Slim Whitman 'Vintage Collections Series'

Yes, I know it’s been a very long time since I updated this here little blog. I've tried writing a couple of updates over the year and so many months, but I just didn’t feel “into” it. I wouldn’t say that I got burned out as much as I just ran out of things to write about. It takes a certain level of inspiration that makes me put the digits to the keyboard. During that time off, I ventured out on a sabbatical that took me out of my comfort zone. I explored the worlds of macramé and collecting Beanie Babies. I have returned. With your help, we’ll see how this foray back into the trenches goes…

When was the last time you went to the liquor store not knowing exactly what you wanted and browsed around? Have you noticed the explosion of flavored vodkas on the shelves?

Visit any given liquor store wherever you are and you’ll discover more than 50 different flavors. I’m not talking brands, I’m talking flavors.

Don’t get me wrong. When it comes to hooch, vodka is one of my top five favorite liquors. I like vodka flavored vodka as much as the bubblegum, pineapple, and sweet tea varieties. In my opinion, it’s getting a little out of hand. There doesn’t seem to be any end in sight for more vodka flavors being introduced. There’s green apple, root beer, vanilla, and I’m sure they’re working on green tea flavors.

I have recently had the desire to start buying every different flavor offered at my local liquor store for a spirited and inspired project. I want to start mixing the different flavors of vodka to see what kind of tastes they can resemble. My desire is to go all Julia Childs behind the bar.

Right away, I can think of sweet tea and lemon flavored vodkas for an Arnold Palmer. But I’m thinking a bit differently… Take an ounce of tomato flavored vodka, add a smidgen of cheese flavored vodka, a splash of Tabasco infused vodka, with a half ounce of cheeseburger flavored vodka. Right there mixed properly… You’ve got vodka flavored like a pizza all in one large shot.


Do you see where I’m going?

I would like to see Smirnoff put out a vodka sampler package of the different flavors. A dozen little airline bottles all packaged up together with a tip sheet on what flavors to mix for a variety of different and unique flavors. The cool thing would be that they're only available with those mixtures.

If you’ve ever had a Jelly Belly sampler, then you know what I’m talking about. I don’t know if they still do it, but they would tell you how to take that jelly bean flavor, two of those jelly bean flavors, and another flavor to create something entirely different. Four beans to make a new “essence”, if you will.

The same can be done for vodka. I’m already thinking about putting together bubblegum, whipped cream, and the Tabasco flavors to create my own concoction… The fair midway vomit flavor may not be all that popular, but that’s half the fun in experimenting.