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BEVERAGE INDUSTRY NEWS
S E R V I N G C A L I F O R N I A’ S B E E R / W I N E / S P I R I T S I N D U S T R Y S I N C E 1 9 3 4

CANADIAN CLUB
Unapologetically and fashionably old school,
yet very much on the cutting edge of mixology
trends and consumer tastes.

HIRAM WALKER LIQUEURS • MOSCATO D’ASTI WINE SHOWCASE • NEW PRODUCTS • INDUSTRY NEWS • MARKETING INFO
 40

20

Inside 14

BIN
2 INDUSTRY INSIGHT
By Alan Forester, CPA, Attorney
28 INDUSTRY EVENT
THE 5TH ANNUAL DIAGEO
GOLDEN BAR AWARDS
6 INDUSTRY NEWS
30 PRODUCT PROFILE
10 NEW PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS MIGHTYPINE SHELVING

12 WHAT’S BREWING 32 MOSCATO d'ASTI BUYERS GUIDE

14 BRAND PROFILE 40 CATEGORY FEATURE

32 HIRAM WALKER LIQUEURS VODKA: STILL THE CLEAR CHOICE

18 POUR OF THE MONTH 32 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA

FINEST CALL MIXERS BUYERS GUIDE
Petar’s Restaurant
A Lafayette Landmark

20 COVER FEATURE
NORTHERN (DOUBLE) EXPOSURE
Canadian Club was your father’s
drink…but there’s more to the
story than that!

28
INDUSTRY INSIGHT BIN
Beverage Industry News
BY ALAN FORESTER, CPA, ATTORNEY VOLUME 92, ISSUE NUMBER 27
WWW.ABCLAWYER.COM 1-877-LIQUOR-8 FOUNDED IN 1934
www.binonline.net

ORGANIZING YOUR BUSINESS: COMMON BUSINESS ENTITIES Southern California

Business, Production and Editorial Office
There are a variety of ways to organize your business in order to limit your liability. This 160 W. Foothill Parkway, Suite 105-95
Corona, CA 92882
article will briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of five common business 951 272-4681 Fax 951 272-4816
entities: C Corporations (C-corps), S Corporations (S-corps), limited liability compa-
nies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and general partnerships. These entities all provide PRESIDENT
limited liability, but the extent to which liability is limited varies depending on whether Michael Chu
E-Mail: beverageindustrynews@gmail.com
one is an officer, member, director, or shareholder of the company and the way corpo-
rate formalities are observed. EXECUTIVE EDITOR
However, though the shield of limited liability is attractive, just because a compa- Kim Brandi
626 377-2510
ny has been incorporated does not mean that the shield is always impenetrable. A E-Mail: beverageindustrynews@mac.com
doctrine called “piercing the corporate veil” allows for the plaintiff, someone suing the
corporation, to personally hold a shareholder or director liable for the debts or liabili- CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
ties of a corporation. Depending on which state has jurisdiction over the corporation, Juan Alverez
there are different factors that courts will look at to determine whether piercing the veil Kristen Wolfe Bieler
is warranted. Generally, the plaintiff must prove that the corporation was a mere alter- Dale DeGroff
ego (i.e. using the corporation as a façade) and did not observe corporate formalities, Jeffery Lindenmuth
that funds were commingled, that corporate books are absent or kept in an inaccurate Ed McCarthy
manner, and that minutes of meetings held were not kept. Gregg Glaser
One factor in deciding which business entity to organize as is the tax treatment of Wilfred Wong
the entity. Since the tax treatments for each of the entities differs, it is important to EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
evaluate the advantages and disadvantages relative to your own situation. Victoria Vann
951-272-4681
E-Mail: binvvann@gmail.com
CORPORATIONS
Corporations are separate legal entities and can do many things that a natural person ADVERTISING
John Muldoon
can do—enter a contract, own property, and incur debt. Thus, an owner of a corpo- 951-272-4681
ration can generally avoid having personal liability for the corporation’s debts or law-
suits filed against the corporation. A shareholder-employee of a corporation, unlike a Northern California Office
partner, does not have to pay self-employment tax, but will have to pay income tax on Industry Publications Inc.
dividends or distributions. 171 Mayhew Way, Suite 202
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925 932-4999 Fax 925 932-4966
C CORPORATIONS:
PUBLISHER
A traditional C-corp leaves its owners with little or no personal liability. The main differ-
David L. Page
ence between a C-corp and an S-corp are that C-corps are subject to double-taxation, E-Mail: dlpage@earthlink.net
once at the corporate level (taxing corporate profits) and again at the personal level
(taxing income of shareholders). Therefore, dividends paid to shareholders are essen- EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Elyse Glickman
tially taxed twice. In the C-corp structure, shareholders have no direct control over the 310 497-7157
company’s actions. However, a group of shareholders can bring a lawsuit to control E-Mail: 4elyse@earthlink.net
the corporation or change its directors or officers by a derivative lawsuit. A C-corp can CIRCULATION / PRICE EDITOR
easily set up a reserve and defer reporting its profits until the corporation actually uses Manfred Schaffler
the reserve for the purpose the money was set aside for. Also, closely held corpora-
tion owners have more tools at their disposal to save for their own retirement. ACCOUNTING
Industry Publications
Debi Hull
S CORPORATIONS:
An S-corp also benefits from the shield of limited liability. This organization is not sub- BIN Beverage Industry News USPS 053-880,
ISSN 1054-0423. Is published monthly by Industry Publications,
ject to corporate taxes rates, and is taxed only once, at the personal level, and pays
Inc., except combined in May/June and December/January.
an annual fee of $800 to the Franchise Tax Board. The company issues a K-1, a form
used to report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) each owner's share of income and 171 Mayhew Way, Suite 202, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.
certain expense items. Like the C-corp, an S-corp’s shareholders have no control.
The corporation does not pay employment tax for an owner’s income that flows Subscriptions are $48 per year (tax included),
single copies are $12.00 each. Periodicals postage paid at
through to the shareholder, though it would pay employment tax for a regular employ-
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ee (non-owner). To opt into an S-corp status, the company must conform to certain
requirements and must notify the IRS of their decision within a certain period of time. POSTMASTER:
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only one class of stock. Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

2 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT continued
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES:
An LLC allows owners to have less limited liability. All members of the LLC have
control. Like a partnership, it also issues a K-1, making it a pass-through organ-
ization, and therefore is taxed only once at the individual level. Additionally,
owners of an LLC are responsible for paying a self-employment tax.
PARTNERSHIPS:
Partnerships, as organizations, do not pay taxes; instead, income and certain
expenses are “passed through” to the owners, who must report and pay tax on
the income. A partnership must issue a K-1 for the partners. In this pass-
through system of taxation, partnerships are taxed once at the individual level.
Partnerships are also liable for self-employment tax, which has to be paid by
each partner.
LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS:
A limited partnership has some partners, called “limited partners,” who have
less of interest and liability in the company and thus are not allowed to partici-
pate in the management of the company. In a limited partnership, there must
be at least one general partner, who does not get the benefit of limited liability
but makes all management and investment decisions. This structure is popular
in the entertainment and professional fields. For example, group of profession-
als, such as accountants or lawyers, or a theatre group of actors or actresses.
Labor service organizations are often organized as limited partnerships.
A common type of limited partnership is the Family Limited Partnership
(FLP), which is controlled by members of a family. Again, the partnership itself
does not get taxed and instead, the income and expenses are passed-through
to the owners of the partnership, in proportion to their interests. In an FLP, the
senior family members contribute assets in exchange for a small general part-
ner interest, to be held by the senior partners for their lifetime, and a large lim-
ited partner interest. Then, they can give portions of the limited partner interest
to their children, their grandchildren, etc.
The FLP structure allows the family to protect the assets from claims of
future creditors and ex-spouses. Creditors cannot force cash distributions,
vote, or own the interest of a limited partner without the approval of all general
partners. If spouses divorce and a limited partner ceases to be a family mem-
ber, the partnership documents can require that the asset be kept within the
family structure. The FLP cannot be dissolved unless agreed to by the general
partners, and plaintiffs filing suit against the FLP can only obtain a “charge”
against the partnership, which is a disincentive to many potential plaintiffs.
GENERAL PARTNERSHIPS:
A general partnership has two or more partners running the business, carrying
equal weight in responsibilities and liabilities. Movie production companies
often organize as general partnerships. There is no limited liability for the part-
ners; however, there is somewhat of a limit to the liability though the existence
of the other partners, by spreading risk and liability amongst the partners.
Alan Forester is an attorney, CPA and an expert witness in Alcoholic Beverage
Control Law. For more information, please visit www.ABClawyer.com or call
877-LIQUOR-8 (877-547-8678). 
Disclaimer: This article is not to be construed as legal advice. Please check
with an attorney before taking action.
4 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
INDUSTRY NEWS
GLENLIVET – THE GATHERING
Glenlivet – The Gathering is an annual wel-
coming of Glenlivet enthusiasts to reward
consumers with exclusive tastings, product
knowledge and brand culture first-hand.
Guests in kilts and sashes at The Glenlivet distillery
for an evening tour of the grounds followed by tra-
ditional Scottish fare and ceilidh (dancing).
AGUIRRE IMPORTS
SPONSORS CARSON
PALMER OPEN
Aguirre Imports recently sponsored the 5th
Annual Carson Palmer Open. This year's
event was a huge success with over 150
golfers and athletes participating – raising
over $80,000 for Hillview Acres Children's
Home. For more information please contact
Ernesto Aguirre at ernestoiv@aguirretequi-
laimports.com
Pictured on Left: Ernesto Aquirre of Aguirre Imports
at the 5th Annual Carson Palmer Open.
CABO WABO TEQUILA
TASTING WITH
SAMMY HAGAR
Cabo Wabo Tequila hosted an intimate
tequila tasting and reception at La Esquina in
NYC with Sammy Hagar and Julio Bermejo
on July 23rd. Sammy Hagar is not only a
rock n’ roll legend, but is a Tequila aficiona-
do which led him to create Cabo Wabo
Tequila, one of the world’s finest tequilas.
Sammy’s great pal Julio Bermejo has helped
along the way as he is one of the top tequi-
la experts in the world, and the chief ambas-
6 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E
sador of tequila in the U.S. Julio is very well
known for Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in
San Francisco, owned and operated by the
Bermejo family since 1965.
Pictured L-R: Julio Bermejo and Sammy Hagar
hosted a tasting of Cabo Wabo Tequila at La
Esquina in New York.
BEAM GLOBAL SPIRITS &
WINE JOINS KENTUCKY IN
CELEBRATINING “BOURBON
HERITAGE MONTH”
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. applauds
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s recogni-
tion of September 2008 as “Bourbon
Heritage Month”. This proclamation cele-
brates Bourbon as “America’s Native Spirit”
for the second year in a row by honoring the
family heritage and deep-rooted legacy of
the Bourbon industry in the Commonwealth.
Last year’s U.S. Senate resolution
declaring September as “National Bourbon
Heritage Month,” continues to increase
awareness of Bourbon and its birthplace.
“Bourbon demand is growing and the cate-
gory is expanding into emerging internation-
al markets,” said Tom Flocco, president and
CEO of Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.
“At a time when many are only forward-look-
ing, we applaud Governor Beshear and the
Commonwealth for honoring the timeless
craftsmanship and heritage behind the pro-
duction of Bourbon.
As a key player in the Bourbon category,
Beam Global is proud of the economic
impact distilled spirits have had on the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, including: more
than $3 billion in gross state product, more
than 3,000 high-paying jobs, nearly $115
million in state and local taxes.
Beam Global continues to lead the
Bourbon category and invest in its growth.
“We take pride in our Kentucky footprint,”
said Flocco. “As a global company our oper-
ations are a significant source of livelihood
for the Commonwealth and we honor every
8
worker who contributes to the local economy
while producing ‘America’s Native Spirit.’”
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s recognition of
September 2008 as “Bourbon Heritage Month”.
EARLY TERMINATION OF
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
FOR VIN & SPRIT BRANDS
BY FUTURE BRANDS
Pernod Ricard is pleased to announce the
signing of an agreement with Fortune Brands
for an early termination of the distribution by
Future Brands of Vin & Sprit brands in the US,
and in particular Absolut.
The initial contractual term of the distribu-
tion agreement for V&S brands by Future
Brands, a joint venture company between V&S
and Fortune Brands, was scheduled to end on
February 2012. The joint venture partners
have agreed to an early termination of this
agreement on October 1st 2008 with Pernod
Ricard paying to Fortune Brands a compensa-
tion of $230 million. Together with the termi-
nation of the distribution, V&S will also stop
being a shareholder in Future Brands.
Absolut and the rest of the V&S portfolio
will join Pernod Ricard USA's portfolio of lead-
ing spirits and wines brands on October 1st
2008. The savings generated by stopping the
payments of commissions to Future Brands, the
quicker than anticipated implementation of
cost synergies on our North American struc-
tures and the very positive impact of an imme-
diate combination of our brand portfolios in
the US will more than offset the costs of exiting
this distribution agreement.
Separately, and as part of the
announced disposal plan, Pernod Ricard will
sell the Cruzan rum brand and related assets
to Fortune Brands for an amount of $100 mil-
lion. Cruzan had been acquired in 2005 by
V&S and has been since then a fast growing
brand, reaching more than 750 000 9L
cases in 2007 and a close to break even
contribution after advertising and promotion
costs.
 INDUSTRY NEWS continued
WINE LOVERS UNITE TO
HELP THE ENVIRONMENT
ONE CORK AT A TIME
TerraCycle, the maker of your favorite eco-
friendly products, is excited to announce their
partnership with VinVillage, the social organ-
ization for wine enthusiasts. TerraCycle is
working with restaurants, bars, tasting winer-
ies, and now VinVillage members, to collect
natural and synthetic corks to be upcycled
into products that will be available at major
retailers across the nation. This is the first cork
collection program that upcycles the collect-
ed corks into affordable, eco-friendly con-
sumer products
TerraCycle’s first cork-based product is a
16 inch square corkboard that is perfect for
use in the home or office. These corkboards
will be available at OfficeMax by
November. Several other products made
exclusively from corks and other post-con-
sumer waste are in development – look out
for them as they hit store shelves across the
United States.
Used corks are collected through the
TerraCycle Cork Brigade‘, a new, nation-
wide recycling program with over 360
organizations participating, and new groups
joining on a regular basis. Anyone can sign
up for free on TerraCycle’s website at
http://www.terracycle.net/cork/cork.htm.
Visit for more details on the Cork Brigade,
and sign up today!
Using TerraCycle’s other Brigades as a
model, the Cork Brigade seeks a sponsor to
facilitate cork collection. The Bottle Brigade
program, for example, has enabled TerraCycle
to rescue and reuse over 2 million soda bottles.
Thanks to generous sponsors (who donate 5
cents per bottle collected) we have donated
almost $100,000 to non-profit organizations,
and we aim to implement a similar program to
reuse the millions of corks that are tossed into
landfills each year, while simultaneously help-
ing non-profit organizations.
To learn more about the partnership or to
request complimentary samples of the fin-
ished products, please contact George
Chevalier at 609.393.4252 x249.
ABL ANNOUNCES 7TH
ANNUAL CONVENTION
American Beverage Licensees (ABL)
announced its 7th Annual Convention, set to
take place March 1-3, 2009 at the Monte
8 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The
convention’s theme, “Leveraging Your
Strengths in Today’s Economy”, highlights the
challenges that many alcohol beverage
retailers face in light of the increased costs
associated with running a business in today’s
economic climate. The convention’s pro-
gram will be tailored to that theme with the
goal of providing retailers with ideas and
tools to survive and grow when the price of
everything seems to be going up.
“The 2009 ABL Convention will cele-
brate the retail tier of the alcohol beverage
industry and present ways in which retail-
ers can run more efficient and profitable
businesses without losing sight of the impor-
tant role they play when it comes best prac-
tices and responsibility,” said ABL executive
director Harry Wiles.
With the newly remodeled Monte Carlo
as the backdrop, ABL Convention guests will
engage in informative presentations with
speakers & alcohol beverage industry exec-
utives from the beer, wine and spirits sectors.
The convention will also include educational
seminars covering industry trends and ways
to increase profits, as well as social events,
including admission to the Night Club & Bar
Trade Show exhibit hall floor on both March
3rd and 4th.
Back by popular demand for 2009 is
the Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament,
which, for the 5th consecutive year, will pit
friends and colleagues against one another
in a match of poker skills. Once again,
there will be cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and
3rd place and an open bar. In addition to
Texas Hold ‘Em, ABL plans to announce a
host of other events and speakers in the com-
ing weeks.
The ABL Convention remains the best
and most affordable way for beverage retail-
ers to take in everything that Las Vegas has
to offer. For the $250 registration fee, ABL
members will be able to enjoy a variety of
hospitality events all in the company of their
industry colleagues and friends. Hotel
rooms at the Monte Carlo will also be dis-
counted for convention attendees. On-
premise retailers (bar, tavern, restaurant and
casino owners), off-premise retailers (liquor
and package stores owners) and alcohol
beverage industry executives and associates
are encouraged to attend.
Fill out and mail in the 2009 ABL
Convention registration form to secure your
Dean Phillips with other Aspenfor the attendees
room and registration today and please visit
ABL’s home on the web at www.ablusa.org
for more details.
NEW ZEALAND BREAKING
NEW RECORDS
New Zealand wine exporters are expected
to hit the $1 billion market by 2010.
According to local reports, NZ Winegrowers
have boosted their offshore earnings by 14%
in the past year to a record $797.8 million.
Wine volumes have risen at a compound
annual growth rate of about 20% over the
past decade, with this year's vintage survey
showing the latest harvest was up more than
30% on the 2007 vintage, which experi-
enced considerable droughts.
Challenges for New Zealanders include
the economy and a significantly larger vin-
tage in 2008.
The largest export market is Australia by
value, up 37% to $247 million. Exports to
the UK, which used to be NZ's largest mar-
ket, grew only 8% on 2007.
SKYY SPIRITS WELCOMES
JASON DANIEL
SKYY Spirits welcomes Jason Daniel to its
marketing team as Senior Brand Manager for
Skyy Vodka. In this role, Daniel will direct
the national marketing programs supporting
the flagship brand, as well as the new Skyy
Infusions and SKYY90.
PERNOD APPOINTS NEW
SENIOR VP OF SALES
Pernod has appointed Stephen Corrigan to
the role of senior vice president of sales for
Pernod Ricard Americas Travel Retail with
immediate effect. In his new role, he will be
responsible for North America and Brazilian
duty-free, as well as Caribbean markets.
B-F NAMES NEW GROWER
RELATIONS REP/LUXURY
BRANDS
BROWN-FORMAN has named Shannon
Donnell to the new position of Grower
Relations Representative/Luxury Brands,
focusing on ultra-premium brands Sanctuary,
Sonoma-Cutrer and Fetzer Coro Mendocino.
Cindy Johnson has also been named to B-F's
Grower Relations Team as Grower Relations
Representative
Classic Central Coast and
Northern Interior growing regions.
10 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
12 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
14 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8

