What would you do if someone told you that you could help the environment by purchasing a bottle of vodka? That’s exactly the message America’s oldest continuously operating distillery, McCormick Distilling, is trying to spread with the launch of their brand new product 360 Vodka, as it enters the highly competitive market of ultra luxury vodkas. With this new launch, the company’s recently formed Earth Friendly Distilling Co. division also hopes to establish new sustainable product development and packaging standards in the distilling industry.
Claiming the title ‘World’s first eco-friendly premium spirit’, 360 Vodka is shipped in a bottle made from 85% recycled glass. The whole product incorporates other sustainability “features” like the 360 logo blown directly into the glass, New Leaf 100% PCW paper label, and also using water-based inks vs. petroleum-based inks for label/packaging printing. In addition, the bottle comes with a postage paid envelope hanging around the neck that lets customers mail back the recyclable flip-top closure for re-use, in turn helping lessen landfill waste.
All impurities are removed by distilling the vodka four times using the column distillation process and later it is filtered five times though granulated charcoaled coconut shell filtration system. The state-of-the-art distillery meets or exceeds all EPA air and water quality standards for distilleries. The production process reduced its volatile organic compounds output by 70% and sulfur dioxide emissions by 99% and the company states that it uses 250% less fossil fuel energy during production process.
If all of that wasn’t good enough for you, the company pledged to donate $20 from the sale of each case of 360 Vodka in Florida to the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida nonprofit marine conservation organization which protects marine resources in the state. Lastly, nationwide a “close the loop” initiative is taking place whereby McCormick Distilling promises to donate $1 for environmental causes.
Now we’re familiar with other ‘eco-friendly’ vodkas like Purus or VeeV, which have been around longer, and not only utilize eco-friendly packaging, but are also completely organic when it comes to the ingredients and distilling process as well. Unlike Purus and VeeV, 360 Vodka is made from regular non-organic American grain – and of course Purus and Veev ave been around longer. Because of this we’re not really buying into the ‘World’s First Eco Vodka’ claim, but we’re intrigued by 360 Vodka nonetheless. If you are going to imbibe – imbibe sustainably!
+ Vodka 360
