Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/518118
june 2015 / the tasting panel / 1 19 Tasting Notes Deep Eddy Ruby Red A benchmark grapefruit profile made with the real thing. The nose and the palate upholds the Texas Ruby Red image and zippy fresh sweetness to a tee. That fresh-squeezed flavor in Deep Eddy's round- bodied, luxe texture is as aromatic as it is palate-pleasing. 94 —M. M. Deep Eddy Vodka The ten-times-distilled original 80-proof Deep Eddy Vodka offers up scents of vanilla and a puff of marshmallow on the nose. The palate's delicate nature has an echo of blueberry sweetness with a creamy, lemon drop finish. Pretty, soft and round. 92 —M. M. DEEP EDDY VODKA E ntrepreneurs Chad Auler and Clayton Christopher both had extensive backgrounds in develop- ing successful beverage brands, but it was when they joined forces and launched Deep Eddy Vodka that things really began to click. Now a local favorite in hometown Austin, Deep Eddy Vodka is distilled from corn in small batches at their new Texas distillery using real ingredients like lemons and Ruby Red grapefruits from California, New England cranberries and whole leaf tea from Indonesia. According to co-founder Chad Auler there are two things that distinguish Deep Eddy from the competition: the liquid and the brand. "Our vodkas are made exclusively with high-quality, real ingredients. We then pair the premium liquid with a brand look-and-feel that harkens back to quality, purity and good times from classic Americana. Every aspect of the brand experience from liquid to marketing says that it stands for quality, authenticity and just plain fun." It would be just plain wrong not to mention the extraordinary range of flavors Deep Eddy has con- cocted, which now includes Lemon, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Cranberry and Sweet Tea flavored vodkas. "Because we use real ingredients, our vodkas keep the look and taste of the natural juices that go into making them," says Eric Dopkins, CEO of Deep Eddy Vodka. "The positive response we've seen from both consumers and the trade have made us the fastest growing vodka brand in the U.S." DEEP EDDY E Vodka that things really began to click. batches at their new Texas distillery using real ingredients like lemons and Ruby Red grapefruits from California, New England cranberries and whole leaf tea from Indonesia. competition: the liquid and the brand. "Our vodkas are made exclusively with high-quality, real ingredients. We then pair the premium liquid with a brand look-and-feel that harkens back to quality, purity and good times from classic Americana. Every aspect of the brand experience from liquid to marketing says that it stands for quality, authenticity and just plain fun." cocted, which now includes Lemon, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Cranberry and Sweet Tea flavored vodkas. into making them," says Eric Dopkins, CEO of Deep Eddy Vodka. "The positive response we've seen from both consumers and the trade have made us the fastest growing vodka brand in the U.S." Tasting Notes The marshmallow/candied blueberry perfume spreads quickly out of the glass and into the nose in a feverish momentum. A vein of cocoa dust and white pepper merge in tandem, like a heartbeat, flowing to the mid- palate and terminating with a ghostly whisper of anise. 90 —M.M. VIRUS VODKA A vodka must have an unusual hook to be successful in this market, and even then, there's no guarantee that your brand will appeal to consumers. While other spirits fight for credibility and mainstream acceptance, Virus Vodka has taken the road less traveled and is looking for a client base that is, shall we say, askew of the norm. There has to be a place behind your bar for a vodka marketed in an Erlenmeyer flask and sporting a biological hazard symbol. The American-made spirit is produced from 100% corn that is six-times dis- tilled in a continuous column still. After the vodka exits the still, it is subjected to TerrePURE ultrasonic filtration, an entirely revolutionary system for filtering impurities out of spirits. The finished vodka is gluten-free, kosher-certified and bottled at 80 proof. According to "Patient Zero," creator of Virus Vodka, the product name and packaging are unlike anything developed for the beverage industry. "I grew up a rebel and was into everything from horror and sci-fi films to comic books, in addition to having numerous tattoos. All of the things I was into growing up are now becoming mainstream. After 14 years in the beverage business, I decided to put what I loved growing up and my career experience together to develop Virus Vodka. There are many consumers out there like myself that have embraced Virus Vodka for what it stands for. Virus Vodka is about a person's individuality and originality, and we invite consumers to embrace their inner Patient Zero."