HOT PUMPKIN
1 part HW Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
1/2 part Kahlúa
4 parts hot coffee
Pour all ingredients into a mug. Garnish with
whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie
spice.
JACK-O-TINI
1 part. Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice
1 part Jameson® Irish Whiskey
1 part fresh sour mix
2 fresh ginger slices muddled (optional)
Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with an orange peel.
GINGERBREAD COOKIE
1 part HW Gingerbread Liqueur
1 part Absolut® Vodka
1/2 part Kahlúa
1 part half & half
Shake ingredient with ice and strain into a martini
glass. Garnish with a crushed graham cracker rim
and a skewer of spiced gumdrops.
GINGERBREAD-TINI
1 1/2 parts HW Gingerbread liqueur
1 part Absolut® Mandrin
1/2 part fresh sour mix
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a marti-
ni glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
More exclusive seasonal recipes can be found at
www.hiramwalker.com
BRAND PROFILE
HIRAM WALKER
CASTS A SPELL ON
SEASONAL FLAVOR
Thanks to this prolific line of flavored spirits, creating
wickedly good seasonal delights is a breeze.
T
hough Hiram Walker’s diverse line of premium liqueurs, triple sec, schnapps
and brandies have provided thousands of establishments with a “tool kit” for
building success and sales during the fall and winter holiday periods, the launch
of Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice, the re-launch of limited edition seasonal liqueurs, and
the arrival newcomer Hiram Walker Gingerbread Liqueur breathes fresh new life into the
line’s natural appeal.
In keeping with Hiram Walker's long tradition of innovation, new Hiram Walker
Gingerbread is the first nationally available gingerbread liqueur. It has a gorgeous nut-
meg color countered with a distinctive sweet 'n' spicy mix of brown sugar, ginger, vanil-
la and spice flavors. Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice, meanwhile, returns after debuting to
rave reviews and significant sales success in 2007. The rich pumpkin colored liqueur
offers the delicious taste of vanilla, graham cracker and pumpkin pie. Both liqueurs pair
effortlessly with a wide range of spirits to create unique and festive holiday cocktails.
It is projected that the combination of these two unique, contemporary, seasonal fla-
vors is expected to drive holiday sales for the overall Hiram Walker Brand. “Holiday
entertaining can be stressful,” said Cort Kinker, Marketing Director for Hiram Walker at
Pernod Ricard USA.
“Our goal with these two exclusive, limited-edition seasonal liqueurs is to provide
easy, great tasting cocktail solutions with a distinctive flair during the holiday selling sea-
son, when consumer spending is at its peak and time is at a premium,” Kinker says. “With
the success of Pumpkin Spice last year, the decision to bring it back this holiday season
was easy, and adding Gingerbread to the mix just made sense.”
The launch of Gingerbread and the return of Pumpkin Spice capitalize on the soaring
popularity of flavored cocktails, according to Kinker. “Americans love special holiday fla-
vors, as evidenced by the phenomenal success of Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice
Lattes,” Kinker adds. “Both flavors are great for home entertaining, or for adding rele-
vance and excitement to any drink menu.”
Furthermore, the seasonal products will be supported with marketing initiatives includ-
ing trade advertising, sampling (where legal), on- and off-premise point of sale materials
including recipe neckers, case talkers, and re-designed 4-bottle counter units, table tents
and a bartender recipe guide. Pumpkin Spice will return in its unique case shipper, while
Gingerbread will sport the new Hiram Walker shipper perfect for cross merchandising
with Absolut Vodka and Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur.
Hiram Walker Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice hit retail stores and on-premise estab-
lishments October 1, when the unique flavors of gingerbread, pumpkin and spice find
their place in foods, beverages and seasonal menu items from Seattle to Miami.
Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice will be available in both a 750ml and 1.0L size. The
suggested retail price will be $8.99-11.99 for the 750ml. 
16 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
 POUR OF THE MONTH

Finest
CALL POUR OF THE MONTH
Petar’s Restaurant
A Lafayette Landmark
Petar’s Restaurant & Pub, located in the heart of Lafayette has been
serving the area since 1959. Its Ivy covered walls enclose a casu-
al atmosphere and fine dining. The friendly staff and management
offer genteel service and attention to detail.
Petar’s is open for lunch Monday through Saturday and din-
ner nightly. They have a complete menu of fine meats, pastas and
seafood and offer daily specials as well. Some of the specials
include London Broil, served with soup or salad on Sunday and
Mondays. On Tuesdays try the Osso Bucco; Wednesdays it’s
Lamb Shank or a complete Prime Rib dinner (or Fresh fish) for two,
including a bottle of wine for $45.00. Thursdays have their
famous Roast Turkey, Friday its Short Ribs and a Joe’s special on
Saturdays.
In the bar, they feature live music Tuesdays through Sunday.
Tuesday night Irish Songstress, Snead Healy performs modern
melodies and favorite Irish tunes. Dave Hosley rocks the
house at 9:00pm Wednesday-Saturday. Dave’s
Alex Ayala, Bar Manager

large repertoire includes everything from oldies,

jazz, pop, rock and hip-hop. And on Sunday
evening at 5:00 p.m. the Rhythm Doctors appear
singing the Blues. The music is so popular that
Petar’s is in the midst of a major renovation, adding
a brand new bar and music area in the main din-
ing room to accommodate the crowd.
At the Bar Petar’s mixes of choice are Finest Call
which feature a complete line of superior products
from Sweet & Sour, Grenadine, Coconut,
Pomegranate Syrup, two Bloody Mary mixes, the
Mango, Strawberry and Raspberry Purees to the
premium Cosmopolitan Martini, Sour Apple
Martini and Mojito mix.
As bar manager Alex Ayala says, “Finest Call
offers an incredible array of top quality products.
And the patented pour tops give a consistent pour-
whether it’s a puree or a regular Sweet & Sour
mix. The Finest Call products are the best in
the business”.
Petar’s is is located at 32 Lafayette
Circle, Lafayette, CA 94549. 

18 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
NORTHERN
(DOUBLE) EXPOSURE
Canadian Club was your father’s drink…but
there’s more to the story than that!
While many spirits within categories such as vodka and rum are placing their bets on sleekness, modernity and
trendiness, brown spirits are more likely to bill themselves as time-honored luxury experiences that tap into traditions
that are as old as the brands themselves—or even older. Canadian Club, however, wants it both ways…as a spirit
that is simultaneously, unapologetically and fashionably old school, yet very much on the cutting edge of mixology
trends and consumer tastes.
Nothing captures this unique marketing attitude better than the current ad campaign that taps into the trendiness
of an earlier, groovier era. “Damn right your dad drank it!” boldly proclaims the brand’s current ad campaign. The
message is punctuated with a collage of groovy photos depicting young 60s and 70s hipsters partaking in leisurely pur-
suits and swinging parties, with a Canadian Club in one hand and a best bud or a hot babe in the other. Most of the
photos are of actual Canadian Club employees in their youth enjoying their favorite drink, lending more fun and
authenticity to the brand’s bold message.
“The “Damn Right” campaign was designed to put whisky, and more specifically Canadian Club, back into cocktails
– classic cocktails – like Whisky Sours, Manhattans and Sidecars,” points out Brian Stockard, Brand Manager for

