Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/19027
COVER STORY optimal balance of starch and protein to make a very robust, yet very pure alcohol,” attests Choe. “It gives the vodka a certain integrity of flavors so that when you mix it in a cocktail, you know it’s there.” It is this emphasis on the flavor of the base spirit, without additives, that has truly allowed Absolut to refocus its branding and marketing strategies on the vodka itself and its superior personality and mixability. “Many of our competitors add sugar to achieve roundness or smoothness,” states Choe. “We feel like that destroys the integrity of the product,” he continues, driving home the point that, for Absolut, spotlighting what’s in the glass rather than what’s not in the glass—i.e., keeping the emphasis on taste and flavor—will be the keys to Absolut’s continued success. The Core Message Is the Cocktail “We’ve gone back to the bartender,” tinct features that have made Absolut a mainstay in the vodka category for the past 30 years. “The technical foundation is extremely important,” says Choe, “and the fact that Absolut is single-sourced—every single drop of every single bottle is made in Sweden—gives us control over every single aspect of production.” This ownership allows Absolut to maintain the highest quality of ingredients, and therefore of the final product, through direct relationships with everything 40 / the tasting panel / november 2010 from the wheat fields to the water source. “We have a proprietary water source that is extremely pure, which establishes the optimal viscosity of our product.” Although enjoying complete control of production has been an undeniable factor in Absolut’s success, self- governance means nothing without perfect base ingredients, which, thankfully, the brand’s got covered in its use of high-quality Swedish winter wheat. “Swedish winter wheat has the says Simon Ford, an announcement per- haps but also a recognition that Absolut is experiencing an on-premise come- back. “The core message is the cocktail, but also that Absolut tastes good.” Ford is in L.A. and ready to start shooting the next episode of this season’s NBC series On the Rocks: The Search for America’s Top Bartender, which airs this month. Lights and cam- eras are at the ready, bringing a spec- tacular look to the already magnificent central bar at The Edison. This dazzling paleo-industrial venue is certainly one of the most legendary mixology havens in Los Angeles, if not America, and jaws can be heard dropping as out-of- town contestants and crew explore the cavernous underground space. But the real focus is the bar, where Ford helps put a final polish on the glassware to be used. “Absolut is showing bartenders that we care,” Ford insists, pointing to the top eight contes- tants, who are vying for the program’s coveted title after an 11-city audition tour. “The show’s importance lies in our ability to bring an understanding of the cocktail world to the national viewing audience. And it’s also great exposure for these bartenders from all over the U.S. to be on television and promote their trade.” PHOTO: ROB BROWN