The Pornstar Martini at LG ’ s Bar & Kitchen in Chicago , with vanilla vodka , passion fruit liqueur , lime juice and passion fruit puree , can be upgraded with a split of prosecco .
PHOTO CREDIT : © ANDREW-CEBULKA - STOCK . ADOBE . COM
Félix in Charleston , SC , serves hundreds of Espresso Martinis on any given Saturday night .
LG ’ s Bar & Kitchen in Chicago introduced the Pornstar Martini to its lineup in 2022 . The colorful drink , made with vanilla vodka , passion fruit liqueur , lime juice and passion fruit puree , is priced at $ 14 ; guests can add a split of prosecco for $ 6 .
Not that vodka cocktails need to be sweet ; savory classics include The Bloody Mary and the Dirty Martini . The trendy Caprese Martini at Jac ’ s On Bond in New York uses Grey Goose vodka , Lustau Blanco vermouth and balsamic vinegar , garnished with skewered cherry tomatoes .
Bartender Damien Emery just created The Herbalist cocktail for the bar and patio at Husk Charleston . An homage to celery inspired by the classic “ ants on a log ” snack , the drink combines paprika-infused vodka , Velvet Falernum , Genepy herbal liqueur , celery and lemon .
“ I think Millennials are really driving a lot of the mixology and cocktail trends in the country ,” says Harb with Fierce & Kind . “ We ’ re hearing from bartenders that predominantly Millennials are ordering classic vodka drinks such as the Martini . It ’ s wonderful seeing younger people appreciating the quality of the minimalist , extraordinary cocktail .”
PREMIUMIZATION VS . PRICE SENSITIVITY
The vodka category will likely continue to see modest premiumization over the next few years , “ but we think most of the growth comes from trading up to premium price tiers from value tiers ,” says Southern Glazer ’ s Poelma . Vodka also remains a category that is fairly price sensitive , he adds , which will drive what price segments a lot of the future innovation resides in .
While Wilbur ' s Total Beverage in Fort Collins , CO , reports robust vodka sales , general manager Mat Dinsmore has been seeing consumers trade higher-priced vodka for cheaper options in the past 12 to 18 months . “ Ketel One is doing quite well and Absolut is hitting a wall , but Tito ’ s is the only brand growing � everybody else is off ,” notes Dinsmore .
Indeed , category leader Tito ’ s is the only vodka in the top 10 to achieve significant growth ; most brands in fact reported declines .
“ We ’ re seeing a lot of vodka companies take things a little too far and price customers out of categories ,” Dinsmore says . “ Spirits are losing share nationwide right now , and some of these price increases are making people look at other options .”
THE FUTURE OF VODKA
While Revechki expects vodka consumption to increase , he also hopes to see some of the smaller , more boutique brands take the spotlight over
Fierce & Kind makes its vodka with corn , which gives the spirit botanical notes .
the next few years . “ These smaller brands are able to be more creative and fluid and offer products that are more interesting ,” Revechki says .
Harb also anticipates more of a resurgence of vodka in the coming years . “ 2024 may not be an important indicator of that , but we will see over the next half decade vodka reemerging as a consumer favorite , both at home and at their favorite restaurant ,” he notes .
Justin Stiefel , CEO and co-founder of Heritage Distilling Co ., which makes several flavored vodkas , also notes that customers are looking for vodka brands that they can connect with .
“ There will emerge a sweet spot where the next major widely adopted vodka brand is great tasting , great for cocktails , has authentic roots and most importantly , has a clear and honest mission about supporting something more important to the broader community beyond just the brand itself ,” he says .
“ The next generation of vodka consumers are searching for the brand that will partner with them to help shape the kind of community they want to see ,” Stiefel explains .
“ But the key is to line up all the necessary attributes that very few brands can harness simultaneously : quality , price , value proposition , story and
the team to grow it properly .”
Otherwise , Stiefel notes , “ Does the world really need another vodka ?” •
30 Beverage Dynamics • Summer 2024 www . beveragedynamics . com