20 BIN 2 0 0 7 • I S S U E 8

TASTES OF THE GOOD LIFE
CANADIAN CLUB® 6 YEAR-OLD
The original six year-old is a light
and versatile blended whisky, blend-
ed before aging in white oak bar-
rels, has a light, smooth taste that
makes it ideal for use in cocktails.
CANADIAN CLUB® RESERVE 10
The darker golden-amber hued ten
year-old whisky provides a more
substantial body and sweet
smoothness.
CANADIAN CLUB® CLASSIC 12
The full yet smooth character of
Canadian Club Classic 12’s qual-
ity is distinguished by hints of spice
and vanilla and a darker amber
color, which makes it ideal for a
sipping whiskey or a component of
classic, masculine cocktails. It is
easy to see and taste why it won a
double-gold medal at the presti-
gious 2003 San Francisco World
Spirits Competition.
CANADIAN CLUB® SHERRY CASK
The limited production Canadian
Club Sherry Cask, which has a
warm, reddish gold amber hue, is
aged for at least eight years in
white oak barrels and then double
matured in sherry casks imported
from Jerez, Spain, which imparts
distinct undertones of Spanish
Sherry, making it primarily an ideal
sipping whiskey.
CANADIAN CLUB® 30 YEAR-OLD
The deep red amber hue of the
Special Edition Canadian Club 30
year-old, along with its mellow,
earthy notes and hints of caramel
and spice, is meant to be enjoyed
the way one would appreciate and
sip a fine cognac. It is a complex,
rich mix of aromas and flavors
wrapped in a velvety body and con-
sistency.
Canadian Club. “CC is one of the
most approachable whiskies on the
market. Its smooth and sophisti-
cated taste makes it a popular
choice for both men and women,
and female consumers make up
about a third of all CC con-
sumers.”
The Stuff of Legend
Throughout Canadian Club’s
enduring run, the 6 and 12-year
old whiskies have managed to
keep a current vibe through some
very successful and eye-catching
ad campaigns and packaging,
especially after surviving the
challenges posed by Prohibition.
However, there is a new treas-
ure on the horizon. Canadian
Club is preparing for the launch
of its most worldly and luxurious
issue yet…Canadian Club 30 Year
Old. The rare and sophisticated
spirit, retailing at $150-199, was
specially conceived to reflect the
high standards and commitment
to quality that was a part of
Hiram Walker’s original vision.
According to Stockard, the
Canadian Club 30 Year Old will
hold a special appeal to true con-
noisseurs who regularly enjoy
other whiskies in the Canadian
Club family and want to experi-
ence Canadian Club in its most
elegant and refined form.
“We’re excited to introduce
our Canadian Club 30 Year Old,
THE TASTEFUL MEMBERS OF THE “CLUB” RECIPES
THE MILLIONAIRE’S MANHATTAN
1 part Harvey’s Bristol Cream
2 parts Canadian Club® Classic 12
Fill a lowball glass
with ice and add
ingredients. Stir
and garnish with
maraschino cherry.
22 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E
Dan Tullio
Brand Ambassador
Canadian Club
the oldest Canadian whisky ever
to be made,” he says. “It was
designed to celebrate generations
of CC drinkers and the 150th
anniversary of the brand. With
only a few hundred cases available
for the entire United States,
whisky connoisseurs will want to
buy this exceptional whisky while
they can. Additionally, we are
utilizing the Canadian Club 30
Year Old to help increase the pre-
mium-ness of Canadian Club in
the California market. Our local
team will be working hard to find
the best ways to get this product
into Californians’ hands during
the special holiday season.”
Marking Time
Though the actual Canadian
“club house” in Walkerville,
Ontario, presents itself as an ele-
gant hybrid of historical society,
decorative arts museum and
THE RESERVE RUNNER
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add:
1 part Canadian Club®
Reserve
2 parts Ruby Red
Grapefruit juice
Top with tonic water and
a dash of grenadine.
Shake and pour over ice
in a highball glass.
8
 “CC is one of the most approachable whiskies on the market.
Its smooth and sophisticated taste makes it a popular choice
for both men and women, and female consumers make up
about a third of all CC consumers.”
Tish Harcus
Brand Ambassador
— Brian Stockard
Canadian Club Brand Manager for Canadian Club

country club—a visual representa-
tion of its past and enduring suc-
cess—there are strong reminders
Canadian Club has skillfully kept
up with the times, from the mixol-
ogy area to the gift shop to the
activity swirling around the proper-
ty that was once the home of
Hiram Walker, progeny that carried
the brand to the next level, and
later owners who strived to pre-
serve Walker’s legacy.
There are parts of Walkerville
where time stands still, even as the
city of Windsor has since encom-
passed it, and the Detroit skyline is
just a mile away across a river and
a border. Hiram Walker and his
sons and successors kept produc-
tion flowing and morale high by
building a corporate culture long
before it became a business buzz
term…and before Canada was
incorporated in 1867. The
Walkers were pillars of the commu-
nity on both sides of the border,
and counted Henry Ford and
Thomas Edison among their closest
friends. Canadian Club traveled
through history, as a favorite brand
of European royalty and Al
Capone, whose exploits revolved
around what became his favorite
Canadian Whisky. It is—literal-
ly—the stuff of legends.
Brand Ambassadors Dan Tullio
and Tish Harcus connect past to
present, distributors to retailers and
retailers to consumers. Tullio, a 27-
year industry veteran focused on
Canadian Club for the past 11
years, in fact, is one of those hip-
sters appearing in the ads. Harcus,
who has been with “CC” for over
20 years, takes pride in the fact that
she has worked in every department
on the 38-acre site. For the last
seven years, the duo (though happi-
ly married to others) tirelessly give
industry folk and consumers chap-
ter and verse about Canadian Club
through witty banter and smooth
repartee that would even do
Hepburn and Tracy proud. The
show they put on at the house and
at conventions and trade shows
around the globe almost makes one
forget key marketing messages are
being repeated along with historical
and production facts.
History in the “Making”
Whisky began with European roots
and then took on a life of its own
when efforts were made to repro-
duce the spirit this side of the
Atlantic. The Irish are credited for
creating whisky around 100 AD,
and then Scotch became popular
in the 1400s as Scotland’s wine
vineyards were destroyed by a virus.
When Scottish and Irish settlers

campaign. These images along with other holiday-

DAMN RIGHT SUCCESSFUL
Canadian Club has run some of the most successful
consumer campaigns and trade programs in the his-
tory of the spirits industry, from the Hide-A-Case
consumer campaign of the 1960s and '70s to the
famed sales program, Canadian Club Society, which
enters its 45th consecutive year in 2008 and contin-
ues to be one of the most prestigious sales programs
in the spirits industry. Not surprisingly, this tradition
will carry on into the 2008 holiday season and 2009.
For their holiday promotion last year, they reintro-
duced the iconic tuxedo holiday gift packaging that
had been the focus of Canadian Club holiday promo-
tions for years. Because it was so successful, they
will be infusing the tuxedo packaging with holiday-
themed images similar to those in the “Damn Right”
themed point-of-sale material will feature Beam
Global and Future Brands employees, including
CC’s brand ambassador Tullio. They will also intro-
duce a 2009 Canadian Club “Damn Right” calendar.
The calendar will feature new imagery and a new
“Damn Right” headlines each month.
“People in their 30s and 40s connect with this
campaign because the imagery used in the ads
reminds us of the pictures of our own parents during
their younger adult lives, before we were even a
thought in their minds,” concludes Stockard. “I think
this campaign and those images help us recall the
best qualities of our parents and their generation and
helps remind us of the fun they had when they were
younger. Through the “Damn Right” campaign, we
are honoring generations of CC drinkers and cele-
brating their best qualities.”
came to America, they created Bourbon in the US
south. However as taxes increased and some political
factors came into play, several distillers moved north.
As a result, Canadian Whisky is one of the youngest
styles of whisky produced. While Vodka as a category
has surpassed Canadian Whisky, Harcus notes with
bravado that Canadian Club still leads the whisky cate-
gory in Canada and in many other countries.
“When people ask us about what makes Canadian
Club different, we tell them—no matter what the audi-
ence—that it is light, smooth and mellow,” Harcus
responds. “Why is it light? We remove the fusel oils and
other impurities through double distillation. Why is it
smooth? Because Canadian Club has a proprietary blend
of grains, and we produce alcohol from the various grains
separately. We do not store, cook, ferment and mill
them together. When we produce a given distillate, we
will only produce one kind of corn, or rye, or barley sepa-
rately and then combine them later, just as Hiram
Walker did just before the turn of the 20th century.”
Tullio points out that one key point of differentiation
is that the master blender and his staff, using the result-
ing corn juice, rye juice, juices from rye and barley malts,
blend those four distillates together based on a given
recipe for a certain variety before aging the distillate in
barrels. During the set period of aging, distillates have a
chance to marry together, thanks to various chemical
reactions that take place, resulting in the smooth tastes
consumers associate with Canadian Club whiskies.
“Corn is the least expensive grain but it produces the
largest yield of alcohol,” adds Tullio. “However, our
goal here is to create a distillate that is colorless, odor-
less and tasteless. With rye, rye malt and barley malt,
what we want to do is produce blends to create flavor
that is distinctively ours. We age it to 72% alcohol in
charred white oak American bourbon barrels, which
imparts more of that mellow oak flavor profile, instead
of an aggressive flavor most people associate with
whiskies. Though the government requires it to be
aged three years to be considered whisky, our youngest is
six years told, and by tweaking the ratio of grains and
the type of barrels and length of maturation we ulti-
mately produce the desired result.”
CC AND COFFEE CC RESERVE MANHATTAN
In a coffee mug pour: 1 part Canadian Club® Reserve
1 1/2 parts of Canadian Club® whisky 1/3 part Sweet Vermouth
1 part Starbucks™ Coffee Liqueur Dash Angostura® bitters
2 1/2 parts black coffee Maraschino Cherry
Top with whip cream. Garnish with chocolate
shavings or powdered cinnamon.
26 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
1.3 million barrels of aging distillate make their way
into 14 of 16 massive warehouses in nearby Pike Creek,
Ontario. While the two remaining warehouses are used
for pre-distribution storage, the rest of the area (the
equivalent of nearly 50 football fields) represents the
largest concentration of aging spirit the world in one
location. However, Tullio notes successful aging is not a
function of volume or type of barrels, but also the way
the space is used and the barrels are positioned.
“The fundamental differences between our warehous-
es and others is that all the barrels sit on their heads,
with six barrels per palate and are not moved unless they
are brought to inventory,” he explains. “In fact, even
when barrels are drained, they never come off the palate.
It is totally an automated drain fill system. We are also
the only Canadian distillery that heats our warehouses,
which encourages a consistent maturation rate.”
After aging, the “desired result” Harcus and Tullio
describes takes many forms, including the 30 year-old
Canadian Club hitting the market this fall commemo-
rating the brand’s 150th Anniversary. In addition to
that, there is the popular six year-old blend, as well as
versions that are 10, 15 and 20 years old and Canadian
Club Black Label, an eight year-old developed exclu-
sively for the Japanese market. Though some batches
of Canadian Club are bottled in Kentucky, Harcus
pointedly reminds her visitors that every drop of every
variety of Canadian Club is produced in Canada.
“Canadian Club's longevity can be attributed to the
quality of the product inside the bottle,” concludes
Stockard. “CC, unlike most competitors, is blended
before aging, which allows the distillates to marry dur-
ing the aging process--ultimately creating a smoother
and more sophisticated flavor. It's this uniquely smooth
taste profile which has allowed Canadian Club to
endure through all of the different trends and fads over
the years because consumers have always appreciated--
and continue to appreciate--the taste of a classic cock-
tail. This was true for those Prohibition rumrunners, but
also for today's consumers who are looking for a classic,
great tasting drink. Fortunately, the CC recipe and pro-
duction process have not changed during the brand's
150 year history.” 
CC COSMOPOLITAN
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add:
2 parts Canadian Club® Classic 12
1 part Cointreau
1 part Cranberry Juice
1 Twist of lime
Serve in a Martini Glass
 GOLDEN BAR CONSISTENCY AWARD – Wine
Pacific Wine & Spirits of California SPIRITS EXCELLENCE AWARD – Smirnoff
From left to right: Brad Vassar, Mark Merrion, Jim Kaley, Mel Dick, Harvey Pacific Wine & Spirits of California
Chaplin, Sandra LeDrew, Patrick Daul, Wayne Chaplin, Don Galli, From left to right: Phil Gervasi, James Kaley, Aki Toumasis, Don Galli,
Aki Toumasis, Ray Chadwick Patrick Daul, Larry Schwartz

SPIRITS EXCELLENCE AWARD – Jose Cuervo SPIRITS EXCELLENCE AWARD – Captain Morgan
Atlantic Wine and Spirits Pacific Wine and Spirits of California
From left to right: Greg Baird, Joe Lehane, E. Lloyd Sobel, Tom Notaro, Joe From left to right: Phil Gervasi, James Kaley, Aki Toumasis, Don Galli,
Devin, Charlie Merinoff, John Magliocco, Joe Davolio, Larry Schwartz Patrick Daul, Larry Schwartz

28 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
 PRODUCT PROFILE
CAN
MIGHTYPINE
SAVE OUR
WINE?
A real breakthrough product that fills a need in sometimes “shaky”
California (or any seismic area) is hitting the display industry.
Designed for wine departments and package stores, Newood Display
Fixture Mfg. Co. is launching its MightyPine Shelving line, which is
built to withstand an earthquake’s seismic forces. Its steel-like
strength is developed by gluing layers of pine used for both the
frames and shelves.
MightyPine Shelving has passed rigorous seismic testing at the
College of Forestry, Wood Science, and Engineering at Oregon State
University in Corvallis, Oregon. Jok Ang, a structural engineer,
commented: “It performed amazingly well; better than we anticipat-
ed. It’s one very tough shelving system.” The units were tested with
simulations of the 1984 Morgan Hill, magnitude 6.2, and 1965
Seattle, magnitude 7.1, earthquakes. According to Gerry Moshofsky,
Newood’s CEO, “Four foot,
Newood, five level sections were tested
with weight equivalent to 30
manufacturers of cases of wine, without perma-
MightyPine Shelving, is nent deformation.”
Also, the units were sub-
confident their shelving jected to a standardized test
line is the answer to developed by the Consortium
of Universities for Research in
retailers’ need for wine Earthquake Engineering and an
fixtures in seismic ever increasing lateral force
until failure (monotonic test).
conditions. During the monotonic test, the
fully loaded units survived lat-
eral forces up to approximately 1.2 times the force of gravity (1.2g).
While the forces are site specific, a typical design force for an area
with strong seismic activity is approximately .7g. In addition to a seis-
mic rating, Newood is also evaluating fire-rated finishes as an option.
MightyPine shelving has a clean, sturdy appearance (much like
Shaker-style furniture), which complements the variety and color of
wine bottles. The line is available unfinished, with clear lacquer fin-
ish, or a stained finish and is shipped knock down. National sales
30 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
“It performed
amazingly
well; better
than we
anticipated.
It’s one
very tough
shelving
system.”
– Jok Ang,
structural engineer
manager, Mick Thaxton, states, “One thing that is not mighty about
it is the price. As strong and attractive as MightyPine shelving is,
it’s very affordable and rivals steel in both strength and price. And,
unlike steel, Pine is renewable, it takes less energy to process, and
it’s surprisingly lightweight.”
Started in 1979, Newood originally manufactured mostly oak
and maple retail store displays for wine/liquor stores, grocery stores,
and a variety of other types of retail stores nationwide. In 1999,
Newood added higher end modular counters and cash wraps so cus-
tomers could choose pre-designed modular segments to fit their cash
wrap needs.
According to Thaxton, a Newood employee for 20 years,
Newood’s product catalog is an industry standard for store owners,
designers, and architects as a resource for specifying high-end, but
affordable wood display fixtures. The 200-plus page catalog is on
their website at www.newood.com.
Newood recently expanded their manufacturing facility to
65,000 square feet to accommodate the added Pine production. “We
already had most of the necessary machinery in place but we did add
state-of-the-art gluing equipment, which is essential for the
MightyPine and other lines of Pine production,” Moshofsky said.
Newood Display Fixture Mfg. Co. is located in Eugene, Oregon and
can be reached via e-mail at sales@newood.com, on the web at
www.newood.com, phone, 800.233.9663 or fax, 541.688.5868. 
32 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
VODKA:
STILL THE CLEAR CHOICE
VODKA IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE SPIRITS WORLD
– AT EVERY PRICE POINT AND LEVEL OF QUALITY.
NO MATTER WHAT FORM IT TAKES, IT NEVER
GOES OUT OF STYLE.

