Flavored Vodka

SKYY Introduces Dragon Fruit & Blood Orange Infusion Vodkas

Filed under: Spirits

SKYY Infusions Blood Orange & Dragon Fruit

A year after the launch of its ginger-infused vodka, American premium label SKYY has launched the latest additions to its all-natural Infusions range with Dragon Fruit and Blood Orange flavors.

Building on the momentum and popularity of dragon fruit juices and flavored waters, SKYY Infusions Dragon Fruit presents an exotic taste and is billed as the first dragon fruit vodka available across the country. Meanwhile SKYY Infusions Blood Orange builds on the popularity of orange-flavored vodkas – third most popular in the category – with a more intense flavor particularly suited to Tiki cocktails.

Both are presently launching coast-to-coast, with volumes and prices targeted at 50ml ($1.99 MSRP), 750ml ($18.49 MSRP) and 1 liter ($26.49 MSRP). They join the existing line-up of Citrus, Cherry, Grape, Raspberry, Passion Fruit, Pineapple and Ginger infused vodkas.

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Tags: flavored vodka, infused vodka, infusion vodka, skyy, skyy infusions, SKYY Infusions Blood Orange, SKYY Infusions Dragon Fruit, skyy vodka, vodka

Flavored Vodkas Continue To Climb at High and Low Ends

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Liquor store owners are becoming shelf challenged to handle all the flavored vodkas spirits companies are turning out. It's gotten to the point where industry experts aren't sure if the proliferation of flavored vodkas is answering a demand, or if the growth of sales isn't literally being driven by the avalanche of products.

Flavored vodka sales were up 16% last year, compared with a 1% gain for traditional vodka. So, it's easy to see why the liquor marketers keep the flavors coming. Burnett's Vodka now has 20 flavors! The addition of flavors ranging from coconut to root beer has the obvious and intended result of attracting more women to spirits, especially young women But the flavors attract the young men as well, and have been a force in taking them away from beer.

After all, vodka is the least expensive spirit to actually manufacture. It is usually derived from grains, grapes or potatoes, and doesn't require any aging. The flavors are pretty easy to come by. So the task for the distiller, in the end, is to find the right flavor of quality to achieve the mouth-feel and finish that is desirable.

A round-up of recent flavored vodkas shows that there is no end of flavors hitting the shelves. The other reason so many are coming is that it is cheap to test the market to see what sticks. If a particular flavor doesn't stick, the changeover or elimination of the flavor happens easily and with minimal cost.

What can you look for? And what is good?

CÎROC, a French ultra-premium vodka, made from select Mauzac Blanc and Ugni Blanc grapes grown and harvested in the Cognac and Gaillaic regions of France, is one of the finer and more interesting vodkas to hit the market in the last several years even without the addition of flavors. And I was surprised to see that Red Berry and Coconut were the first ones out of the gate. I was expecting flavors from CÎROC more reflecting the French sensibilities: Elderberry or perhaps Apple to suggest a Cognac and Normandy fusion.

CÎROC Red Berry and Coconut: 70-Proof, $34.99. The Coconut infused vodka is nicely buttery and carries the scent of a tasty macaroon. I drank it frozen, and was happy. then tried wit a splash of pineapple juice and ice. After sipping that, I added a bit of cream and a dash of Angostura Bitters, which pleased my group the most. The Red Berry is fruity as you would expect, but maybe a tad sweet. I drank this frozen, as well as with a bit of soda and ice. I would prefer a dryer fruit finish, especially with an ultra-premium, but I still like the base grape vodka of CÎROC, and believe it works as a better mixer than some cheaper flavored grain vodkas.

Gallery: Flavored Vodkas Fill High and Low Ends of Vodka Market

Tags: alcohol, Burnetts Vodka, Chambord Vodka, Ciroq, Flavored Vodka, ketel one oranje, Rokk Vodka, Smirnoff, Smirnoff Blue, vodka

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Belvedere Introduces Pink Grapefruit

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The latest wave of flavored vodkas continues to swell with the release of Belvedere's Pink Grapefruit.

