodka, please email sales@blackrockspirits.com


Vampyre Vodka
The first red vodka in the US, It's triple distilled in England and they claim it's "wickedly smooth". Now, from what I have found, there seems to be both 'clear' and red' vodkas from this company as well as three iterations of the bottle design.



According to drinkhacker, the two (clear and red) taste nearly identical, with the red being slightly sweeter. Also, you may get confused by the various spellings, but Vampyre or Vampire, they are both from Vampire Vineyards.

Vicious Vodka- Caffeine Infused



They start with Premium American grains and crystal clear spring water. Then their distillation process yields ultra premium vodka with a full and complex flavor to which they add pure caffeine. It is distilled three times from a mix of five grains. The company says that, aside from caffeine, there are no other additives in the bottle, the goal being a taste on par with super-premium, non-caffeinated vodkas. Vicious doesn’t offer figures, but it does say it has the most caffeine of any caffeinated vodka on the market, the maximum allowed by the U.S. government.


buy it online here.

V2 and V2 Mint Vodkas
Caffeine in your vodka not enough for you? Then how about Vodka infused with caffeine and caurine? Or with caffeine, taurine and mint? Forget Redbull and Vodka, these do that for you!



V2 is a distilled spirit made exclusively of super premium imported vodka with Taurine and Caffeine added.

V2 (and V2 Mint) tastes like the super-premium, small-batch vodka which is one of its three elements. V2 is exceptionally smooth. The vodka used in V2 is made from long grain wheat. It is distilled five times and expertly filtered to be the best tasting vodka possible. The product is then infused expertly with a balance of Taurine and Caffeine.



Produced and bottled in Holland, V2 has everything you want and nothing you don’t want. There are no artificial colors, artificial flavors, carbonation, preservatives, or sugar, which is found in many energy drinks and low quality spirits.

V2 Mint is infused with natural mint extracts. Taurine (pronounced Tour–een) is the Amino Acid found in Redbull, Rockstar, and many other energy drinks. A drink made with V2 has as much intensity as a ½ cup of coffee. V2 and V2 Mint make no nutritional claims about the products.buy it here.

44 Degrees North Vodka


Available in 3 different flavors; Mountain Huckleberry, Magic Valley Wheat and Rainier Cherry. Around since 2006, it's made by 44 Degrees North Distillery in Rigby, Idaho.



The vodka used in 44° North originates from Idaho potatoes such as Burbank and Russet processed in a unique four column distillation process for the ultimate in purity and smoothness. Instead of bottling 44° North as an unflavored product, Ken and Ron decided to pay homage to the State of Idaho which is known for huckleberry as well as potatoes.
Go here for distribution.

Americana Luxury Vodka






buy it online here.

Potoki Wodka


(text from their site) At first it is soft and slightly sweet on the tongue. Its rich texture envelops the mouth, gradually arousing the taste buds, and you can soon see yourself ordering dinner and asking for a refill. While you are still toying in your mind with various menu options, the flavour moves to the back, turning into a long dry finish with nutty notes which are the trademark taste of Polish rye vodka. This pleasant experience is concluded by a warm feeling in your chest (and your heart).



American critic Paul Pacult writes of "a multilayered bouquet that begs for a half hour of sniffing and evaluation", and Robert Plotkin calls it "a remarkable achievement, one worthy of top shelf treatment." Potoki Wodka

SV Supreme, The Silk Vodka



SV is artisinally-crafted using hundreds of years of heritage combined with the best of 21st century distilling techniques resulting in a crystal clear vodka with a smooth as silk texture and body.

Filtered fourteen times through five different varieties of mountain crystals and minerals... crystal quartz, morion, chalcedony, topaz, and opal...that polish SV, Silk to an unparalleled level of natural smoothness.

SV Vodka The Gold Medal Winner "Exceptional Vodka" 92 Rating Beverage Testing Institute Nov. 2006

buy it here.