As a retailer, restaurateur or mixologist, you probably have

been pitched on “the next great vodka.” Though other categories
such as brown spirits, rums, gins and tequilas are gaining momen-
tum, vodka is still the #1 consumed spirit worldwide. There is
good reason, even if some beverage industry professionals may be
fatigued with the sheer volume of vodka product hitting shelves
and some trend-setting mixologists may pooh-pooh vodka drinks
in favor of an all brown-spirits or all-gin-based cocktail menus.
Nevertheless, in an industry where the customer is always right,
much of the time he or she will request a vodka-based cocktail
even if a high-concept bar menu is painstakingly put together.

40 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8

Vodka’s continued relevance is such an
important issue in the industry that profes-
sional mixologists, even with their personal
pet spirits, acknowledge that a good bar-
tender, manager or owner needs several
vodkas in his or her arsenal. Vodka is the
key component to the cocktail culture that
is continuing to blossom and evolve around
the world. It is therefore important for any-
body owning or connected with a bar to
distinguish one vodka from another, as
every brand featured in our list has its own
personality. Consequently, once palates
detect the differences between potato, corn,
rice or grape-based vodkas, it becomes clear
that when you change the vodka, you
change the entire recipe.
“It is a pet peeve of mine, encountering
the bartender who says, ‘everybody’s drink-
ing vodka, therefore, I refuse to use it.’”
quips Steve Olson, a mixologist of national
recognition. “That’s the very reason why
(bartenders) have to need to know how to
make vodka cocktails… everybody is drink-
ing it. If you don’t put vodka on your bar
because you want to make some kind of
statement, the only statement you will be
making is that you are some kind of loser.”
42 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
Olson presents a good food analogy of
this core bar belief. If one opened a steak-
house and only served meat, he would be
doing himself a disservice. Most of the most
successful steakhouses, after all, include
seafood and vegetarian selections. Though a
bar isn’t and shouldn’t be all things to all
people, vodka is an essential part of the bar-
tender’s repertoire. However, what’s key is
that you know what to do with it, how to
talk about it and how to recommend differ-
ent brands.
Balance and texture are the keys to a
recipe’s success, so instead of just looking
for aromatic profiles, mixologists should
explore texture, body and proof. The bar-
tenders’ job is ultimately to be service and
entertainment providers for clients. Rather
than making what he or she may think is
the best cocktail, the real challenge is to
ensure customers will have the best experi-
ence possible and will be happy and enjoy
themselves.
Speaking of which, nothing verifies this
fact better than a newly launched vodka-
based and guarana-infused energy cooler,
Mojo, aimed at young, trendy and female
consumers. The Montreal-based product
(produced by Blue Spike Beverages) hosted
launch promotions at high profile food fes-
tivals such as the Taste of Calgary and
(according to the spokespeople conducting
the tastings) the company is already setting
its sites on U.S. distributors, especially in
California.
In terms of what’s here, meanwhile,
consumers and industry people alike know
that when it comes to finding their favorite
vodka products, they will be navigating
through a complex global village of flavor,
function and versatility.
“The U.S. has been a tremendous
vodka market for generations,” reflects
Chester Brandes, President and CEO,
Imperial Brands, Inc. (which includes
Sobieski Vodka). “Premium vodkas have
always been part of the classic cocktail
repertoire. Since the beginning, vodka
cocktails like the Vodka Martini, Bloody
Mary, the Bull Shot, the Greyhound, the
Harvey Wallbanger and the Sea Breeze
have been cocktail cornerstones.”
VODKA: CLEARLY
A CLASSIC
Even if many brands in BIN’s listing have
come to market within this decade, the
term “instant classic” could apply to many
new brands either capitalizing on centuries-
old distillation techniques and selection
methods of ingredients, or selling trade and
consumers on the concept of merging the
old and the new together in distillation to
create the ultimate product. More estab-
lished brands in the Stoli family, mean-
while, are banking on the brand’s familiarity
and iconic status.
As one-in-three drinks consumed today
are made with vodka, Gary Clayton,
Director of the North American
Stolichnaya Brand Organization, observes
sales for the category are growing at a high-
er rate than most other spirits, even during
difficult economic times. “It is a spirit that
created the cocktail culture and one that
continues to be an important component of
new drink development,” he muses. “From
icons James Bond to Sex & the City, and
from ‘shaken not stirred’ to ‘Make mine a
Cosmo,’ vodka will never go out of style.”

“There is no substitute for
vodka's purity and versatility,
making it the ultimate canvas
on which to create great
cocktails. Vodka is a perfect
flavor delivery vehicle for nat-
ural and fresh-ingredient
cocktails. Like in fresh, sea-
sonal cooking, the base sup-
ports the ingredients.”
– Melkon Khosrovian
Co-Founder and Spirits Maker
Tru Vodka
CATEGORY FOCUS: VODKA
Melkon Khosrovian, co-founder and
spirits maker at Tru Vodka, says there is no
substitute for vodka's purity and versatility,
making it the ultimate canvas on which to
create great cocktails. “Vodka is a perfect
flavor delivery vehicle for natural and fresh-
ingredient cocktails. Like in fresh, seasonal
cooking, the base supports the ingredients,”
he affirms.
“The versatility of vodka is unparalleled
in the spirits world,” agrees David Mandell,
President & CEO of The p.i.n.k. Spirits
Company. “Even as trends shift, vodka will
most likely remain a staple in the creative
cocktailing culture. It is for this reason, that
we launched p.i.n.k. vodka as the first in
our portfolio of ultra-premium caffeine and
guarana infused spirits.”
While many of the niche brands are
coming into their own as modern classics,
SKYY is uniting its past history and current
trends to exemplify vodka’s continued impor-
tance and dominance. Jason Daniel, Senior
Brand Manager, SKYY Vodka, observes
vodka also serves as the perfect entry point
into spirits for those arriving at legal drinking
age, who might be turned off by the stronger
flavor profile of brown spirits.
“Vodka has solidified its place in the
cocktail lexicon,” stresses Daniel.
“Bartenders appreciate the versatility that
allows them to create truly original cocktails
that go beyond convention. Vodka’s smooth,
clean profile gives them the opportunity to
concoct truly memorable cocktails that can
appeal to a very wide demographic.”
“Mixology may be leaning towards
brown goods, but Vodka sales continue to
grow faster,” adds Marguerite Provandie,
Associate Marketing Director of White
Rock Distilleries (maker of Pinnacle
Vodka). “Europe is seeing large growth in
Vodka sales, even at the expense of Scotch
and Gin. It also helps that consumers have
a natural curiosity about new and different
vodkas hitting the market.”
“In Russia, vodka is traditionally con-
sumed straight with national cuisine. In the
west there is another tradition-mixture of
spirits, and the creation of cocktails. Now
these traditions are merging,” notes Arsine
Nazaryan, General Manager of Imperial
44 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E
Collection, “In contrast to other spirits
that maintain the ideals of the past, modern
vodkas are aimed at the future…and it is
approaching the status of being the world’s
ideal of a spirit. Over the years, vodka has
played a prominent role in the success of
bars, night clubs, restaurants and parties as
the alcohol of choice.”
Perhaps the most to-the-point assess-
ment comes from John Glover, Senior Vice
President of Marketing at Castle Brands,
Inc. (Boru Vodka). “It will get a lot larger,”
he predicts. “There are still millions of
cases of old style whiskeys being sold but
that will continue to decline. Vodka is the
most versatile category, and the category of
choice for younger consumers.”
ALWAYS ROOM
FOR ONE MORE
“While the number of brands may eventual-
ly stabilize, there's no denying that cus-
tomers all over the world like to drink
vodka,” states Khosrovian matter-of-factly,
“That's why the volume is as large as it is.”
Certainly, the question on every bever-
age person’s mind these days seems to be,
“What? Another vodka?” That said,
Brandes points out American consumers
tend to welcome new arrivals with open
arms, hearts and glasses. Moreover, because
its flavors are subtle, it doesn’t wear out its
welcome.
Clayton has observed that outside
today’s economic conditions, a key chal-
lenge for any brand is creating a relevant
connection to its target audience. While
consumers are presented with an ever-
increasing array of choices, the arrival of
new brands and spirits introduced compli-
cates the market further. This past year
alone, over 50 new vodka brands were
introduced, according to Nielsen.
“It seems there’s a new vodka being
announced almost daily in the US,” says
Clayton. “A successful vodka’s marketing
plan must effectively reflect the desires,
motivations, values, and consumption
habits of these changing consumer dynam-
ics in a way that stands above the clutter.
For many years, price was a driving force.
Though it continues to be important, values
8

such as authenticity, heritage, and origin are
playing a much more critical role in brand
choice. This is something that Stolichnaya
has recognized and one that we are capital-
izing on.”
Matt Carroll, Chief Marketing Officer at
The Patrón Spirits Company, says in the case
of the ultra-premium level (which includes
their newly-acquired brand Ultimat), there
are not that many brands competing. He is
confident Ultimat will nicely fill this more
upscale niche with “endless cocktail possibil-
ities.” While mixologists continue to amaze
Carroll with astonishing cocktail recipes, as
he sees it, the only place to start is with the
best vodka available. James W. Todd, Vice-
President of Sales Marsalle Company, mean-
while, credits the resurgence of the Martini
and its many permutations as the reason why
the market is still open for ultra and super-
premium vodkas.
“Forty years ago, there wasn’t even 1%
of the number of mixed drinks available at
your local bar that there are today,” states
James Goldstein, CEO of Wingard
Importers, which introduced V2 Vodka.
“Just ask any bartender what spirit s/he uses
the most for mixed drinks. In particular to
V2, other suppliers have seen the light with
the potential of a premium spirit infused
with caffeine, taurine or similar exciting
addition.” Goldstein adds, Wingard aims to
keep the quality high, marketing fun and
advertising responsible when carving a
niche for V2. “As the category of Energy
46 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
Infused consumer products like “Pepsi
MAX” and “Snickers Extreme” become
more popular, so will the consumer base for
V2,” he concludes. “We are not trying to
be all things to all consumers. There are
enough Vodka–Redbull fans to satisfy our
consumer base.”
“In the last few years we have seen a
proliferation of new vodkas from all over
the world, and it has become increasingly
more difficult to promote our brand,” says
Ronné Bonder, President & Owner of the
The Hamptons Spirit Company. “We stay
competitive by maintaining and expanding
a strong niche as the best and most decorat-
ed brand in the marketplace with a com-
bined 4 Medal Awards by the San Francisco
World Spirits Competition.”
All told, the proliferation of vodkas is
still very much a marketing challenge for all
brands. Currently, a retailer has access to
more than 160 vodka brands in the United
States. To keep its place in the vodka
world, SKYY relies on the clear identity in
the market established many years ago that
helps to lift them above the fray. “We were
able to build upon that identity in the past
year through innovative marketing cam-
paigns such as our partnership with New
Line Cinema for Sex and the City, for
which SKYY served as the official spirits
sponsor,” says Daniel. “We were able to
take that sponsorship all the way through
the line with compelling off-premise and
on-premise programs that drove interest in
the SKYY brand, and more importantly, lift-
ed sales for SKYY Core, as well as the new
SKYY Infusions.”
“While some companies may be cutting
back on their marketing because of the
slowing economy, we aren’t doing that,”
adds Carroll. “We will continue to spend on
advertising and P.O.s to support Ultimat
through this economy.”
Rob Bailey, CEO of Lotus Vodka, says
the reason why they are competitive in a
crowded field is simple: Consumers love
vodka. “There is no other spirit that pro-
vides such as wide range of different cock-
tail menu options,” he explains.
“Additionally, I think health conscious
drinkers are gravitating towards vodka
because there is the perception that the
lower level of congeners gives rise to a
lower likelihood of a hangover. Vodka also
has fewer calories than some of the brown
spirits, which has made it very popular with
image conscious drinkers.”
“Vodka is a spirit category that is being
re-defined,” says Marcus Bender, CEO and
founder of Kai Vodka, who has noticed it is
becoming as diverse as the wine category,
encouraging consumers to educate themselves
about the differences in each vodka and to
find the one that best suits their palette.
“There is strong consumer demand for old
things made new again. Because of Kai’s
many paradoxes (potato vs. rice, tasteless vs.
tasty, European vs. Asian), we have encoun-
tered many questions as to why we are con-
sidered vodka. Though 90% of vodkas are
distilled from grain, most consumers still
believe that vodka is made primarily from
potatoes. Introducing a rice vodka requires
that we not only educate them about our
brand, but the category in general.”
As Andrew Pfeffer, Sr. V. P. Western
Division for Ice Cap Enterprises SRL, has
noticed, every new entry to the category
seems to have an angle necessary to set
them apart from the others. It might be
organic, ancient water source, or environ-
mentally-appropriate. In the case of their
Siku Glacier Ice Vodka, it is the only vodka
that utilizes a unique process called Ice-
Blending, in which glacier ice is combined
with five-times distilled, ultra-premium