A recent launch party in Manhattan's Meat Packing District included a blending session, food pairings, giant photos of hipster queen Leigh Lezark (the model and Misshapes DJ) and enough pink lighting to rival a "Sex and the City" premiere. It was here that Claire Smith, Belvedere's Head of Spirit Creation & Mixology, led us through a blending tutorial whose purpose was to illustrate the various notes found in Pink Grapefruit, including ginger and lemon, and to dissuade us from thinking that a bottle of vodka and grapefruit is all it takes to replicate. Afterward, we were presented several sweet and savory food pairings with Pink Grapefruit-based cocktails, most of which were so chockablock with mixers as to obscure the spirit itself.

Which brings up a good point: if you're going to choose a vodka for its flavor, a typically ironic proposition, let that flavor express itself. For this Belvedere release those flavors came from Argentinian grapefruit, ginger and Spanish spring lemons. The Polish spirit maker is quick to point out that these are arrived at by means of a maceration process, which removes essences from natural ingredients and blends them back into the vodka, rather than via an injection of sugar or glycerin. The raw ingredients spend four to six weeks soaking in vodka baths before being distilled again to avoid oxidation when put into bottle.

Thankfully the result is a balanced spirit, ideal for sipping or (restrained) mixing, with nary a candy aisle flavor present. Pink Grapefruit is light and citrusy to the nose with hints of vanilla; ginger is noticeable mainly on the finish, and is present on the palate to push the notes of lemon and grapefruit forward. There's even a bit of a creamy texture going down.

(750ml, $39.99)

Tags: belevedere vodka, cocktails, flavored vodka, pink grapefruit, spirits, vodka

Spike Lee Designs Absolut Brooklyn Bottle

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Director Spike Lee is the bottle designer behind Absolut vodka's latest limited edition flavor, Absolut Brooklyn. The bottle features a depiction of a brownstone with the number from Lee's childhood home in Cobble Hill and bears his name on the bottle. Inside the bottle is a vodka flavored with apple and ginger. It has a retail price of $29.99 . Each of the city editions of Absolut has a charitable initiative attached, as part of this campaign Absolut is donating $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity to help fund an affordable homes project in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Previous city editions included Absolut Boston (black tea and elderflower), Los Angeles (blueberry, acerola cherry, açai berry and pomegranate) and New Orleans (black pepper and mango).

Tags: absolut brooklyn, absolut vodka, flavored vodka, spike lee, vodka

Ketel One Debuts Oranje

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Ketel One, the Dutch distillery and premium vodka market contender, has expanded its portfolio with Oranje, a new orange-infused vodka.

Arriving at Manhattan's M Studio for the release, it was clear that Ketel One was looking to lure consumers back to into the vodka fold, the erstwhile drink of choice that quickly became the Merlot, post-Sideways, of the spirits world. A specialty ice carving station had been set up for the showcased cocktails, along with an aroma profile booth and lots and lots of decorative citrus accents, including several precariously stacked orange fruit sculptures. The branding was clear, but how was the spirit?

If you're like me, your nose retreats and your palate recoils a bit at the phrase "flavored vodka." Everyone who remembers vodka's heyday probably still can't get the syrupy, cloying sweetness of those bottles out of their mouths. Let's face it: most taste like they were infused with a Jolly Rancher.

It's refreshing to report that this is not the case with Oranje. Ketel One, an 11th generation family business, took their time with this release, 10 years in fact, as told to me by distiller Carl Nolet Jr. Sourcing Mandarin oranges from Italy and Valencia oranges from Florida and Brazil, the resulting extracts are then shipped to the perfume capital of the world, Grasse, France. There they are refined and blended, finally arriving at the Notel Distillery in Schiedam, Holland. The oils are then infused into the spirit over several days.

On the nose, Oranje produces pleasant citrus and wildflower notes, along with a slight undercurrent of essential oil. The palate is a pleasantly refreshing orange, bright and fruity with the right balance of sweetness and no bitter or burnt finish. This is truly a vodka that can be sipped, as I did initially, although the Oranje Dutch Greyhound and Fizz made for good summer drink fodder.

Who knows, when vodka makes its inevitable return into the cocktail world's good graces, we might actually be asking for flavored.

Price: $25 for 750ml.

Tags: flavored vodka, ketel one oranje, KetelOne, oranges, premium vodka, spirits, vodka

Tasting Ciroc Vodka's New Flavors

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

New Coconut and Berry flavors from French vodka maker Ciroc are finally making it into circulation after months of chatter and small sampling. I'm not a huge fan of flavored vodkas with the exception of Ketel One Citroen. And I looked at the Coconut Ciroc with great trepidation and wariness as most coconut flavored liquor I have sampled in the past reminded me more of certain cab drivers' hair products than a whiff of the Caribbean.

