Vodka's Conviction
Three Top Spirit Experts Go Heavy on the Vodka Category
By Jenny Adams

   As the in-demand escort of most mixers on the market, vodka is complementary across the board. To be sure, however, the trends in vodka make the category somewhat of a paradox. Most large things in nature are slower to move –– less apt for rapid evolution. Not vodka. The category’s intense size has been fueled by innovation after innovation, making it a hard act to follow and an almost impossible one to catch. But what lies on the horizon?

Current Observations
   When asked for his opinion on vodka’s dominance, one of America’s top mixologists sees foreign profits in a familiar land.
   “With the huge influence of Latin America showing up like crazy, there is no reason to think that our drinking culture shouldn’t be influenced as well,” Tony Abou-Ganim, the founder of The Modern Mixologist, says. “Rum has the Mojito, Cachaça has the Caipirinha, and vodka has the Caipiroska. This simple drink of muddled fresh lime, raw sugar and vodka lends itself wonderfully to a variety of fresh fruit variations. Muddle the drink with the addition of fresh red grapes and you have a Caipiruva. Fresh pineapple, bing cherries, tangerines, Kumquats and blood oranges –– to name but a few –– all make for great fresh fruit variations on the classic Caipiroska,” he says. “Take a look at the plethora of flavored vodkas that are available to us, couple this with fresh, seasonal fruits, and mixologists today are only limited by their creativity and understanding of combining flavors.” 
   Robert Plotkin, president of Bar Media, concurs that vodka’s appeal stems from an international segment. He looks forward, though, to the continued international invasion of the actual product.
   “The category is still vibrant and healthy,” he says. “More than 25 percent of all spirits sold in the United States are vodka. Enthusiasts and aficionados are still being treated to new and unusual brands from which to choose. There are vodkas from New Zealand, France, Russia, Iceland, and Siberia. New styles are also drawing attentions, innovative spirits such as Wyborowa Single Estate Vodka, Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka, Roth California Grape Vodka, Blue Ice Idaho Potato Vodka and Shaker’s Rose Vodka,” he says. “Factor in the burgeoning flavor segment of the category, and things still look bullish.”

The Good Effects
   What does this trend herald? It means for every operator in concept on-premise, there is a vodka to build around. From marketing to promotions, there is a logo, a taste, a unique style in the form of vodka out there  which, if implemented correctly, will make your bar stand out.
   “There are just a lot of boutique brands coming out,” Master Mixologist Dale DeGroff says. “Flavors are tools for bartenders. You really need to marry those flavors with fresh fruits.”
   Abou-Ganim agrees, adding that there are almost limitless benefits to the various idiosyncrasies that the vodka category now provides.
   “Your establishment benefits by becoming a destination for a great cocktail,” he says. “Much like being known for great food, featuring one or more of these fresh, creative drinks, such as a delicious Caipiroska, is a great way to differentiate your joint from everyone else. It is also a great way for the bar and kitchen to work together sharing fresh seasonal fruits.”


Evolution Ahead?
   There is, however, a trough in every peak. Just as a smart business owner watches the stock market, the fluctuation on the back bar deserves more than occasional scrutiny. To be successful you have to think ahead and look to predictions. Plotkin offers a realistic look at the downside.
   “The expansion means more new brands from which consumers have to select,” he says. “While years ago this would have been heralded as a positive, now it is a liability for the category. The surging supply and virtual torrent of new vodka brands has reached the point of being overwhelming for consumers, retailers, operators and journalists vainly attempting to keep up.
   “Realize that one day, perhaps not so far off in the future, consumers are going to shift their allegiance away from vodka and into another spirit of choice,” Plotkin says. “I doubt anyone tracks how many new labels of vodka are launched each week, but even the casual observer would attest that the rate at which new brands are released into the market is staggering. Who can keep up? Unfortunately, the odds are there are some excellent new products being dismissed along with the throng. Bad timing, I’m afraid.”
   But, then again, if the desire and work ethic are there, vodka becomes an engrossing challenge.
   DeGroff’s advice is to take your time and choose well. “Taste your way through all the new additions,” he says, “and don’t be so quick to jump on the band wagon.”

Jimmy’s Lounge in Hollywood, Calif., offers this drink called Doctor’s Orders during its Hangover House Sundays promotion, with a cocktail-filled syringe and a glass into which to squirt it.