grain alcohol.
“Distilled in The Netherlands, Siku
becomes liquid at -25°C, creating the only
vodka that transforms ice directly into
vodka without ever becoming water,” he
details. “This creates a superior product,
and there is always room, even in a busy
market, for a superior product. Competing
with the big corporate vodka companies
and their deep advertising pockets will
always be a challenge for us. Also, the
challenge of getting retailers/restaurants to
add another item in an already saturated
market that presents its own set of hurdles.
Our response is working closely with retail-
ers and restaurateurs to create custom pro-
gramming and marketing “Spy on Vegas”
that works for them, all the while maintain-
ing our ultra-premium image.”
THE KINGS OF
COCKTAIL CULTURE
The appeal of vodka is as clear as the spirit:
versatility, which enables it overall to be all
things to all people. “Mixology is all about
creating great tasting drinks, and traces its
routes back to the growth of vodka,” says
Andrea Sengara, Senior Brand Manager of
48 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
CÎROC Vodka. “Consumers first began
mixing drinks as a result of the introduction
of Vodka into Western Society. Cocktail
culture ensued as vodka became more popu-
lar, because it was the most versatile and
mixable of the spirits. That hasn't changed
today, as vodka allows for unlimited creation
of exciting and delightful drinks, sure to
please any palette. As time passes, mixolo-
gists will always create alternatives to what
is popular, but at the end of the day, all
everybody is looking for is a great tasting
drink, and there is still no more versatile
spirit as vodka, to deliver this experience.”
Consumers are not boxed into one-
dimensional cocktails, but in fact exposed
to an ever-increasing array of cocktails-
from the very dry to the very indulgent.
Notes Clayton, “it has the ability to appeal
to a broad audience unlike any other cate-
gory in the industry.”
“It’s important to remember that while
sophisticated mixologists may not love
vodka, drinkers still do,” Bailey says
emphatically. “While it’s fun to make ever
more sophisticated cocktails using new craft
gins and bourbons, it’s important that we
not forget what consumers actually want. I
think it’s also important to remember that
at the end of the day, while mixology is an
art, it also needs to be a sustainable busi-
ness. We all need to learn how to make
sophisticated drinks that don’t put a bar or
restaurant out of business.”
Hamptons Vodkas are clearly tailor
made for mixology. While the American
vodka’s original formula (100% Corn) is
differentiated by the fact that it is the first
product from the distillation process and is
colorless and odorless, it is the perfect neu-
tral platform for purist mixologists. The
dessert-y flavors (Banana, ChocoRaspberry
and CherryVanilla), meanwhile, enable
truly adventurous to raise the bar, so to
speak. “Word of mouth has been our great-
est tool to get the word out,” says Bonder.
“Once the public tastes our products they
become instant fans, especially as they can
be transformed into a myriad of wonderful
concoctions.”
The same can be said about Pearl Vodka,
according to director of marketing Todd
Nickodym, thanks to its own mixology-
friendly range of flavors. “From a line exten-
sion perspective, our strategy has been to not
simply introduce new flavors, but rather to
introduce new flavors that are unique, on-
trend, mixable and great-tasting,” he says.
“Pearl was first to market with a
Pomegranate flavored vodka, and we have
recently extended the Pearl family to include
a totally unique Plum flavored Vodka.”
Todd also notes without hesitation that
vodka can be enjoyed straight or mixed
with practically anything, from juices to
water, appealing to young and old alike. He
acknowledges that when Grey Goose burst
on the scene a few years ago, one would
hear the young adult crowd ordering every-
thing from “Goose on the rocks,” to “Goose
and cranberry,” to a “Goose Martini up.”
However, for different reasons, his brands
(Snow Queen and Zubrowka Bison Grass
Vodka) are getting ready for their time in
the spotlight.
“Because Snow Queen (made with
organic wheat, and Artesian spring water
from the Himalayas) mixes with anything,
this vodka is a great entry-level spirit,” says
Todd. “Consumers of all ages can come up

“Look at the menus in
restaurants all over the U.S.
and what do your see?
Vodka, vodka and more vodka-
based cocktails. Classic-style
cocktails have been built
around vodka, and vodka has
replaced gin in the classics.
The ‘new’ classics are all
vodka-based."
– Kevin Egan
V.P. Director of Sales and Marketing
Blue Ice Vodka.
CATEGORY FOCUS: VODKA
with a drink they like mixed with vodka.
SKYY Vodka’s Daniel, however, adds his-
toric context to the vodka phenomenon, as
it has not always been the cocktail culture’s
foundation of choice. In different eras, the
honor probably went to gin, rum or whiskey.
“Vodka didn’t truly gain its huge popu-
larity until the 1980s, when the first premi-
um and super-premium vodkas started show-
ing up in the market,” he says. “From there,
the category simply exploded. Today, vodka
is the foundation for cocktail culture, in
terms of the sheer volume of cocktails made
with it. Vodka has a universal appeal that is
truly timeless. In addition, with the appear-
ance of premium vodka products, such as
SKYY Vodka, it is being enjoyed more and
more straight up or on the rocks. It is the
versatility that makes vodka so dominant on
a global level.”
“Look at the menus in restaurants all
over the U.S. and what do your see? Vodka,
vodka and more vodka-based cocktails,”
affirms Kevin Egan, V.P. Director of Sales
and Marketing for Blue Ice Vodka. “Classic-
style cocktails have been built around
vodka, and vodka has replaced gin in the
classics. The ‘new’ classics are all vodka-
based. With that in mind, our strategy for
2008 is to increase the number of markets,
maintain pricing, increase advertising and
promotional spend, extend the line with an
organic product and continue creative sea-
sonal and holiday programs like our
Halloween Pumpkin Pie Martini program.
Many of the new arrivals in the market have
a story to tell and they seem to find a niche
if they are supported by the brand owners.”
AN “ELECTION YEAR”
FOR VODKA
Just as this year’s presidential candidates
have put much of their resources to finding
followings, various vodka companies are
putting as much thought into steering their
products toward event-based campaigns that
will attract key “voters” to elect their brand.
Todd details the many events Zubrowka
and Snow Queen have been involved with
are often high-profile happenings involving
celebrities and charities. However, he is
very specific about the fact that each brand
50 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
has its own niche, and events are selected
based on what type of vodka the presumed
audience will be open to. Snow Queen has
sponsored events and parties at the Super
Bowl, Kentucky Derby, Mariah Carey’s New
Year's Eve bash and the Latin Grammys—
all events that reach large and diverse audi-
ences. Zubrowka sponsors more sophisticat-
ed events such as New York Fashion Week
receptions, a Washington, DC-based party
for the Polish Cultural Center and various
black tie benefits around the country.
Zubrowka has enlisted the likes of The Pro
Concept Marketing Group to help them
secure sponsorships with the most appropri-
ate events matched to the vodka.
“With these two brands, it’s all about
being a force,” says Todd. “Although right
now we are happy to find our niches, we
have found both brands have a tremendous
budget. We are positioning Zubrowka
around the country to help gain support and
the cult following it has in other markets
around the world. Snow Queen, meanwhile,
is taking markets by storm!”
Prairie Organic Vodka, like Zubrowka,
has gotten word to its targeted audience by
aligning with organizations that support
some of our brand attributes such as certi-
fied organic, eco-friendly and giving back to
the community. Examples of this include
the Fresh Taste Festival in Minneapolis and
Slow Food Nation in San Francisco. In
order to survive and sustain our new
ground, they have deliberately looked
beyond traditional advertising.
Pinnacle Vodka has adopted a similar
tactic—blending aggressiveness, focus and
outreach. “You’ve got to do what you can
to be noticed in a crowded market,” men-
tions Provandie. “Being a dominant force
in the spirits industry is what we are striving
for. White Rock Distilleries is the “Vodka
King” - so we are a force to be reckoned
with. Aside from traditional advertising in
consumer and limited trade books, we are
also engaging in sponsorship opportunities,
on-premise promotional parties, and ‘Wild
Posting’ (grass root guerilla marketing) in
select urban markets.”
While Pinnacle’s advertising efforts are
prolific, with a national and very targeted

"A successful vodka’s
marketing plan must
effectively reflect the desires,
motivations, values, and con-
sumption habits of these
changing consumer dynamics
in a way that stands above the
clutter. For many years, price
was a driving force. Though it
continues to be important,
values such as authenticity,
heritage, and origin are play-
ing a much more critical role
in brand choice...”
– Gary Clayton
Director of the North American
Stolichnaya Brand Organization
CATEGORY FOCUS: VODKA
campaign in leading publications such as
Sports Illustrated, Playboy, Time, Money,
Golf, Vibe, King and Rolling Stone,
Provandie says marketing and P.R. efforts
play upon “the affordable luxury vodka’s”
distinctions—that it is an imported French
vodka, offers a variety of unusual signature
flavors (Kiwi Strawberry, Espresso XX,
Butterscotch, Root Beer, and the newly pop-
ular Grape and Cherry), incorporates beauti-
ful packaging and affordable pricing, and on
the trade end, boasts a motivated team of
distributors and a distribution network
focused on the brand’s long term success.
p.i.n.k. vodka, meanwhile, was chosen
by Donna Karan to be the official cocktail
of the launch of her new fragrance
“Delicious Night.” Mandel notes the recipe
for the ‘Delicious Night Blackberry Martini’
featuring p.i.n.k., is being co-promoted on
a national basis both on-and off-premise.
SKYY Vodka, engaged in a campaign that
tapped right into some of popular culture’s
current embrace of the cocktail—the spon-
sorship of Sex and the City. The company
created a 360-degree marketing campaign
that included custom co-branded advertis-
ing, a national sweepstakes, premiere parties
and on-premise promotions. In another,
they tapped into nostalgia and nature.
“One of the coolest aspects of the pro-
gram was our signature cocktails which were
themed after each of the characters in the
movie,” describes Daniel. “These were sold
into thousands of accounts across the coun-
try and let consumers experience the glam-
orous cocktail culture of the movie. For the
launch of our new SKYY Infusions this past
spring, we rolled out our custom 25 foot
SKYY Infusions Airstream RV that toured
the country, introducing people to the inno-
vative true-to-fruit taste of our newest prod-
uct. Off-premise, where we couldn’t sample
the product, we utilized flavor strips that
gave consumers a real taste of SKYY
Infusions, which generated great sales in
those accounts.”
Boru’s primary campaign, targeted to
men 21-30, meanwhile is Defend the Bar
Band. This indie-music based, viral market-
ing program speaks directly to this target
audience. Last year’s winner, Lloyd Dobler
Effect, in turn, emerged a wonderful brand
ambassador. “Boru has financially support-
52 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
ed their tour and as a result LDE travels the
country in a Boru branded trailer and per-
forms in front of a Boru-branded backdrop,”
affirms Glover. “We also coordinate on-
premise promotions everywhere they play,
where legal. With over 200 gigs this year,
that’s a lot of promotions. During this fall’s
contest, we’ll hold 500 bar band on-premise
promotions across the country.”
In the case of Ultimat Vodka, Carroll
says that the company decided on a slow
build strategy, launching it in select markets
(including California) and using many of
the same approaches that worked for Patron
Tequila. The message is clear and entic-
ing—“Live Ultimately”—and based on the
principle that in life, when one seeks out
the ultimate experience, it changes his or
her frame of reference, and no other experi-
ence will compare. “We’re supporting the
launch with on- and off- premise point of
sale materials beyond most new brand
launches, and have allocated for each mar-
ket a separate events budget to build brand
awareness in the right places,” says Carroll.
“We’re taking advantage of every opportu-
nity to make this one of the most successful
brand launches in the industry.
In the Stoli camp, meanwhile, they have
stirred things up with a new advertising
campaign, “Choose Authenticity,” which
Clayton says is the foundation of their com-
munication strategy, with iconography and
typography inspired by Russian
Constructivist art, a witty and engaging tone
and attitude that reinforces Stolichnaya’s
authenticity and pioneering spirit.
“In 2007, we launched Stoli Hotel,
which has traveled to such major metro
markets as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles
and Miami,” affirms Clayton. It is a travel-
ing pop-up entertainment venue, which was
inspired by the historic Moskova Hotel in
Moscow. With a combined attendance of
over 50,000 consumers, it has garnered
incredible press, major awards, but most
importantly delivered a unique brand expe-
rience.”
Then there are brands like Lotus, where
less can be more when getting the word out
on a new product, according to Bailey. “We
don’t think about the future too much,” he
states. “We just want to make an amazing
product that consumers feel passionate

