Bloodshot Bloody Mary

Bloodshot Vodka is a new British premium spirit created by chef and food and drinks writer, Mark Douglas Hill. A fiery fusion of exotic spices, hot peppers and aromatics, Bloodshot is the result of his quest to produce the perfect Bloody Mary.

Bloodshot is packaged in a tall thin bottle to echo the contours of a bullet – reflecting the potency of its strong fiery flavour.  The label design is based on a medal and ribbon concept, running vertically down the bottle to emphasize the bottle’s tall thin silhouette and show off the spirits natural deep red colour. A textured rustique paper has been chosen, printed with a combination of hot foiling and embossing by Label Graphics. A simple classic cork stopper, supplied by Rankin Bros, completes the look.

Bloodshot Vodka is a complex spirit to produce, with three intricate production processes involving over 20 ingredients with no artificial additives.  Distilled using only the finest English wheat, it has been created through combining both traditional and cutting edge techniques. The primary distillation takes place in the UK‚s tallest tower, most state-of-the-art still that rectifies the fermented grain through 43 plates.  It is then distilled a second time through Angela, a 108-year-old copper pot still that breathes life, character and texture into the premium spirit.   

Despite its purity, Bloodshot most definitely has a fiery side and this is due to the maceration process that follows. Similar to gin production, the vodka is infused with a carefully balanced blend of spices, aromatics and botanicals, including: smoky chipotle chilies, cracked black pepper, lemon peel, horseradish root, coriander seed, hot cayenne pepper and celery seed.

The final stage in the creation of the original bloody vodka spirit involves the complex blending to marry the spice infused spirit with lemon and lime, Worcestershire Sauce and Port. After three weeks of maturing, it passes through a four-step filtration process finishing with its distinctive deep red colour.

A lifelong Bloody Mary and Bullshot obsessive, this is Mark‚s first drinks project, which he is running alongside his food and drink writing. Last autumn saw the publication of his fascinating book, The Aphrodisiac Encyclopaedia: A Compendium of Culinary Come-ons, which goes in search of the ultimate aphrodisiac dishes and is the result of years of researching and testing the most titillating recipes from all over the world.

Stockists for Bloodshot Vodkain the UK include: Waitrose, Selfridges, Lea & Sandeman Wines, Ocado

50cl Bottle RRP - £20.99 /  70cl Bottle RRP - £27.99

Bloodshot will be available in the USA via Bespoke Brands, and the UAE via Inspired Brands, from October.

1 September 2012 - Felicity Murray