All my doubts in place, though, the Coconut Ciroc surprised my senses. It helps that the distillers started out with Ciroc--made from grapes rather than wheat, potatoes or the other usual source material for vodka. Ciroc is one of my favorites to begin with, slightly oilier than many other vodkas and not as hot on the tongue. The Coconut is gentle, and makes for a very nice base for some Caribbean inspired cocktails. I tried one suggested by Ciroc combining Ciroc Coconut with 5 oz. of pineapple juice, a quarter oz. of fresh lime juice, soda water and rocks, garnished with a lime wedge. Nice.

I admit to preferring the Berry on ice after being stored in the freezer. It was also good straight up coming out of the freezer. I was not wild about the Ciroc suggested cocktail that combined the new flavor with Sprite, sour mix, grenadine and a lime wedge over ice.

Flavored vodkas keep proliferating chiefly because of women, especially women 21-39. The marketing phenomenon has made flavored vodkas one of the fastest growing niches in the spirits business. Of course, it also It also helps to get more shelf facings at liquor stores.

Prices: Around $36 per 750 ml bottle.

Tags: berry vodka, ciroc, ciroc berry, ciroc coconut, ciroc vodka, coconut vodka, Flavored Vodka, liquor

Eco-Friendly Vodka Launches Cola and Chocolate Flavors

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Just when I think that there are no more flavors that can be done for vodka a new one comes along. We've covered eco-friendly vodka brand 360 Vodka before but now the brand has branched into flavors, launching cola and double chocolate flavors. The new vodkas are 70 proof and the bottles have the same look as the original with 85 percent recycled glass and a unique closure. Both vodkas use natural flavorings. The cola vodka is dark with caramel color while the double chocolate is clear. Drinkhacker recently took a spin with both flavors and ranked them as B+. The bottles sell for $20 each so it's worth a try if you are curious.

Tags: 360 vodka, chocolate vodka, cola vodka, flavored vodka

SKYY Infusions Introduces All Natural Ginger

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

SKYY Vodka, the super-premium purity-minded spirit in the distinctive cobalt blue bottle, has introduced the first nationally available all natural ginger infused vodka as part of the Infusions line we wrote about earlier. Thanks to its signature infusion process, fresh spiced and juiced ginger flavors abound, along with notes of roasted oranges and cinnamon and intricate aromas. It joins the entire line of All Natural SKYY Infusions: Citrus, Pineapple, Cherry, Grape, Raspberry and Passion Fruit. an assortment of all natural infusions made from real fruit that has been ranked #1 in taste by the prestigious Beverage Tasting Institute. Below are some cocktail recipes featuring the new elixir created by some of the country's leading mixologists:

Fruit and Gingerly
Created by Adam Wilson of Beretta San Francisco

2 oz. SKYY Infusions Ginger
0.5 oz. Orange Juice
0.5 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
0.5 oz. Lime Juice
1.5 Tbsp Fresh Cranberries
3 Chunks Pineapple
Club Soda

Muddle cranberries and pineapple in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and rest of ingredients except soda and shake vigorously. Pour into a Collins glass with fresh ice and top with soda. Garnish with chunk of pineapple and/or three cranberries on a toothpick laid horizontally over rim of the glass.

Tags: cocktails, flavored vodka, FlavoredVodka, ginger, infused vodka, InfusedVodka, SKYY, SKYY vodka, SkyyVodka, vodka

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Vincent Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Vincent Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka. Delish.

Vincent Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka. It's sort of like some people sat around and thought "How can we make Vodka as non-Russian as possible?"

Don't be too quick to judge, though. It might sound like it shouldn't work, but one whiff of this stuff will have you hooked. We poured a little over ice and swirled, and the scent was divine -- and somewhat dangerous, as it certainly doesn't smell 70 proof!

This new vodka, which is imported from Holland, is the first one we've ever tasted which would make a perfect after-dinner drink. You don't need to add a thing. And you will sleep like a baby.