KELLY Y GONZALEZ
BLOODY MARY MIX
Internationally kown for its outstanding
Bloody Mary mix, Kelly y Gonzalez
begin providing a high quality line
of cocktail mixes to businesses in
the Las Vegas and surrounding
Rocky Mountain states in 1973. In
response to requests from several
famous hotels and restaurants want-
ing a superior Bloody Mary mix
that would be consistently excellent
with each pour, our founder, Chuck
Kelly, soon developed what is now
the company’s signature mix, Kelly y
Gonzalez Bloody Mary mix. Made from a
very special recipe, they use only top quality
herbs, spices, tomato paste and whole pep-
pers to produce their unique Bloody Mary
mix. It is packaged “hot” off the bottling line
in glass bottles to preserve the fresh taste of the
ingredients.
In addition to delivering an unbeatable
Bloody Mary every time, many customers use
the Bloody Mary mix as the main ingredient in
several of their menu items, including soups,
chili’s and Italian dishes. “We have one cus-
tomer in Milwaukee that goes through cases
of our mix, without ever serving a drink,”
remarks Mike Kelly, President and CEO of
Kelly y Gonzalez.
A family owned business now
well into their second genera-
tion, Kelly y Gonzalez’s market-
ing strategy has always been to
focus primarily on on-premise
accounts, as well as smaller off
premise accounts serving cock-
tails. This strategy has resulted in
superior brand recognition. “We
have a strong following of cus-
tomers whose clients will accept
nothing but Kelly y Gonzalez, a fact
we are very proud of,” explains
Mike Kelly.
For more information, email
kellyygonzalez@hotmail.com. 
CATEGORY FOCUS: VODKA
about. Our goal is to grow the brand while
being true to our ideals and what we are
doing. If we just focus on doing good,
everything else will take care of itself.
While not necessarily innovative, we also
do extensive work with charities. They
have provided a great opportunity for us to
reach a cool, tastemaker crowd while also
giving back.”
Despite Bailey’s modesty, Lotus has
made serious headway via internet social
networks in reaching younger consumers.
They recently completed a campaign with a
company called AdNectar, where we
enabled fans of Lotus to give “virtual” cock-
tails to each other. In a few short weeks we
had more than 250,000 people in more than
15 countries that gave each other virtual
cocktails like the Lotus mojito.
Sengara feels that CÎROC will land on
top of the category by focusing its excep-
tional “liquid credentials” and continuing
their efforts with Sean “Diddy” Combs,
whom the company feels “optimizes the art
of celebration.” While the economic situa-
tion is a factor, the industry allows con-
sumers an “affordable” luxury. The dream
vacation and vehicle may be on hold, but
consumers can still continue to celebrate
life with CÎROC.
“By ensuring consumers a luxury experi-
ence, both when they are out for the
evening or enjoying CÎROC at home, we
will continue to add value to all of their
experiences,” Sengara says. “As we are re-
launching this brand, it is still important to
drive trial where and when possible.”
LIQUID ASSETS
For some vodkas, less is more when it comes
to building brand and image. Companies
like Stockholm Krystal, for example, put
emphasis on their name and reputation as a
good company, even though selling cases is
as important a goal.
“Stockholm Krystal is a family-owned
and operated company,” stresses marketing
director Erika Ingbrightsen. “As such, we’re
more focused on demonstrating our com-
mitment to providing the highest quality
handcrafted vodka in the market. As a
family company, we further define ourselves
54 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
through the support of local causes and
activities, and doing our part to make a dif-
ference. We have aligned with and champi-
on numerous charities across the country
that our close to our hearts and reflect our
core values as a family company.”
“Consumers are looking for new experi-
ences, and many of the “mega” brands like
Grey Goose have…become rather main-
stream,” observes Elwyn Gladstone, VP,
Marketing for Proximo Spirits, whose port-
folio includes the Three Olives family of
vodkas. “Our goal has been to innovate
with advertising, promotions and new prod-
ucts that make Three Olives the most inno-
vative, fun and exciting brand of super-pre-
mium vodka on the market. The opportuni-
ties are endless, and I personally feel the
vodka category will come to an end only
when we run out of flavors in the world.”
V2 importer Goldstein, likewise,
emphasizes innovation – this brand strives
to push the envelope with their marketing
and focuses on content toward and audi-
ence that will embrace it.
“If it’s shocking and memorable, it’s
worthwhile,” Goldstein states. “Once peo-
ple are aware of V2’s attributes, we have
devout consumers. We don’t want to do
what all the other brands are doing. As
there are dozens of citrus vodkas on the
market, we launched the first Mint Vodka
this year, made with real fresh mint leaves.
If you haven’t tried our Naughty Girl Scout
with V2 mint and Godiva Chocolate
liqueur, you’re in for a treat! The V2 signa-
ture custom ‘39 Zephyr is another tool for
raising awareness for the brand. We also
embrace many of the marketing opportuni-
ties that other premium spirits avoid such as
extreme sports. We would much rather lead
than follow. ”
According to Marsalle Imports’ Todd,
Zubrowka takes a grass roots approach, com-
bined with promotions that have fun with
the zu (zoo) theme. For example, they have
done parties where each bar is themed
around different zoo animals with drinks
that coincide. Efforts like this, have enabled
Zubrowka to emerge the #2 imported vodka
in Japan, #3 in France and a must for many
of the best back-bars in London. While the
brand has been marketed by Pernod-Ricard
in Europe, the re-positioning of Zubrowka
has opened the eyes of American drinkers
to the joys of Bison Grass Vodka. In con-
trast, Carroll says a brand can have it both
ways, with a marketing goal for Ultimat to
achieve high volumes in the ultra-premium
sub category and still enjoy the niche of
boutique brands.
No matter what the focus, Mandell
argues that the consumer, bartender, server
and retailers are key aspects of marketing
p.i.n.k. “The customer must understand the
unique properties of the product that will
enable them to have their favorite cocktail
while experiencing the benefits of caffeine
and guarana,” he says. “We’ve developed
award-winning marketing and promotions
materials that enable us to convey the most
important aspects of the brand that res-
onate with the consumer.”
Though SKYY Vodka is currently the
fourth largest brand in the market, and the
number-one premium domestic vodka in the
U.S., Daniel explains that good marketing is
a balancing act of expanding their volumes
without sacrificing the core values of what
the brand was built around: quality, innova-
tion and style. “If we lose sight of any one
of those key attributes, then we will lose
what makes us special to the consumer,
which we simply won’t do,” he declares.
For other vodkas, combining messages
of value and quality in just the right way to
opens door for new markets. Recently,
Sobieski Vodka announced that it broke all
records for a newly-introduced spirit to
attain its 200,000-case sales milestone.
“Critics, spirits industry players and now
consumers are responding to Sobieski
Vodka’s proposition of excellent quality,
crisp clean taste and affordable price,” says
Brandes. “Our message is “Truth in
Vodka.” We educate consumers that they
don’t have to pay a king’s ransom for a pre-
mium vodka. We encourage them to focus
on what’s in the bottle--namely authentici-
ty, tradition, heritage and taste--rather than
be distracted by flashy marketing cam-
paigns and pricey packaging. Our approach
is distinctly anti-hype.”
FROM THE FIELDS TO THE
BOTTLE TO TOP SHELF
Sobieski Vodka also plays with other mes-
sages that convey that what’s inside the
bottle is what matters most. Their trade
advertising and billboards targeting con-
sumers are generating interest and excite-
ment with provocative taglines that exem-
plify the “Truth in Vodka” campaign. They
include: “We Designed a Bottle to Suit the
Spirit Inside, “Notice the Lack of La-Di-
Da.” “Sex May Sell, But It Has Nothing to
Do with the Making of Great Vodka,”
“Who Needs Superdelegates? We’ve Got a
Whole Country Behind Us. The #1
56 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
Top selling vodkas at East L.A. Wholesale Beverages
Premium Vodka in Poland,” and “The #1
Premium Vodka in Poland. Finally, an
Endorsement that Matters.”
While image (or lack thereof, when
appropriate) and versatility play leading roles
in the showcases vodka producers and
importers put on to win fans, drawing atten-
tion to what’s inside a bottle is just as critical.
Ingbrightsen notes Stockholm Krystal
Vodka is produced by a family-owned opera-
tion, and is the result of old-world crafts-
manship enhanced by the refinements of
modern technology. “The original family
recipe is over 100 years old,” she says. “It is
made in Sweden from the finest premium
wheat, and distilled three times through
high-rise column stills through our unique
"center-cut" distilling process. We describe
the "spirit" in its purest form as "crystalline
essence." The essence is then filtered
twice through charcoal, which "polishes"
the product and imbues it with the clarity
and sparkle seen in the bottle. Finally, the
product is married with the pristine waters
for which the region in Sweden is so
renowned.”
While it is important for Gladstone
that Three Olives emerges as dominant
force in the market, he feels how they do it
is even more important. They keep a pulse
on the constantly changing consumer and
vodka market, and build the brand from the
inside out by listening and growing with our
loyal consumer while recruiting new ones
on the way.
Says Gladstone, “We try not to think
like other vodkas, because if you think like

