Drink Vodka Like a Celebrity

Celebrities have incredible power of persuasion in today’s society. If Jennifer Lopez endorses a clothing line or Kiera Knightley appears in a perfume commercial, people flock to these products with money extended. And why wouldn’t you? Who doesn’t want to smell, dress or eat like a celebrity? It gives a feeling of connectedness and a sense of luxury, to live out a small part of the celebrity lifestyle. If you’ll do all this, would you like to drink like a celebrity as well? Recently, various alcoholic companies have partnered with celebrities to market their vodka.

Chazz Palminteri

Iconic Brands has teamed up with Chazz Palminteri for their new product, BiVi Sicilian Vodka. Palminteri has disclosed that the recipe for the vodka was inspired by his friendship with Frank Sinatra. Two celebrities in one? Perfect! Palminteri explained that it’s a part of a Rat Pack tradition. During a meeting between the two, Sinatra shared a martini olive with Palminteri, a sign of friendship and trust. By creating a vodka that is a tribute to his Sicilian roots, Palminteri is also keeping the Rat Pack tradition alive. In fact, their tagline is “Share an Olive. Share the Tradition. Drink Bivi”. This is the first 100% Sicilian vodka available in the United States.

BiVi Vodka

Robert De Niro is involved with Artisan Spirits Merchants, becoming the front man for their Vdka 6100. In an interview, De Niro said that he wanted this business association to be different than previous ones. He wanted to be directly engaged and actively supportive. De Niro featured the vodka at his Tribeca Film Festival, and it is also being sold in his numerous restaurants and hotels. By being distilled in New Zealand, it is a unique vodka; it is made from whey and fresh spring water.

Vdka 6100

Speaking of unique vodkas, Ciroc Ultra-Premium Vodka is gluten-free! It is distilled in southern France five times and created from French grapes, grown on an elevated vineyard. The high altitude provides a colder climate, which ensures the freshness of the product. Longer freshness equals better quality. This beverage is endorsed by Sean Combs, better known as P. Diddy or Puff Daddy in the rapping community. More than uniquely created vodkas, the contract between Combs and Ciroc is special, too: he will receive a 50/50 cut of the profits in the multi-year deal, a first for the wine and spirits industry.

Ciroc Vodka

If you are as intrigued by the above spirits companies and their celebrity sponsors as I am, try them yourself using the following recipes!

BiVi Vodka: Flowers of Sicily

Ingredients:

2 oz. BiVi Sicilian Vodka

½ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

½ oz. Orgeat (Almond) Syrup

1 oz. Fresh Apple Juice

2 dashes of Peach Bitters

Directions:

Shake ingredients over ice and fine stain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with 3 raw almonds in the glass.

Capsicum Red Eye

1.5oz VDKA 6100
1oz red bell pepper juice
2 pinch lemon pepper
2 pinch salt
5 drops celery bitters (need to try with celery salt)
.5oz orange juice
3 leaves muddled basil
2oz Tecate beer

Glassware: Martini
Garnish: Basil leaf and lemon pepper rim
Preparation: Combine all ingredients except the beer, add ice, shake, strain and garnish.

Dark Sparrow

1.5oz VDKA 6100
1.5oz chardonnay
.75oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
.75oz simple syrup
8 muddled red seedless grapes

Glassware: Rocks or wine glass
Preparation: In a shaker muddle grapes, add ingredients, add ice, shake and pour contents of shaker into a rocks or wine glass.

Passion Grog

2oz VDKA 6100
.75oz Orgeat
.5oz Passion Fruit puree
.5oz orange juice
2 dashes peychaud’s
1oz soda

Glassware: Rocks
Garnish: Mint Sprig
Preparation: Combine all ingredients except the soda, add ice, shake, strain, top with soda and garnish

Afternoon Delight