Glenlivet trills the internet with soft whiskey capsules
What about Tide Pods, but whiskey?
In what can either be a creative bid to win millennial drinkers or just a ridiculous advertising stunt, famed single-malt Scotch whiskey producer The Glenlivet unveiled its "Capsule Collection," a new way to capture those who is too lazy to pour liquid into a glass.
The unfortunate offer was presented to the world in a tweet, timed to coincide with London's Cocktail Week. “No ice cream. No touching. No glass. We redefine how whiskey can be enjoyed, "the venerable Scottish Distillery said.
The boozy capsules, about the size and shape of the Tide Pods (which you should definitely not eat, no matter what the boy at the playground says), is made from seaweed extract and "popped in the mouth for an instant taste, and the capsule is just swallowed," the company said in a statement.
Each capsule contains 23 milliliters (almost an ounce) of whiskey cocktail in one of three flavors, simply described as citrus, wood and spices.
"Our founder, George Smith, always went against the grain, beat the tradition and did things differently," said Glenlivet, a unit of the French beverage giant Pernod-Ricard SA
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. "The Glenlivet Capsule Collection continues its pioneering spirit today."
Smith, who died in 1871, did not immediately comment from the grave whether he rolled over or not.
However, some whiskey fans were apoplectic.
And the conversation ended inevitably here, because why shouldn't it?
Other critics pointed out that the capsules do not allow the saliva to add some water, which improves the taste of whiskey; that most people enjoy sipping fine Scottish whiskey instead of chewing it; and that the portability of the capsules could be neglected by the need to carry them in a hard container so that they did not burst into the pocket.
Positive comments on the web were few and far between, although it suggested that the capsules could be good for astronauts who will be full on space, although likely to be wrinkled by NASA.
The capsules will be served at Tayēr + Elementary, a London bar whose owner / bartenders partnered with Glenlivet to create cocktails, through October 13. They are not yet available in the United States, and it is unclear whether they will ever hit store shelves or are a one-time conscience aimed at scandalous (coughing and advertising) trolling on the Internet.
And if the latter is the case, here's to you, Glenlivet. Well played.