For years, Cristal and Dom hogged the high-end liquid
limelight. But as we entered the new millennium, a procession of premium
tequilas, bourbons, and vodkas appeared to challenge champagne’s must-sip
status in many a roped-off private room. And despite the crappy economy,
premium spirits have continued to pop up left and right. But does the world
really need another vodka, high-end or otherwise? Probably not, yet we took notice of one especially
ostentatious new launch anyway — we couldn’t really help it, given the giant
Swarovski crystal embedded in the bottle. The folks over at the Illinois-based
Diamond Beverages recently debuted Diamond Standard Vodka
(DSV). Forget the so-called “ultra-premium” vodkas in the $40 range. At $79 per
750 ml bottle, DSV goes for double the price. The reason? A little something
they’re calling “the world’s most expensive filtration process” — diamond
filtration, a method involving thousands of De Beers diamonds. How are they
used exactly? We have no idea. What effect do diamonds have on the taste of
vodka? Beats us. Nick, DSV’s PR guy, refused to give us the goods: “Diamond
filtration is a proprietary secret, and I’m unable to provide you with more
information on it,” he said. So we gave it a shot (literally) and replaced the
vodka in our favorite drinks with DSV. It may have gone down a bit smoother,
and we did certainly notice a marked improvement in our mood (perhaps diamonds
really are a girl’s best friend, even at a distance). Either way, we like the
sparkly bottle, and we must admit that it sure does make an impressive gift for
that friend who has everything. DSV was just introduced in Florida, and a
national roll-out is scheduled for the next few months. In the meantime, you
can check out the ultimate option for conspicuous martini consumption at
www.diamondstandardvodka.com.
