Motion star Dolph Lundgren is understood for energy, self-discipline, and larger-than-life characters, however when it got here to creating Laborious Reduce Vodka, he took a decidedly bartender-first strategy.
As a substitute of merely placing his title on a bottle, Lundgren partnered with revered trade voices, together with legendary bartender Philip Duff, to make sure the spirit was constructed with cocktails and the commerce in thoughts. We caught up with the actor, entrepreneur, and now spirits model founder to speak about constructing Laborious Reduce, incomes bartender respect, and what he’s realized from stepping behind the bar himself. On this dialog with Chilled, Lundgren shares how collaboration with the commerce helped form Laborious Reduce and why bartenders stay central to its future.
How does Laborious Reduce vodka differentiate itself within the crowded vodka market?
Good query. It’s a crowded market however solely about 1% of all vodkas in America are utilizing potatoes. We use the most effective russet potatoes from Idaho and mixed with Rocky Mountain snowmelt water distilled at excessive altitude, makes for a particularly clear and naturally gluten free product. As a result of our vodka ferments for 5 days, as an alternative of the same old two to 3 days, it has a really creamy and easy style.
Additionally it is distilled to 90 proof (45% ABV), so it’s not solely smoother than different vodkas but in addition packs an even bigger punch—like my motion film characters.
How do you guarantee Laborious Reduce will earn the respect it deserves from bartenders and trade professionals?
By doing articles like this one and talking in regards to the prime quality of our product. The truth that it has a better ABV makes it actually good to make use of in cocktails, being that the upper alcohol is a taste multiplier and doesn’t get diluted too rapidly by the ice.
Inform us extra in regards to the position commerce professionals play in refining the ultimate product? Why was this necessary?
Emma and I attempted 30-40 completely different vodkas from everywhere in the world till we discovered one we beloved, which was one among many samples from Idaho. Then we labored with their grasp distiller, Sang Luu, to good our product. I additionally labored with legendary bartender Philip Duff to develop my bartending expertise and design some signature cocktails, just like the 5:1 Martini with inexperienced olives. Philip taught me so much in regards to the historical past of cocktails in generals, and vodka particularly. I actually take pleasure in bartending at our varied occasions and accounts.
What appealed to you about constructing the model alongside early assist from bartenders?
It’s been implausible to get bartenders’ constructive reactions to our model, its style and high quality, and the upper ABV and the way that may assist improve cocktails. I’ve additionally actually loved studying bartending books, like Dale DeGroff’s The Craft of the Cocktail, and it was very particular for me to make cocktails with him at Bar Convent Brooklyn final yr. The person is a legend.
What have you ever realized via this course of?
I’ve realized that creating an alcohol model is a really advanced and troublesome course of. Nonetheless, I’ve discovered that the liquor trade is considerably just like the leisure trade—it’s about entertaining folks and making them really feel good, and that’s what I take pleasure in in regards to the film enterprise. That’s my foremost takeaway because the creator of Laborious Reduce Vodka.
Emma and I simply love seeing different folks benefit from the vodka that we spent a lot time creating collectively. Additionally, now that I’m each the CEO and Chairman of the corporate, I get to make use of a few of the multitasking expertise I realized over time learning chemical engineering and producing and directing movement footage.
You’ve constructed a profession round energy and resilience. How do these qualities translate into this model?
Properly, initially, Laborious Reduce Vodka—the bottle, the title and the product itself—stand for energy and resilience. Emma has mentioned it’s like “Dolph in a bottle.” Creating and constructing a model is a marathon, not a dash, and I’m very conscious that it’s going to take energy and resilience to get this model to the place we wish it to be 5 years from now. Like with something in life, together with the liquor enterprise, success doesn’t occur in a single day, and I’m OK with that.
What’s your final purpose for Laborious Reduce?
My final purpose is to create a worthwhile enterprise that I take pleasure in being part of, together with my spouse, companions and household. One thing that may deliver folks along with a typical purpose, in what I discover to be a very thrilling trade, the liquor enterprise. It’s additionally one other manner for me to attach with my followers, extra private than a few of my motion pictures as it’s my child from the start. And what higher approach to join than having a drink collectively?
The publish Dolph Lundgren on Constructing Laborious Reduce Vodka and Working with Bartenders to Get It Proper appeared first on Chilled Journal.
