Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/413994
november 2014 / the tasting panel / 125 ? WHAT'S LEFT TO SAY ABOUT VODKA F rom Russia, with Luxury NEFT VODKA BRINGS MODERN RUSSIA STATESIDE T he time has come to stop associating the term "oil baron" with Texas tea, Angus beef and bourbon: With the oil-rich Siberian tundra producing millions of barrels of black gold, NEFT Vodka demands to be consumed by Russia's wealthiest consumers, draped in furs and nibbling on caviar. Meaning "oil" in Russian, NEFT Vodka was inspired by the enormous wealth and prosperity rolling out of Russia's oil-loaded lands, and is intended to be a vodka "by oilmen, for oilmen," in honor of the resource that had made them rich. Made from a blend of four premium ryes and pure Austrian Alpine spring water, NEFT offers the characteristic smoothness we've come to expect from a luxury Russian vodka. NEFT's got more up its sleeve to revolutionize the game: With a unique oil barrel bottle that's unlike anything else you'll see on the backbar, NEFT's packaging is luxe with a hip modern feel that speaks to urban trendsetters with cash to spare. Even cooler? The 100 percent metal barrel means this bottle chills quickly and is great at holding Siberian-like low temperatures. From a distribution perspective, NEFT's lightweight packaging cuts down on shipping costs, and its unique shape makes it the only stackable spirit to market, saving time and money as it makes its way to retail shelves. Proving that it's out to continually push the vodka envelope, NEFT is also the only vodka branded with the Bitcoin logo and intended to be sold in the Bitcoin marketplace. It has also produced a series of GoPro- made videos that have gone viral, proving that technol- ogy and savvy marketing can bring a Siberian standard to the global market. The future is here, my friends, and it's in the shape of a NEFT barrel. by Rachel Burkons