IMBIBE

ABSOLUT BLANK Artist Series

The ABSOLUT Vodka bottle’s kaleidoscopic range of iterations in print ads, short film pieces and throughout copious collaborations have made the liquor brand’s basic container a valuable asset and a veritable canvas for aspiring artists across the globe. Honing in on a marketing opportunity, ABSOLUT selected 18 creatives to get involved with ABSOLUT BLANK - a project that pretty self-explanatorily asks each participant to lend a visual makeover to a model of one of the brand’s standard, blank vodka bottles. The eclectic results include the intricate and surreal work of Good Wives and Warriors, energetic collage imagery from Mario Wagner, graphic design from Robert Mars and bright, geometric artwork from UVA, among others. Simply a great idea, ABSOLUT BLANK demonstrates how the venerable vodka brand has managed to once again leverage one of their most basic commodities - their bottle - as a trademark. It may not be tall, slender, glossy or frosted; but the ABSOLUT bottle makes for an ideal blank canvas for artists of all kinds. At the end of the day, that’s a lot more valuable than a luxurious or high-end perceived brand value. Art as commerce - Warhol would have been proud. 

Check out more from ABSOLUT BLANK here.

Hangar One Vodka Blimp Tour

Hangar One Vodka has long been a favorite of mine. From their quirky, seasonal flavored offerings (Buddha’s Hand Citron, anyone?) to the eponymous vintage airplane hangar that serves as their headquarters in Alameda, California - Hangar One is not your run-of-the-mill liquor brand. As the company has purposely eschewed standard publicity tactics such as club partnerships and celebrity-laden party-throwing in favor of a craft cocktail series and creation of self-promoting, limited edition flavors such as Chipotle and Wasabi, it’s no surprise that their latest advertising stint is not exactly a party bus. The Hangar One Vodka Blimp Tour harkens back to the brand’s aerial origins by sending a fully-branded zeppelin on a twenty-city, cross-country journey, landing at planned destinations along the way in order to host bartender “mix offs” using their hand-crafted vodka as the key ingredient. Destined to land at home in California by the end of November, the 120’ long blimp’s promotional material includes some lovely commissioned drawings and a bottle of classic Hangar One alongside information on where and when to spot their flying brand ambassador and - why not? - a map and some stickers.

Imbibe responsibly and learn more about the Hangar One Vodka Blimp Tour here.

Redhook Brewery Rebrand

Redhook Brewery is an interesting case study in the ever-shifting world of craft beer and microbreweries. A bit of an anomaly, Redhook was not started in Brooklyn but rather Seattle. It’s a microbrew, historically, yet the brand is almost 30 years old and owned partly by Anheuser-Busch. So, what does a slightly corporatized, ever-expanding beer company with a history of local tradition do when it wants to rebrand its product? Well, according to Seattle agency Hornall Anderson, choose an aesthetic rarely embraced by beer drinkers of any kind. With it’s tapered bottle reminiscent of a sports drink, brightly colored flavor-differentiating labels and clean, stylized mountain logo re-imagined, Redhook’s new brand is certainly a success visually. The question is, however, in a market where stark and modern design is rarely seen used successfully - how will the brewery’s fans react to the change? Personally, I like the look but am still dubious about how it fits into a sea of competitors touting van Gogh-style emblems (Blue Moon), tattoo-inspired inscriptions (Rogue) and heritage-driven no nonsense marketing (Blue Point), just to name a few.

Source: FastCompany

Leopards + Lions Bitters

With the cocktail revolution in full force, it makes sense that a line of artisanal bitters would pop up. Hand-manufactured in - where else? - Brooklyn, Leopards + Lions is leagues ahead of the rest of the Angostura-imitators. Why? Because with a product like bitters it all comes down to quality and packing, and Leopards + Lions has got both. Bottled in authentic 19th century apothecary jars, the NYC-based range of cocktail accessories are individually crafted with organic fruits and flowers, fresh herbs and a slew of exotic spices. Available in the enticing Cherry Burdock (sounds tailor-made for an Old Fashioned), savory Orange Cardamom (marvelous for a Sazerac) and refreshing Dandelion Lemongrass (which the brand deems “perfect for summer” and would be sure to spice up any old G & T), the bitters are available now for $18 over at End of Century. Despite the relatively high price, this stuff is potent and a little bit will go a long way. Plus, when you’re done with the product, you’ve got a unique, vintage cork-topped bottle to use as you see fit. Well done!

Imbibe responsibly. 

Recipe: Liberté Cocktail

Although Hennessy Cognac is best known for being commissioned by Napoleon himself, the great Emperor shouldn’t get all the credit for Revolutionary-era drinking. Bastille Day approaches rapidly and, although most Americans couldn’t care less, I am a bit of a closeted Francophile and feel the need to honor the beginning of the great, bloody proletariat Revolution (the bourgeois Revolution technically occurred earlier when the clergy defected to the Third Estate, allowing it to seize control of the Estates General). Created especially for Lillet, a quintessentially French apertif, mixologists Nicole Cloutier and Jacqueline Patterson have crafted this recipe for the Liberté Cocktail (hopefully Egalité and Fraternité are not far behind). It’s simple, incredibly refreshing and no doubt something similar to any concoction the noble classes would find themselves sipping on the Riviera or at Versailles just moments before being dragged off to the guillotine. Here’s what you’ll need:

3 ounces Lillet Blanc

1 ounce Hendrick’s gin

2 dashes orange bitters (or more to taste)

1 orange peel 

Combine all wet ingredients in a shaker full of ice, stir gently but vigorously (despite James Bond’s inclinations, vermouth shouldn’t be shaken as it bruises the delicate spirit) and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist the orange rind to release some essential oils, drag along the glass’ rim and drop into the cocktail to garnish. Sip slowly while thoughtfully pondering whether you’d be more of a Jacobin or a Dantonist.

Imbibe Responsibly.