Taking Stock of Supply and Demand

The Vodka category grows larger all the time. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, “Vodka dominates the spirits industry, accounting for nearly 27 percent of all volumes.”  
    For the consumer as well as for owners and operators, this is good news in that they both are constantly being presented with new choices and alternatives to the status quo, most particularly at the high-end where customer satisfaction and price point meet in mutual harmony. But try telling this to a bar manager constantly being bombarded with brand marketing pitches that all too often end up as unsold inventory taking up space behind the bar.
    Here’s the latest sampling, offering a snapshot of both new and established brands.

Absolut Vodka –– By any measure, this Swedish import gets a ‘buy’ based on solid sales success going back more than two decades in the American on-premise market. By 1985, Absolut had become the leading U.S. import, and today it is ranked among the top 10 international premium vodka spirits.

Boru Vodka –– This Irish premium imported vodka from Castle Brands, inspired by Brian Boru, legendary high king of Ireland, now boasts new and eye-appealing packaging as well as an upgrade to the spirit inside the bottle itself. Made from grain and pure Irish spring water, Boru’s distillation process has been increased from four to five times, affording it an even crisper finish, and the proprietary new bottle, designed by leading package design firm Claessens International, bears a more contemporary Boru Vodka logo, as well as a striking sword and shield icon.  The new design also incorporates deep vertical cuts representing swords and has a black shield debossed in the bottom third of the bottle which states the brand’s attributes.

Frïs Vodka –– This premium import, which takes its name from the Danish words for frost and ice, is seeing its second reincarnation of success in bars and clubs, as a contingent of loyal bartenders introduce it to a whole new generation of vodka drinkers.
    Produced from all-natural whole grain and pure spring water, it is distilled six times and goes through a 3-step filtration resulting in a vodka that is exceptionally clean and easy on the palate. Mixologists and bartenders who like to differentiate their venue’s vodka cocktails from those at other bars and clubs with infusions swear by Frïs.

Imperia Vodka –– This high-end import is said to be the No. 1 luxury vodka in Russia, the nation that invented the spirit and gave it to the world, starting back in the 13th century. Now, this relatively recent U.S. import is seeking to win over the drink palates of Americans as well. Already, it has some key critics in its corner as well, including The Spirit Journal, which called Imperia “a well-crafted, medium-bodied unflavored vodka of presence, elegance and refinement.”

Pearl Vodka –– Originally introduced in 1999, and now re-launched under the ownership of St. Louis-based Luxco, this northern import, distilled and bottled at Highwood Distillers, Alberta, Canada, is being positioned as a super-premium import sure to get noticed in the retail channel.
    Pearl’s master distillers employ hand-selected soft winter wheat from the high plains of Western Canada and crystal clean water from the Northern Canadian Rockies, and craft it in micro-batches, before distilling five times to ensure the ultimate in smoothness and taste. Recently, Pearl Vodka won the Gold Medal in the vodka category at the 2007 World Beverage Competition.
 
p.i.n.k. — Launched in May of 2006 as his premiere venture into the spirits industry by New York City entrepreneur David Mandell, p.i.n.k. vodka is the world’s first 80 proof, ultra-premium Dutch import infused with caffeine and guarana, with no added flavor, sugar, color or carbs, to fill what its investors and owners see as a void in the spirits industry.
    With p.i.n.k, young and trendy vodka consumers will no longer have to mix highly flavored energy drinks with vodka to experience the benefits of caffeine and guarana with their alcohol. To Mandell, the advantages of p.i.n.k. to owners and operators is obvious.
“When you make a cocktail with p.i.n.k, with the energy in the alcohol, you give the bar and restaurant the ability to make a drink that does not put customers to sleep.”

SILK Vodka — According to Impact magazine, Soyuz Victan is the third largest vodka producer in the world. And that’s not suprising; the company knows how to make and market a fine vodka.
In the 2006 International Review of Spirits tasting competition conducted by the Beverage Tasting Institute, SV Silk Vodka received a rating of 92, “Exceptional” and a Gold Medal.

Skyy Vodka — Since its introduction in the 1990s, Skyy Vodka has become a favorite with consumers for its distinctive cobalt blue bottle, its innovative and highly individualistic promotional style, as well as the purity of the vodka itself. 
Its success is substantiated by statistics and critical acclaim alike for its premium base spirit, its Skyy line of flavors and its latest Skyy90 sup-premium launch. Skyy Vodka has experienced double digit volume growth for each of the past 13 years.

Stolichnaya –– With a star lineup of flavors that are heavily favored by bartenders and mixologists and the continuing strong performance of its Stoli 80-proof base spirit, this Russian import still is seeing heavy demand in bars, clubs, lounges and resorts. Its Pernod Ricard owners attribute its success to the brand’s quality, authenticity and heritage.
    Stoli’s ultra luxury entry — Stoli elit — recently received a 97 point, “Highly Recommended” rating from The Beverage Testing Institute, the highest rating ever given to a vodka brand.

360 Vodka –– This new and Earth-friendly launch from the company that brought the world the highly successful McCormick vodka brand is being billed as a super premium brand designed to compete with the world’s finest vodkas as the world’s first eco-friendly premium spirit. 
    According to its new Earth Friendly Distilling Co. division, the introduction and rollout of 360 Vodka, which is currently underway, establishes a new paradigm in the distilled spirits industry, built around a complete philosophy and commitment to eco-awareness throughout the product development and packaging process.
The distillation of 360 Vodka uses only the finest American grain to achieve its distinctive quality and ensure a silky smooth finish.  Using a unique, state-of-the-art production process 360 Vodka is distilled four times using the column distillation process and then filtered five times using a proprietary filter system that removes virtually all impurities.
    Of course, these brands are just the tip of the iceberg. Taste on your own, offer samples to patrons and find out what really pleases taste buds.     NCB