BLOODY WONDERFUL!
Hathaway’s Mixers is not just a line of mix-
ers, but a fully-rounded concept designed
especially for the carefully selected
accounts…and the accounts’ particularly
selective customers. Though Appleton Lane
has created special gourmet Bloody Mary
mixes for more than a decade, the product
line, with its flavor profiles and unique mar-
keting approaches have only been around
for a year. Growth is intended to be steady
and carefully planned.
The Original, a superb base for the tra-
ditional Bloody Mary, is made with fresh
grated Horseradish, while their Robust
Bloody Mary mix features the distinctive kick
of fresh pureed Jalapenos. According to
Bright, the brand leaders of competing
Bloody Mary mixes make their products
with aseptic methods, which in turn, makes
it very difficult for the full flavor of the toma-
toes and other components of a Bloody
Mary to come through in a way that’s true
to the classic. Only a hands-on approach,
the Hathaway way, can address this prob-
lem satisfactorily.
Elevating the Bloody Mary mix catego-
ry to a new level is Hathaway’s Energy-
based Bloody Mary, incorporating B-12,
Taurine, Inositel, Caffeine, Niacin and
Glucuronolactone. The impetus to reinvent
this continuously rolling wheel, according to
Bright, came from a close examination of
what the energy drink market did over the
last five years, and noticing its annual
growth at double digit rates among the 21-
35 year-old market segment. However, as
Bright and his colleagues were keenly
aware energy drinks had a very specific
taste, they approached their chemists and
asked them if they could create an energy
“mix” that appealed to the youth demo-
graphic but end up with a flavor profile free
from the strong medicinal flavors often iden-
tified with energy drinks.
For more information, please visit hath-
awaysmixers.com. 
CATEGORY FOCUS: VODKA
everybody else, you look like everybody
else, and consumers don’t need more of the
same. We do flavors that no one would
think of (Root Beer, Tomato, Triple
Espresso), and focus on quality that no one
can come close to. Consumers tell us that
we are the only flavored vodka whose fla-
vor tastes like it says on the bottle. Finally,
we have an upcoming promotional and
advertising campaign that is going to set us
apart from the competition as a truly
unique, premium and differentiated brand.”
Among p.i.n.k’s many strategies,
Mandell says they are capitalizing on its
unique ingredients with an exciting mar-
keting tool called the “p.i.n.k. Energy
Cocktail Menu,” a separate cocktail menu
or feature on an existing cocktail menu
that highlights the functional aspects of
p.i.n.k. vodka. “This innovative cocktail
menu not only educates consumers on mul-
tiple applications of p.i.n.k. vodka, but also
generates additional revenue beyond the
traditional cocktail menu,” says Mandell.
“Because no other product can create cock-
tails infused with flavorless caffeine and
guarana, the account can sell each drink at
a higher price.”
In the perspective of Gary Clayton,
consumers are increasingly looking towards
brands with “heritage, authenticity and a
strong product story.” In this case, it’s the
fact that Stolichnaya’s heritage goes back
over 100 years and is truly the authentic
Russian vodka. “We were the first premi-
um-imported vodka in the U.S. and the first
to introduce flavored vodkas into the mar-
ket, which launched the ‘flavored vodka
revolution.’ We continue to introduce new
flavors into the market with our most recent
introduction, Blakberi. Stolichnaya Elit was
the first ultra-premium vodka to hit the
market in 2004. Stolichnaya is the only
vodka that has the depth of history and lin-
eage. The cornerstone of our strategy is to
build upon our pioneering spirit and
authentic Russian heritage.”
Kai Vodka, meanwhile, has the advan-
tage of offering consumers the “first Ultra
Premium Rice Vodka” and the first “Lychee
Flavored Vodka.” Therefore, Bender says
the Kai team shoots for accounts embracing
58 BIN 2 0 0 8 • I S S U E 8
the product’s uniqueness. Their primary
objective is to allow consumers to “taste
the pleasure” in Kai Vodka and Kai Lychee
Vodka. They have been part of many food
and wine events and have sent representa-
tives to participate in many on/off-premise
tasting events. For top echelon consumers,
they are collaborating with a travel compa-
ny to begin a travel package to Vietnam in
order to allow connoisseurs to experience
the country of Kai’s origins.
Other brands single out proprietary ingre-
dients. Kai Vodka is handcrafted in small
batches with Yellow-Blossom Rice, which
imparts a distinct sweetness to the finish.
Sonnema vodkaHERB offers their prod-
uct up as one that gives vodka a modern
twist with a historic recipe of high quality
herbs and gin, imparting an aromatic hint
of rosemary, thyme, juniper, licorice and
wormwood. CÎROC Vodka capitalizes on
the smooth, lightly sweet and supple body
imparted by the natural character of grapes,
even though its flavor is citrus-y and crisp.
With Pearl, Nickodym says teams sup-
porting the campaign determine its success
or failure. “While we have enjoyed success
with Pearl Vodka off-premise, we under-
stand that super-premium brands are built
on-premise,” he says. “We have expanded
our sales organization to include on-premise
sales specialists focusing the majority of
their efforts on promoting Pearl Vodka in
the leading vodka bars, clubs and restau-
rants in major metro markets across the
U.S. Our on-premise representatives are
focusing their efforts on gaining targeted
new distribution, securing signature Pearl
drink features/menus and hosting unique
promotional nights.”
While everybody has different opinions
about vodka, one thing we all can agree
upon is that there are a spellbinding num-
ber of products on the market, and just as
many ways to promote them. The fact that
consumers worldwide are continuing to
embrace the category’s new arrivals and old
standbys is testament to the fact vodka still
matters…and matters to the extent that
retailers and restaurateurs alike need to
educate themselves so they can continue to
meet the demand. 
 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA BUYERS GUIDE
1 2 ROOZ VODKA
Country Australia
Base Ingredient Australian Grapes
Tasting Notes This five times distilled
award-winning vodka has mild cassis and
spice aromas, with a dryish medium-bodied
palate.
Flavors: Caramel|Lemon Myrtle Leaf
Eucalyptus|Peppermint|Ginger
Pertzovka|Plum
2 267 OLIVE AND PEARL ONION VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient American Grain
Tasting Notes Ultra premium five times
distilled American grain vodka infused with
olives and pearl onions puts a touch of
sophistication on a classic.
Flavors: Olive & Pearl Onion|Cranberry
Lemon|Orange
3 3 VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Soy
Tasting Notes Carefully selected
components of the soy plant. Soy isolates, are
combined to create this revolutionary vodka
unrivalled in texture, flavor and smoothness.
GLUTEN FREE
Flavors: Black Raspberry
3 A.M. (caffeine, taurine, and guarana)
4 360 VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Corn
Tasting Notes Soft, silky entry leads to a
round, delicate, dryish light-tomedium body
with whipped cream and mineral flavors.
Finishes in a smooth, sweet, and lightly
warming powdered sugar, mild citrus zest, and
talc fade with nice length. A very smooth,
clean, gently style vodka for martinis or neat.
5 42 BELOW VODKA
Country New Zealand
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Fresh grain with hints of
warm summer rain on the nose. Slightly oily
over the tongue with hints of wheat and a
light touch of aniseed on the palate.
Flavors: Feijoa|Kiwifruit|Manuka Honey
Passionfruit
6 ABSOLUT VODKA
Country Sweden
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Clean and crisp with faint
lemon pie aromas; a faint taste of baked bread
adds an extra dimension; character to be of
martini quality; six parts to one part of dry
vermouth.
Flavors: Apeach|Citron|Kurrant|Mandrin
Peppar|Raspberri|Ruby Red|Grapefruit|Vanila
7 ABSOLUT VODKA 100 PRF BLACK
Country Sweden
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Distilled from grain-grown
in the rich fields of S. Sweden. It has been
produced at the famous old distilleries by
Ahus in accordance with more than 400 yrs
of Swedish tradition. Smooth beyond
compare.
8 ABSOLUT LOS ANGELES
Country Sweden
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes The Acai, Acerola,
Pomegranate & Blueberry flavored vodka
blends well with the trend-setting, forward-
thinking and evnironmentally consious spirit
of Los Angeles.
9 AMERICANA VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Water sourced from 300 feet
below sea level. Slow charcoal filtration
process using a carbon block filter. Finest
grains harvested from the American heart-
land. Delicate, organically sprayed decoration
process.
10 BELVEDERE VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Dankowskie Gold Rye
Tasting Notes This Vodka has notes of vanilla
and rye on the palate, the finish is crisp and
clean with lingering white pepper spice. It has a
distinctive creamy mouth feel.
Flavors: Cytrus | Pomarancza
 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA BUYERS GUIDE
11 BLACK TIE VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Distilled from Soft European
wheat from the world famous Cognac
region. Delicate white grape, fruity flavor.
12 BLUE ICE POTATO VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Idaho Burbank Potatoes
Tasting Notes A full-bodied, icy clear
vodka. Silky, slightly oily palate is clean and
earthy with the flavor of finely grown
potatoes and the lightest hints of citrus and
lavender. It finishes with a sprightly, short
cleanness.
13 BONG VODKA
Country Holland
Base Ingredient European Grain
Tasting Notes This vodka’s artisanal
formula has been handed down through five
generations of master distillers and produced
through a 150 Year Old manual process, rich
with traditional standards and superior
craftsmanship.
14 BOOMERANG VODKA
Country Australia
Base Ingredient Chardonnay Grapes
Tasting Notes This 100 percent grape
vodka is five times distilled, charcoal filtered
and bottled close to its source in South
Australia. The resulting drop is smooth, well-
balanced and has a supple mouthfeel –
perfect served neat or in a mixed vodka
cocktail.
15 BORU IRISH VODKA
Country Ireland
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes This vodka has crystalline
clarity, a delicate, feather weight body and an
intriguing bouquet of floral and vanilla notes.
The vodka rolls over the palate without bite,
burn or harshness - finish is long and
delectable.
Flavors: Citrus|Orange|Crazzberry
16 CAPE NORTH VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Golden Wheat from
France's Bourgogne region
Tasting Notes This vodka embodies the
purity of Sweden and the finesse of France.
Cape North is an exceedingly smooth vodka
with delicate flavors of vanilla and subtle
citrus notes.
17 CHARBAY DRY VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Corn and Rye
Tasting Notes Subtle toasty, charcoal
aromas, entry is off-dry to sweet and properly
oily, sweet gaminess, after taste is long, bitter
sweet and delectably oily.
Flavors: Blood Orange|Meyer Lemon|Ruby
Red Grapefruit|Raspberry|Green Tea
Pomegranate
18 CHOPIN POLISH VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Stobrawa Potatoes
Tasting Notes Produced exclusively from
Stobrawa potatoes for a distinctively clean,
yet bold tasting vodka with an oily mouth
feel, is incredibly smooth, and begins earthy
before shifting to a moderately sweet and
metallic finish.
19 CÎROC VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Grapes
Tasting Notes Refined citrus aromas,
smooth, lightly sweet and enriched by the
natural character of grapes that arouses the
palate, though is not grape flavored.
Finish – Crisp, clean, with no alcohol burn.
20 CRATER LAKE VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient American Grown Grain
Tasting Notes Filtered 10 times through
charcoal and crushed volcanic rock and then
aged slightly in oak. The lava rock filter
imparts a soft , spring water mouth feel that
finishes without any burn. The oak filter
leaves hints of vanilla and butter on the finish.
Flavors: Hazelnut Espresso
 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA BUYERS GUIDE
21 CRYSTALL VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes This vodka is double
distilled in a process that is five times slower
than ordinary vodkas and bottles only the
best vodka from the center of the distillation
tank. With a nose of rose, dry cereal and
cream, this is a superior vodka.
22 CZARS GOLD VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Premium Russian Grain
Tasting Notes Czar's Gold was created in
2003 to commemorate the 300th anniversary
of St. Petersburg using the same recipe used
for Peter the Great more than 300 years ago
but improved upon using modern technology.
23 DEATH’S DOOR VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes This American wheat vodka
is made with red winter wheat sustainably
grown on Washington Island, Wisconsin.
It has a sweet, grassy nose, with faint
vanilla and wheat tones. A sweetish
medium body, silky mouth feel and long
smooth finish of mineral and spice.
24 DOUBLE WHITE VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes A mild nose and a pleasantly
soft hint of melon rind harmonize into beau
tifully crafted boutique style vodka that
finishes with a gentle burn and no discernible
aftertaste.
25 EMPEROR’S BRAND VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes This vodka is distinctively
clean. It is made with selected grain “Lux”.
The 100% pure wheat is grown in the North
of France. Distilled six times.
26 FINLANDIA VODKA
Country Finland
Base Ingredient Finnish Six-Row Barley
Tasting Notes A well-balanced and
blended vodka that is deeply flavored. It is
semi-sweet with creamy, biscuity flavors, with
a hint of corn.
Flavors: Cranberry|Lime|Mango|Wild Berries
27 FIREFLY VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Muscadine Grapes
Tasting Notes The inspiration for a
muscadine wine flavored vodka came from
the 11.5 acres of vineyard where the distillery
is located. The muscadine infusion creates a
smooth sippin' vodka that is easily imbibed.
Flavors: Muscadine Wine|Sweet Tea
28 FLAWLESS VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes This smooth and luxurious
vodka is very soft from the start, finishing
crisp and clean with tremendous balance.
The distinctively fresh nose with subtly sweet
overtones makes the perfect straight-up
martini.
29 FRIS VODKA
Country Denmark
Base Ingredient All-natural Whole Grain
Tasting Notes Has an unusual fragrance -
a bit savory like ham, salty, and a bit flowery.
The taste starts out sweet and then finishes
with the savory and salty profile. A creamy,
smooth mouth feel but with a salty kick in
the finish.
Flavors: Apple|Lime
30 GREY GOOSE VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Winter Wheat
Tasting Notes Exceptionally soft and
delicate with a long smooth finish. Smoky
aroma, with hints of mint and grain. The
flavor is off-dry, has a moderate bite and has
notes of wheat and cocoa bean.
Flavors: La Poire|L'Orange|Le Citron
 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA BUYERS GUIDE
31 GVORI VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Polish Rye
Tasting Notes Lush, silky textures with
hints of vanilla and cream. Gvori is
superbly satisfying on its own, serve chilled.
32 HAMPTONS VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient 100% Yellow Corn
Tasting Notes Quadruple filtered
(4-column filtration). Clean, refreshing, and
well-balanced; great served neat.
NO SUGAR ADDED.
Flavors: Banana|ChocoRaspberry
CherryVanilla
33 HAN ASIAN VODKA
Country Korea
Base Ingredient Barley and Rice
Tasting Notes The spirit is extremely
delicate with a welterweight body and a
hesitant, yet pleasing bouquet. Its initial
attack is soft and plush, which then slowly
ebbs in a wash of clean, crisp neutrality.
34 HANGAR ONE VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Wheat and Voignier Grapes
Tasting Notes Sweetish, thick,and slightly
oily on the tongue, with a plump, round taste
to it. A wonderful, round mouthfeel to it;
almost creamy in texture. A near perfect
blend of wheat and grape distilates that form
a wonderful balance of tastes from both.
Flavors: Citron “Buddha’s Hand|Kaffir Lane
Mandarin Blossom
35 HENDRIX VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Corn and Rye
Tasting Notes 100% grain vodka marries
the finest selection of corn and rye from
Idaho and Utah, with natural Rocky
Mountain spring water. Distilled through four
pristine stainless steel columns, Hendrix
Electric Vodka is filtered through carbon and
crystal, resulting in true vodka of unparalleled
flavor and purity.
36 IMPERIAL COLLECTION VODKA
SUPER PREMIUM SOFT
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Premium Selected Grain
Tasting Notes Noted for its incomparable
soft taste; with a light hinge and a pleasant
soft aroma of cedar nuts, which masks the
spirit in taste, and sharpness in aroma in a
most remarkable way.
Super Premium|Super Premium Soft
Super Premium Strong
37 IMPERIA RUSSIAN VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes The palate entry shows
bittersweet notes of vanilla extract, unsalted
butter and grain mash; at midpalate the
astringency of the graininess is pleasingly
refreshing. The finish is more semisweet than
bittersweet.
38 JAGUAR VODKA
Country Barbados
Base Ingredient Sugar Cane Molasses
Tasting Notes The vodka is distilled from
pure Caribbean sugar cane molasses, and the
purest and cleanest coral and limestone
filtered water. Distilled a minimum five times
under low temperature. Crisp, clean tasting
vodka.
39 JEAN MARC XO VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Jean Marc vodka is
produced from four varietals of French wheat
and then distilled nine times in traditional
French copper Cognac stills. An
extraordinary vodka possessing a floral
bouquet, complex & elegant wheat flavors,
a silky texture and very long finish.
40 KAI VODKA
Country Vietnam
Base Ingredient Yellow Blossom Rice
Tasting Notes Kai Vodka has a bright and
complex aroma with hints of sweet spice,
vanilla, and tropical fragrances. Kai's unique
character preserves the natural essence of
Yellow Blossom Rice.
 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA BUYERS GUIDE

41 KAZUMOFF VODKA 46 LITHUANIAN VODKA

Country Armenia
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Smooth and very soft,
finishing crisp and clean with tremendous
balance. A fresh nose with subtly sweet
overtones makes the perfect straight-up
martini.
ORIGINAL
Country Lithuania
Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes Instantly recognized for its
smooth, distinctive character and taste.
It is best served cold alone or in a martini.
Flavors: Blackcurrant|Cherry|Cranberry
Raspberry|Bilberry|Pepper & Honey
Also available: Gold

42 KETEL ONE VODKA 47 LOTUS VODKA

Country Holland Country USA
Base Ingredient Wheat Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes Pleasing bouquet with hints Tasting Notes Silky with mellow vanilla
of charcoal and anise. Mildly spicy and and creamy texture; luscious and balanced
slightly sweet flavor. Rich texture. Long with great texture and clean, cohesive
citrusy finish. flavors.
Flavors: Citroen Lotus White: Ginseng
Lotus Blue: Guarana extract, Caffeine and
Taurine

43 KISSUI VODKA 48 MATRIOSHKA LUX VODKA

Country Japan
Base Ingredient Rice
Tasting Notes Kissui is made from the
finest rice and purest spring water in Japan.
Smooth and elegant, this well polished vodka
pleases the palate from the first sip to the
silky finish.
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes A soft, delicate entry leads
to a silky dryish light-to medium-bodied
palate with a mild taste. Very Clean.
Flavors: Cranberry|Honey

44 KROL VODKA 49 McCORMICK VODKA

Country Poland
Base Ingredient Rye
Tasting Notes Krol is made from 100%
Late Harvest Rye that is distilled four times
using pure Polish Mountain spring water.
Flavors: Lemon-Raspberry
Country USA
Base Ingredient American Grain
Tasting Notes Domestic vodka produced by
McCormick Distilling Company which was
started by Doc Holiday and is now the oldest
distillery west of the Mississippi. Made from
American grain and quadruple distilled. The
1.75 features a built-in handle for easy
pouring.