Since fall is rolling in, though, consider this for an alternative ingredient to your usual spiced rum, Irish coffee, or boozy-hot chocolate recipes. We also recommend pouring it over ice cream -- pure heaven. The makers suggest using it for Caramel Lattes (genius) and mixing it with ginger ale and a squeeze of lime juice (sounds crazy, tastes awesome).

The suggested retail price for a bottle is $27.00 for 750 ml. If you can't find it at your local liquor store, tell them you want it -- but for now you can get it here for just under $30.00.

Tags: after dinner drinks, AfterDinnerDrinks, caramel vodka, CaramelVodka, flavored vodka, holland, van gogh vodka, VanGoghVodka, vodka

Grey Goose Vodka's Flavors of Summer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Grey Goose, the super-premium vodka blended and bottled in the celebrated Cognac region of Western France, has created some succulent summer cocktails starring its classic spirit (above left) and fresh, evocative flavors: Grey Goose La Poire (center left), L'Orange (center right) and Le Citron (right). While each is excellent served on the rocks with a slice of the fruit used to make it, these artful concoctions are designed to be enjoyed poolside or at summer gatherings. Read on for recipes:

Le Citron Caipiroska

1 1/4 parts Grey Goose Le Citron
1 lime cut into eighths
1 part simple syrup or 1 tsp sugar
club soda or water

In a glass shaker, combine the lime and simple syrup and muddle well. Add the vodka and fill with ice. Shake well. Pour ice and all ingredients into a rocks glass. Top off with more ice if necessary and a splash of club soda or water. Garnish with lime wedge.

Grey Goose Heather 81

2 parts Grey Goose Vodka
3/4 parts honey
1/2 part hot water
6 mint leaves, plus more mint leaves for garnish
1/2 part Drambuie

In a cocktail shaker combine honey, hot water and 6 mint leaves and muddle well. Add ice, vodka and Drambuie. Shake well and strain into rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with mint leaves and piece of honeycomb.

Tags: cocktails, flavored vodka, FlavoredVodka, France, Grey Goose, GreyGoose, summer cocktails, SummerCocktails, vodka

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SKYY Vodka Introduces Infusions Line

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

SKYY Vodka, the super-premium purity-minded spirit in the distinctive cobalt blue bottle, has introduced a new line of all-natural infused flavors in time for summer drink-making. SKYY, which is made from American grain and 100% pure filtered water, developed proprietary four-column distillation and a three-step filtration process to remove any impurities from its spirit. The five new flavors are Citrus, Cherry, Passion Fruit, Grape and Raspberry. See the gallery for some fun cocktail recipes made with these tempting new offerings.

Gallery: SKYY Infusions Cocktails

Tags: Cocktails, Flavored vodka, FlavoredVodka, Skyy Vodka, SkyyVodka, Summer cocktails, SummerCocktails, Vodka

Absolut New Orleans

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

At the Tales of the Cocktail festival this week in New Orleans a new version of Absolut vodka is being launched. The festival is an annual event celebrating the art of mixology. For the first time, the Swedish vodka company is naming a flavor for a city. Absolut New Orleans is mango-flavored with a black pepper kick. The flavor is meant to capture the unique spirit of the city. The vodka will be a limited run of 35,000 cases and will sell for $19. The best part of the new is that the vodka is expected to raise $2 million for five Gulf Coast charities. Future city vodkas with a similar charitable aspect are planned for the future.

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Tags: absolut, expire-images:2008-7-17, flavored vodka, new orleans, tales of the cocktail, vodka

Modern Spirits Sipping Vodkas

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

To help answer Deidre's question about not-yet-tried vodka flavors, Modern Spirits makes flavored "sipping vodkas" that are designed to win over even those who are not fans of straight spirits. Their products come in eight flavors, which include Black Truffle, Candied Ginger, Celery Peppercorn, Chocolate Orange and Tea. Celery Peppercorn is described as "the ultimate power drink," while the Black Truffle has scents of port, rich soil, pineapple and chocolate.

The vodkas are available online, as well as in select bars and restaurants in Southern California and Las Vegas. Available in both 375mL and 750mL, most bottles are priced at $24.99 for the smaller bottles and $37.99 for the larger, though the Black Truffle vodka retails at $29.99 and $49.99.

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Tags: black truffle, bottles, california, candied ginger, celery peppercorn, chocolate orange, exotic, flavored vodka, las vegas, modern spirits, sipping vodka, southern california, specialty drinks, spirits, tea, vodka

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