We have gotten a number of bottles of the major types of alcohol (Gin, Rum, Tequila, Whiskey, and Vodka) in the last few months. However, what we have not received much of are types of spirits that look to break free of the overarching typology. VeeV looks to do just that, but has a major hill to climb before it will be recognized as such. First off, despite labeling upfront that tells individuals that VeeV is “The World’s First Acai Spiritâ€, the bottle itself looks like a vodka bottle. The corked top, coupled with the frosted glass, may be enough to confuse possible drinkers.
I’d suggest some more natural (either green or blue) color to the bottle to decrease the possibility of brand confusion. However, after individuals purchase VeeV, any possible confusion will be quickly lost. This is due to the fact that the spirit is so much different from anything else that is out on the market. The spirit’s strength (30% or 60 proof) is much stronger than traditional types of fruit-based spirits, where the flavor of the spirit itself is much more smooth than similar-strength comparisons. The spirit iself has a fruity (as one may expect) bouquet, with a little bit of alcohol bite entering into the equation soon after. When individuals have a chance to taste test the Acai spirit, a similar construct follows. The taste is fruity, almost deceptively so, with the alcohol bite being largely masked. The spirit would do well separate from other mixers or alcohols, but mixes well with other types of fruit juices for a tropical feel that will leave drinkers on their own private island paradise.
Individuals should also feel good that they have purchased a bottle of VeeV, as the label itself says that “$1 of each bottle sold goes to rainforest preservation.†I am unsure if the VeeV Distillery will come out with anything else in the way of products, but if they are looking to expand, I would suggest they do up other “superfruits†(such as Mangosteen, Dragonfruit, and Passionfruit) in the same way that they did for VeeV. If they could expand in that way, I could see them snatching up some serious market share. However, if they only do VeeV, they have created something memorable that will have a continued space on my shelves for years to come.
Rating: 9.0/10
Veev Acai Spirit (60 Proof) / Acai Liqueur / http://www.veevspirits.com