Pau Maui Vodka


Maui-based Pau Trading Company has recently launched Pau Maui Vodka, which uses pure Maui Gold pineapple juice as the base for their vodka. If you're scratching your heads how a sweet and tart fruit like pineapple could possibly make good vodka, relax. The flavors all disappear during the distillation and filtration process. Master distiller Mark Nigbur states: "There is no hint of pineapple in the taste. What the pineapple juice does is make a nice, clean mash."

buy it here.

Imperial Vodka's Faberge Egg Collection



From Emperor's Brand, it's not the Bottle of Imperial Vodka that's impressive, it's the special Faberge Egg editions.



Vodka "Imperial Collection" presents the unique cases in the form of Easter eggs by Karl Faberge.



The manufacture of these eggs, along with carafes and glasses of Venetian glass with refined gilding requires craftsmanship and experience. The production of glass items (carafes and glasses) was entrusted to an old Italian factory where the secrets of producing famous Venetian glass were passed on from generation to generation since the 12th century.


above: Faberge Egg Containers hold Imperial Brand Vodka

The set consists of a corbel that is fixing four glasses and a decorative cap for the carafe. The corbel and cap are gilded in a galvanic bath. A large red glass crystal adorns the cap. A special source of pride is the graceful and elegant gold eagle, which completes the composition. One of the most famous Florentine masters, who for more than 30 years has been working at the invitation of the Pope in the Vatican, worked on its development. Producing the eagle and gilding glass requires manual work.


above: These run from $1,600.00 and up. You can learn more about them here.


Limited Edition Grey Goose Bottles
For something really different, well known designer and interior decorator Jacques Garcia, has created these special limited edition bottles of Grey Goose Vodka:


above: The limited edition will be launched during the Cannes Film Festival next month and subsequently shown in Paris, until September 2009. The collection is also available to order by calling 0 810 070 060 (numéro azur, local rate) at a price of 520 €.


Zodiac Vodka
A Gluten-Free, potato vodka made in Idaho, Zodiac Vodka is clever and imaginative, with 12 different bottles and a website to match.



From Zodiac Spirits, this "astrological' vodka has a really fun website interface. Once you input your birthdate, your zodiac sign is recognized and your experience on the site (as well as the bottle) become adapted to your 'sign'.



The face of each Zodiac bottle features the flares of the sun surrounded by each of the twelve Zodiac symbols, or glyphs. The face of the moon is placed on the back of each bottle and can be viewed through a see-though window. This symbolizes the profound influence that the position of these celestial bodies at our time of birth has on personalities. The Sun represents the expressive energy in how your personality is shaped and the moon symbolizes the more impressionist side and your inner world of feelings and emotions.


Above: an example of the Libra personalization (yes, I'm a Libra)

An illustration representing your sign is etched at the bottom of each bottle. This provides a visual image symbolic of your Zodiac sign in its environment. The illustration contains subtle and sometimes obvious insights relating to your persona.

Inscribed on the back of each bottle is a brief description of your astrological sign and the certain traits that are more prominent in your personality and temperament.



So, what's your sign? Go here.

Nuvo Sparkling Vodka
Slighty different but new on the market, is the sparkling Vodka drink aimed at women, whose bottle design looks like perfume.




The Ultra-premium vodka from France and sparkling French wine are infused with natural fruit nectar. 15% alc/vol (30 proof).
Buy it here (on sale!)

Special thanks to drinkhacker.com for some of the info and some of the images. All other images courtesy of the distributors.

Many of the above unusual vodkas can be found at the following online stores:

Gotham Wines & Liquors
Hi Time Wines
Beverage Warehouse

Now, before you go writing me telling me about all the amazing Vodka Bottle designs and unusual vodkas on the market, you'd better see my previous posts (links below) in which I mention everything from Vertikal to Diva. So please read before you comment... I may already blogged about them:

•Stunningly designed Vodka Bottles
•10 Organic Vodkas
•Dan Aykroyd's Crystal Head Vodka
•Belvedere's 1X Vodka