Drink: Absolut Vanilla
On May 27, 2003, Absolut, the oh-so-trendy flavoured vodka maker announced the North American launch of its newest product ‘Absolut Vanilla’ and yours truly was at the official Canadian launch party, representing R4NT to sample the new wares. After the ground breaking smash Coca-Cola has on its hand with Vanilla Coke this new design on an old product was just a matter of time.
Absolut carries on with the theory of ‘designer vodka’ to help mixologists come up with new and creative spins on the vodka martini and other trend setting drinks. This is the fifth flavoured vodka creation by the people at Absolut. The first was Absolut Peppar released way back in 1986, followed by Absolut Citron in ’88, Absolut Kurant in 1992 and Absolut Mandrin in 1999.
I sampled a couple of choice concoctions at the launch party. One with cranberry juice, vermouth, and of course vanilla vodka and another with orange juice subbed in for the cranberry juice. They were served in a lightly frosted martini glass and by blonde beauties sporting ‘Absolut’ airbrush tattoos. I was even offered a tattoo by the ‘airbrush girl’ who assured me it would only last five to seven days, the idea of which caused me to politely decline. The martinis were exceptionally smooth and for the amount of alcohol it contained there was almost no aftertaste. They definitely didn’t skimp on the booze and this is obviously the point behind the new drink – a panty remover so to speak. Alcoholic drinks get ‘fruitier’ (take that anyway you want it) in order to appeal to a previously ignored section of the drinking populace; namely women, who were generally, an untapped demographic.
I know a woman who loves vanilla, she loves her alcohol to taste like candy and I’m very sure she isn’t alone. In fact I read in their press articles that one of the hit combinations was the ‘latte mocha martini’ which has dots of chocolate syrup lining the glass and these dots eventually melt into a pool of Absolut Vanilla.
The description from the press release reads like a Starbucks ad: “It has taken one whole year of careful blending to develop the taste we wanted to offer our consumers. ABSOLUT VANILIA has a rich, robust and complex taste of vanilla with notes of butterscotch and hints of dark chocolate”. Sub in coffee for vanilla and voila Starbucks ad.
Now other than those types of drinks what would you use it for you ask? While I wouldn’t recommend putting it into a caesar, I would like to pass on some of the helpful drink ideas given at the launch. Put some in a cola drink to savour the smooth vanilla taste (see what I said about Vanilla Coke?) or try Absolut Vanilla with ginger ale and limejuice for a refreshing drink on a hot day.
It was good; I have to say I enjoyed the drinks I tried. A question in my mind however, is if I would drink enough Vanilla vodka to buy a big bottle. While it’s a niche market, this a product every young mixologist with dreams of a trendy martini bar in their basement should have. You’ll definitely have the ladies asking for it at your next big party.
- Drink: Absolut Vanilla
- by MaxPower
- Published on June 1st, 2003
- Rating:
- 8 out of 10 Martini Glasses
- Website:
- www.absolut.com
- Drink:
- Absolut Vanilla
- Specs:
- Vanilla Flavoured 'designer' Vodka
More from MaxPower:
-
Air Canada Sucks
…the plane was a A340, however, it must have been stripped by a gang when it landed in NYC or LAX, because not only was the plane absent of any technological advantages…
-
Any Black Sheep in the Family?
You are not caught on camera and there are no witnesses. You may have left fingerprints, but you aren’t worried.
-
Microsoft Digital Image Suite 10
Most consumers, myself included, spend all the money on the camera and give little or no thought to the processing required afterwards.
-
Air Miles Expose
Do you collect Air Miles? The Miles with the little blue card that you get (on average) 1 mile for every $20 you spend at a participating retailer?
-
Product Labelling: An Exercise in Corporate Obfuscation
…the same people who drink Evian water because that’s good for you, and also enjoy the many health benefits of smoking…
-
The Evolution of TV
Get people who want to be on TV (for free), buy them plane tickets and give them a hundred American dollars and you have it..
Other recent features:
-
Sónar 2010 – Barcelona, Spain
The festival attracts a lot of outsiders, but the Mediterranean, Spanish and more specifically Catalan nature of the people makes the festival what it is. Catalan people are passionate and this passion is infectious. The atmosphere is electric in Barcelona as a city and heightened by music and intoxicants at Sónar.
-
Summer Party Naval Styles at Seven RestoLounge
Oysters, like wine are affected by terroir and these Miyagi’s flavor profiles ranged with one showing a cleaner, almost tropical profile and the other being more salty, marine driven. As I was devouring the seemingly endless plates put in front of us, I sipped on a glass of fine sauvignon blanc.
-
R4NT Radio March 2010
R4NT Radio March 2010 um wow it’s been far too long since the last edition edition, featuring: Hector Hernandez, The Infesticons, Blockhead, Gramatik, Emika, Thunderheist, Parov Stelar, Eddy Meets Yannah, Anti-Pop Consortium, The Slew, Lighterthief, Andreya Triana, Parasyte Woman, Mathon, Venetian Snares, and Funki Porcini.
-
O Restaurant & Lounge revisited
Calgary has a diverse set of urban communities, most of which have the ubiquitous strip mall watering hole. In the South West community of Marda Loop, a reinvention of this paradigm has been established.
-
Predictions 2010.. and beyond!
So 2010 eh? Almost but not quite (no year zero they say) another decade? It seems like just yesterday that the world was waiting for Y2K. R4NT started publishing in March 2001, so we’re not quite 10 years old yet, but in internet years we are already a senior citizen.
-
Invictus
No matter what, the reality of Nelson Mandela is something that deserves screen time. Should this film even remotely intrigue the masses to take interest in this figure, the world would likely benefit greatly from it.