"spirit" news and stories

It's pink, it sparkles, and it comes in a fancy bottle. It's Nuvo!

Nuvo is the world's first sparkling liqueur, made with vodka and French sparkling wine. None of that, in theory, would make it pink. But, it's pink. Magic! (additives!)

It is definitely best enjoyed very cold, and is meant to be served in champagne flutes over ice.

The flavor and aroma are delicate; you can definitely taste the wines used (very fruity). There is a strength to it, though. The best way I can find to describe it is to say it tastes like sparkling white zinfandel with a ridiculously high alcohol content...and frankly, it's not bad!

Nuvo, in it's signature bottle, makes a great gift and looks chic when served at parties. Its classy pink color makes it feel just a little bit more special than champagne or any of your usual liqueurs. Add more vodka to it to make a sparkling pink cosmopolitan! We approve.

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Redcliff American Liqueur was intended to be the "signature liqueur" of America, the US answer to Irish Baileys, Italian Amaretto, and German's Jagermeister. It is cola flavored, with a "combination of 15 secret ingredients" that include "cinnamon, lime, eight-year-old Virgin Islands rum, vermouth, vodka, bourbon bean vanilla, anise and hazelnut."

The former Seagram executive, Frank Arcella, came up with the idea and chose cola as a flavor that was representative of the US. The spirit can be taken in shots or sipped over ice, as well as used cocktails and mixed drinks, including martinis and (of course) rum and coke.

If you're wondering why you haven't heard of Redcliff, it's because it isn't very popular. New liqueurs have traditionally been slow to catch on in the US, but this one doesn't sound that good, so it's not surprising that it hasn't been a hit with consumers yet. The biggest problem is that it is reported to have a strong "lingering aftertaste" that can't be hidden with other mixers and really puts people off.

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I'll blame it on the time of the year, but the first thing that I thought when I heard about the garlic-flavored vodka from Russian distillery Vodochnaya Artel "YAT" was that it must be designed to keep vampires away. Why else would you want to drink it? As it turns out, the garlic vodka is part of a new line of strongly flavored "bitter nastoykas" from the company, which has also released a horseradish-flavored vodka.

The spirits are supposed to be served with food, enhancing the flavor of the dishes. The horseradish "fits in well with meat dishes, for instance jellied tongue or herring seasoned with spring onions" and the garlic, which actually contains natural garlic, "will warm you and keep you off cold."

If these two flavors aren't exactly appealing to you, and you don't have any vampires that you want to ward off using the garlic vodka, the company also makes honey and cornbread flavored vodkas that sound like they would be more appealing to a general audience.

[via Bottle Watch]

Hendrix Electric Vodka is named after - you guessed it - Jimi Hendrix. The super-premium grain vodka that is handmade in Idaho using a blend of corn and rye, then filtered through carbon and crystal to create a clean, pure flavor. All are packaged in elegant, angular bottles and it has been spotted at many star-studded events, impressive for a drink that was released only this year. Pomegranate and Habenero Pepper flavored vodkas will be making their debut this fall.

In addition to the flavored vodkas, the company released a limited edition run of 5,000 purple bottles, signed by drummer Buddy Miles, which is sure to become a collectors' item among Hendrix fans.

Hendrix Electric Tequila and Rum are next in the product line, though there is no release date for either as yet.

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At Luxist, Deidre mentioned that there is a vodka with a purpose beyond mere intoxication. Snow Leopard Vodka is an ultra-premium Polish vodka made with spelt grain that promises to be the "best vodka on the market," with a round, smooth taste. It is being sold to benefit the Snow Leopard Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to the protection of the endangered felines. A full 15% of the profits will be donated to the trust and the company hopes to be able to donate more than £543,000 ($1 million) each year. The vodka will be available at Harvey Nichols wine shops in the UK this month, where it will sell for £36. There will also be at least eight upscale restaurants and nightclubs that will be selling the vodka and specialty cocktails that feature it, so customers can drink with a conscience.

 

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