A Chicago-flavored vodka would taste like ... what exactly?
On Wednesday, Absolut launched a new vodka inspired by Boston. Beantown was preceeded in city-inspired flavors by New Orleans (gumbo?) and Los Angeles -- odd, because who knew silicone had a taste.
All this municipial guzzling begs the question, is Chicago next and, if so, what do we taste like? We asked around:
"Foie gras," said local Steve Walther.
"Kielbasa" –Kevin Bryant, a visitor from Michigan
"Like the river!" –Richard Gilley, 26
"It would taste like deep-dish pizza of course," –Roy Buckingham, 35
"A cool crisp peppermint" –Brian Bruss, 27
"Does frozen tundra have a flavah?" –James Gainey, Rogers Park
"A friendly flavorful blend of spices, fruits, and coolness with a little bitterness in the aftertaste" –Greg Hall, 54, Edgewater
As for that new Boston vodka, its chock full of elderflower.
"[W]e also wanted to incorporate flavors that are cutting edge to bartenders and add another dimension," Tim Murphy, Absolut's vice president of marketing, told the Boston Herald.
The vodka comes in a clear bottle with a green backdrop, an homage to the "Green Monster," the 37-foot left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team.
Sadly, the green-backed, black-tea vodka left the Red Sox fans at Grub Street Boston feeling blue.
"It smells medicinal."
"It smells like Gummi Bears."
"It smells like carrot cake."
"It's easy to sip, but it has an unpleasant aftertaste."
"I definitely would not want a whole drink made of this."
Well, what did you expect from a city at the vanguard of khakis and Dockers style.
So what do you think, Chicago? What flavors in a vodka would bring Chicago to mind? Leave your comments below.
Matt Bartosik, a "between blogs" blogger, doesn't think an Italian beef would fit inside a vodka bottle.