45 LEVEL VODKA 50 ORANGE V VODKA

Country Sweden
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Crystal clear with a totally
clean fragrance; refined aromas of sweet
Meyer lemons. Rich intense flavors, elegant
and smooth with a buttery, enticingly silky
and layered textured on the palate.
Country USA
Base Ingredient American Grain
Tasting Notes Clean smooth vodka with
intense Orange Flavors. Almost cordial in
nature, this vodka is loaded with real natural
Florida Oranges. Specifically you can taste
Mandarin, Valencia and Tangerine in this
exquisite blend. Great on the rocks or in your
favorite cocktail.
 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA BUYERS GUIDE
51 OVAL VODKA
Country Austria
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes A stunningly great vodka,
extremely smooth, with a warm spicy finish,
preferably consumed neat and at room
temperature.
52 PEARL VODKA
Country Canada
Base Ingredient Soft Winter Wheat
Tasting Notes Crystal clear and colorless.
Very clean with neutral aromas, smooth and
balanced with hints of citrus and spice on the
palate. The finish is very clean with a slight
vanilla note.
Flavors: Blueberry|Coconut|Plum
Pomegranate
53 PERFECT 1864 VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Perfect 1864 is an
ultra-premium vodka distilled in France,
which uses a unique certification process for
each batch, as it strives for perfection.
54 p.i.n.k. VODKA
Country Holland
Base Ingredient Dutch Winter Wheat
Tasting Notes Plump grain body glides past
the tongue- nipping at it with the alcohol
edge and nice lingering finish. Slight
sweetness and a bread/grain taste to the
finish. Infused with caffeine and guarana.
55 PINKY VODKA
Country Sweden
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Pale pink colour. Delicate
rose petal, and violet scent with hint of jas
mine. Soft delivery on the palate with lively
feel and texture. Firm through the mouth
with full aromatic of rose simply filling every
crevice. Lift of alcohol reinforces the rose
character. Lively, clean finish.
56 PINNACLE VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes A subtle sweetness balanced
with a smooth, clean finish that can only
come from the finest French wheat and the
purist spring water.
57 PRAIRIE VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Organic #2 Yellow Corn
Tasting Notes Hints of melon and pear on
the nose, creamy on the palate, bright and
smooth at the finish.
58 PRAVDA VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Rye
Tasting Notes Produced in the Carpathian
Mountain District of southern Poland since
1743. Made with the purest spring water and
local late harvest rye for a softer, mellower
taste. Distilled 5 times for purity.
59 PRIMO VODKA
Country Argentina
Base Ingredient Malbec Grapes
Tasting Notes Varnishy nose; thick and
creamy with dry, rich fruit flavors with some
earthiness.
60 PURUS
Country Italy
Base Ingredient Organic Italian Wheat
Tasting Notes Light body and citrus,
velvety cereal sweetness.
 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA BUYERS GUIDE
61 RESORT VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Select Grains
Tasting Notes Distilled four times, very
clean and smooth. This vodka was created for
those who want to have a little fun or bring
home a gift as a token of their trip or
vacation. Each bottle is labeled for the town
or resort that the product is sold in.
62 RUSKOVA VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes Clear. Lightly spicy, cream,
and mineral oil aromas. A supple, very
smooth, and supple texture with delicate
anise and cream flavors. Elegant, graceful,
oily fade. Very smooth and classy. An
exceptional vodka for the money!
63 RUSSIAN STANDARD VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Mellow, rounded and full of
body, opening with light, creamy aniseed and
supported by subtle sweetness and balancing
dryness. Continues with underlying grain and
mellow spice. Luscious, fresh aniseed with a
creaminess and hint of pepper, lingering
finish.
64 SAAGA 1763 VODKA
Country Estonia
Base Ingredient Winter Rye & Wheat
Tasting Notes Clear. Neutral aromas with
hints of buttered rye toast, vanilla and talc.
A very smooth and delicate entry leads to a
silky light-to-medium body of very clean
whipped cream, toast, and wet stone flavors
with a hint of mossy herbs. Finishes in a long,
sweet cream, mineral, white pepper, and pasty
dough fade. Nice purity of subtle flavors.
65 SEAGRAM'S PLATINUM SELECT VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes First whiffs detect smoky
notes of tobacco leaf, cigar ash and charcoal.
As advertised, it’s smooth on the tongue at
palate entry, then it turns a bit prickly and
hot by midpalate, all the time featuring very
toasty-smoky notes. Finish is ashy, charcoal-
like and slightly oily.
66 SIKU GLACIER ICE VODKA
Country Netherlands
Base Ingredient Greenlandic Glacier Ice
blended grain alcohol
Tasting Notes Clear and very clean with
neutral aromas. Thick, firm, and structured
on the palate with a hint of citrus; clean
finish.
67 SKYY VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes The grain takes a backseat in
the early sniffing stages as bittersweet
bean- and kernel-like scents dominate; later
whiffs merely confirm the intense bean/cocoa
quality. Palate entry mirrors the bouquet to a
tee; at midpalate, the kernel-like intensity
turns smooth and viscous on the tongue.
Ends bittersweet and oily.
68 SKYY 90 VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes Properly clear and
impeccably pure. Entry has plenty of grainy,
spirity giddy-up and adds a a note of
sweetness; by the midpalate stage, the spirit
warmth fades, leaving behind a subtle
biscuity, wheat cracker finish.
69 SKYY INFUSIONS VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Grain & Fruit
Tasting Notes A unique, all-natural infused
experience made with premium SKYY Vodka
and succulent real fruit.
Flavors: Citrus|Cherry|Passion Fruit
Raspberry|Grape
70 SMIRNOFF VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes Clear. Creamy powdered
sugar and talc aromas. Supple and delicate on
the palate with a lightly glycerous texture and
dusty minerality with hints of sweet anise and
citrus. Finishes soft and clean.
Flavors: Blueberry|Green Apple|Citrus|
Watermelon|Raspberry|Vanilla|Lime
Orange|Black Cherry|Strawberry|Cranberry
 2008 HOLIDAY VODKA BUYERS GUIDE
71 SNOW QUEEN VODKA
Country Kazakhstan
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Full, well-controlled palate
offering a good balance of texture and
softness, and a gentle sweetness.
72 SOBIESKI VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Dankowski Rye
Tasting Notes Balanced, delicate and
elegant, it has a nose of slightly acidic
fruitiness. On the palate, it is well structured.
The fruit is still present, but so are the spicy
and slightly acid notes from the rye.
73 SONNEMA VodkaHERB
Country Holland
Base Ingredient Corn, Rye and Wheat
Tasting Notes Aromatic hint of rosemary,
thyme, juniper, licorice and wormwood,
Sonnema vodkaHERB gives cocktails a layer
of smooth herbaciousness and complexity –
and is delicious alone.
74 SQUARE ONE VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Organic American Rye
Tasting Notes Clean taste and texture –
luscious in a straight vodka martini and an
exquisite partner in more complex culinary-
style cocktails.
75 STILETTO VODKA
Country Kyrgyzstan
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Made from the finest
Russian wheat and pure artesian spring water,
Stiletto is seductively smooth.
Flavors: Chocolate|Vanilla|Mint
76 STOLI VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Winter Wheat
Tasting Notes A clean white spirit with
pure, neutral, flavours and an enduring
crispness on the palate reminiscent of a
Siberian glacier.
Flavors: Blakberi|Blueberi|Citros|Cranberi
Ohranj|Peachik|Razberi|Strasberi|Vanil
77 STOLI ELIT VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Winter Wheat
Tasting Notes Light, clean, fresh and
engaging. On the palate smooth, mellow,
silky and velvety - rich and harmonious,
with rounded vodka notes.
78 STOCKHOLM KRYSTAL VODKA
Country Sweden
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Distinctive for its mineral-
citrus nose, which douses the palate with
weight and a demure aftertaste. The finish is
a gratifying balance of aromas and flavor.
79 SV (SOYUZ-VICTAN) VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes Cream, vanilla, and star
anise aromas. A round supple entry lead to a
dryish, silky medium body of sweet cream,
mineral, vanilla, and delicate peppery spice
flavors. Finishes with a long, sweet cream and
mineral fade. Excellent balance, smoothness
and length.
80 SVEDKA VODKA
Country Sweden
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Clear. Medium-bodied.
Custard and vanilla flavors. Unusual aromas
are attractive and show a measure of
complexity.
Flavors: Clementine|Raspberry|Vanilla
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81 TITO’S HANDMADE VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Corn
Tasting Notes Light, clean bouquet, a
medium body, a marvelously crisp flavor and
an impressively long finish.
82 TENURE VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Polish Wheat
Tasting Notes Seven distillations for
extreme clarification...this vodka has a crisp
yet smooth finish...the ideal, classic vodka for
connoisseurs.
83 THREE OLIVES VODKA
Country England
Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes Shows gin like aromas of
juniper and light citrus moderately rich
texture very clean rush of zesty citrus notes.
Flavors: Passionfruit|Mango|Pomegranate
Cherry|Berry|Grape|Watermelon
Chocolate|Orange|Vanilla|Green Apple
Raspberry|Citrus|Triple Shot Espresso
Root Beer|Tomato
84 TOUCH VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Grain
Tasting Notes Touch Vodka Original is
infused with fermented wild honey from the
Florida Everglades giving this award winning
vodka a full bodied taste.
Flavors: Valencia Orange|Key Lime
85 TRU ORGANIC VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Organic Wheat
Tasting Notes Clean, smooth and
well-rounded with a neutral finish.
Flavors: Lemon|Vanilla
86 TRUMP VODKA
Country Holland
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Clear appearance; superb
clarity. Dry earthy scents of grain and
paraffin. The bouquet offers tantalizing
nuances of leather and jasmine.
Flavors: Orange|Citron|Grape| Raspberry
87 ULTIMAT VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Wheat, Rye and Potato
Tasting Notes Masterly crafted from three
distinct blends, Ultimat Vodka is an epitome
of pureness accented by clean and refined
taste that captures the essence of
sophistication and style.
88 U'LUVKA VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Rye, Wheat and Barley
Tasting Notes It is fresh, clean and elegant
on the nose. Creamy and lightly buttery in
character, with impressive sweet, savoury and
spicy flavours, aniseed freshness and a long
vibrant grain finish.
89 UV VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Corn
Tasting Notes A light vodka that shows a
distinct citrus note. A little thin of body but
incredibly easy to sip.
Flavors: Apple|Blue|Cherry|Citruv|Grape
Lemonade|Orange|Vanilla
90 UVIX ITALIAN VODKA
Country Italy
Base Ingredient Italian Grapes
Tasting Notes Light floral aromas and
flavors with hints of orange, tangerine and
grape must that cost the palate and linger
through the finish.
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91 V2 VODKA
Country Holland
Base Ingredient Long Grain Wheat
Tasting Notes Clasic vodka smell with
mineral and floral notes. V2 is smooth but
still carries a pleasant bite that reminds you
that you're drinking vodka.
Caffeine and Taurine infused.
Flavors: Mint
92 VAN GOGH VODKA
Country Holland
Base Ingredient Wheat, Corn & Barley
Tasting Notes Very clean and pure with a
beautifully fragrant nose. A classic neutral
vodka with a pleasing oily texture.
Flavors: Espresso|Double Espresso
Acai-Blueberry|Chocolate|Pineapple
Pomegranate|Appel|Banana|Vanilla
Raspberry|Oranje|Citroen|Coconut
Melon|Mango|Black Cherry|Mojito Mint
93 VERMONT WHITE VODKA
Country USA
Base Ingredient Pure Milk Sugar
Tasting Notes Crystal clear, smooth and
with a delicate nose, this vodka is excellent
straight and chilled.
94 VOX VODKA
Country Netherlands
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Muted nose of light hay,
charcoal/ash, and licorice. Soft, smooth
palate. Medium-bodied, yet with weight.
Very clean and elegant, showing a refined
profile. Somewhat guarded as deeper, smoky,
earthy elements come forth. A very seductive
style.
Flavors: Green Apple| Raspberry
95 XELLENT SWISS VODKA
Country Switzerland
Base Ingredient Swiss Rye
Tasting Notes The initial whiffs find herbal
aromas with faint hints of jasmine and moss:
additional scents of tea leaves, minerals and
wet stone appear in the later passes. The
palate entry is semisweet and biscuity;
midpalate is nutty, concentrated and
remarkably mineral-like.
96 X-RATED VODKA
Country France
Base Ingredient Wheat & Roseberry Grain
Tasting Notes The spirit has a silky
smooth texture, which causes a band of
warmth to trend down from mouth to
stomach. There is a slight hint of vanilla to
the flavor. 100% organic and GE free.
97 YES! VODKA
Country Holland
Base Ingredient Wheat
Tasting Notes Smooth vanilla nose; fresh
dry and silky, with spice and a long, elegant
finish; from the Netherlands.
98 ZODIAC VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Potato
Tasting Notes Hand-crafted and distilled in
Idaho. Zodiac is ultra smooth with hints of
vanilla.
Zodiac produces twelve unique bottle
designs, one for each sign and each with its
own horoscope
99 ZUBROWKA VODKA
Country Poland
Base Ingredient Rye
Tasting Notes An amazing tasting
vodka, with a grassy, herby palate with lovely
hints of citrus, vanilla, and lavender. These
tastes are all tempered with subtle chocolate
& vanilla flavors.
100 ZYR VODKA
Country Russia
Base Ingredient Winter Wheat & Rye
Tasting Notes The entry is superiorly
smooth and leads to a very clean, fresh palate
in which the grain background is continued.
It finishes short and clean with a ever-so-
slight sweetness.