Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/701904
july 2016 / the tasting panel / 95 Show and Tell with MEDEA Vodka With more than 200 years and seven generations of spirit production under its belt, the House of Herman Jansen—established in 1777 and located in Schiedam, the Netherlands—knows about making a world-class spirit. The establishment received the Honorable Distiller of the Year and was given the title of World Class Distillery in 2012. Under the care of its Master Distiller, Ad van der Lee, and his team, the distillery produces MEDEA Vodka (SRP $29.99), which was relaunched in 2014 and blends traditional methods with innovative practices. Coal-filtered and made from non-GMO European wheat, the vodka came home with a Gold Medal from the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. To match the exquisitely-crafted spirit that rests within the confines of the glass, the bottle itself lights up a room. Utilizing patented technology, the packaging features a pro- grammable LED strip. This banner scrolls through a message in blue lettering. It comes with six popular pre-programmed phrases, such as "Happy Birthday," "Happy New Year" and "Congratulations," transforming it into the perfect gift for your consumer. The band can also display personalized messages that are programmed with any expression through the Medea Vodka App, which is available to Apple and Android users. You could add the name of your bar, suggest a cocktail or cheer on your city's favorite sports team; the options are only defined by your imagination. When not in use, it can easily be turned off and the battery will last 20 hours, but we doubt that you will be able to keep the bottle from emptying before the LED strip loses its juice. It will definitely catch the attention of any guest and brighten any backbar, quite literally. —E. C. Tasting Notes Sweet vanilla cream is the accent on the nose, with a generous, welcoming white peppered floral opening and a creamy textured middle. The finish nips with pepper and soothes with caramel. —M. M. MEDEA VODKA