COCKTAIL CATFIGHT

The unstoppable rampage of vodka campaigns

By JENNIFER CACICIO

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Gin has its juniper, rum's sweet from sugar cane and Bourbon can be as complex as a glass of Bordeaux. However, vodka's less readily distinctive: It's colorless, odorless and (nine times out of ten) flavorless, and yet there are new bottles hitting the market all the time. It's no wonder the ad campaigns have become a bit, well, innovative. I sifted (and drank) my way through the wide world of vodka on the web to find out if these four vodkas live up to their hype.

LEVEL VODKA | FOR THE HIPSTER

Level is sort of Absolut's cooler older sister who wore tight jeans and eyeliner before anyone else. It's made from precious winter wheat gathered in Sweden and promises to be "beyond smooth" -- and I must admit, it is pretty smooth. The website offers instrumental indie rock and bizarro short films full of attractive hipsters that end up at an Eyes Wide Shut-esque party, sipping Level martinis and staring into mirrors. We guess this is what they mean when they insist that their drinkers be "unconventional." [levelvodka.com]

SVEDKA VODKA | FOR THE FORWARD-THINKER

Have you seen that weird robot drinking a martini on the side of the #39 bus? To be properly introduced, her name is SVEDKA_Grl, and she's the world's first spokesbot. So it's the year 2033, Svedka has just been voted the number one vodka, celebrity worship is the fastest growing religion and the president is a woman named Apple (though I'm not about to argue with their penchant for fruit; I much prefer Svedka Clementine to the original). Along with requisite techno music, the website provides signature drink recipes that include ingredients like carrot juice and green tea. Will the next wave of mixology be healthy cocktails? Cheers for living just long enough to find out. [svedka.com]

CHRISTIANIA VODKA | FOR THE FOODIE

Pre-1924, Oslo was Christiania, coined for King Christian IV (better known as the "Bohemian King"). When he conquered Norway, he brought along "the fruits of the renaissance," aka food, wine, arts and (yup, you guessed it) vodka. This recipe is distilled from organic potatoes, which gives it a round and slightly sweet flavor. I must concede that this makes it the perfect candidate for their neato campaign of food-and-cocktail pairings, complementing dishes prepared by local high-end chefs with Christiania-based cocktails -- ahem, I mean Christinis. [christianiavodka.com]

SOBIESKI VODKA | FOR THE ANARCHIST

Sobieski isn't really into gimmicks. Their website is simple and witty and their latest marketing campaign is pretty tame: Truth in Vodka. Named for the Polish King who saved Europe from the Ottoman Empire back in the day, Sobieski now aims to "overthrow the tyranny of overpriced vodka in Massachusetts" (at least according to the press release). Despite the cheap price tag ($10.99/750mL) and resistance to luxury, it promises to stand up to its competition -- and with the subtle hints of anise and peppermint that I detected in the finish, it actually has a fighting chance. [vodkasobieski.com]