We normally try to bring you new ideas in the beverage world but this time I am going to step back a few years to remind everyone about one of the coolest spirits you will ever see. At one point or another most people have seen it sitting on the shelf at their local liquor store and wished they could put one on the bar at home. This I have learned is one of the joys of reaching an age where income allows for such things. Years ago I would look at a purchase like this and get a wife response of “why in the world do you need that?” and would begrudgingly have to agree. Now the answer is “because it looks cool as sh!t that’s why!!” So I took the plunge and the Crystal Head is mine.
First a little background from the company on the inspiration of the bottle.
A controversial archaeological mystery, 13 crystal heads have been found in regions around the world, from the American southwest to Tibet. They’re dated between 5,000 and 35,000 years old, and were supposedly polished into shape from solid quartz chunks over a period of several hundred years. Although according to Hewlett Packard engineers, they bear no tool marks to tell us exactly how they were made.
The heads are thought to offer spiritual power and enlightenment to those who possess them, and as such stand not as symbols of death, but of life.
This mystery seems to have provided owner Dan Akroyd and artist John Alexander the inspiration to form the signature Crystal Head bottle. The head is the perfect delivery vessel for their quartz crystal (quadruple) distilled vodka. I assume at this point some may look at this as a gimmick and while I admit it sucked me in, they have to be doing something right to still be on the shelves four years later.
Vodka is my spirit of choice so I take a lot of pride in what I serve my guests at home and at tailgates. If I am offering them a top shelf brand, I expect it to taste as such. While folks may be enamored with the bottle, if the contents don’t deliver then it’s a failure. In my opinion CHV does not disappoint. Bear in mind this is vodka so you aren’t going to get something that is ground breaking. What I want is a clean, smooth taste that works well straight up or in a cocktail.
My first attempt was the obvious…a shot. I am happy to report that CHV goes down smooth with a little burn at the end but was flavorless. Yes flavorless which is what we want here. Sipping was just as enjoyable.
Next up was the mixed drink and again I was very happy. Even with the weaker mixes, CHV let the juice shine through without putting it’s own stamp on things. The same can be said when mixed with tonic.
So if you’ve read this far you’ve probably guess that I give this vodka my stamp of approval. I’m a sucker for items that are going to stand out at my tailgates and this definitely fits the bill. Heck when you are done with the vodka, add highlighted water for a glowing Halloween decoration or paint it however you like. If you want to check it out for yourself, click here.
