An Absolut Blockbuster

Obviously, shooting vodka through your eye can cause long-term damage

(NEWSER) - Shooting vodka not a quick enough path to drunkenness for you? Try shooting it through your eye. “Vodka eyeballing,” which the Daily Mail claims is the latest trend to sweep Britain’s universities, supposedly gives an instant high, although some wonder if “eyeballers” are already so drunk they convince themselves of a nonexistent effect. One former practitioner now has a constantly weepy, scarred eye and worsening eyesight as a result of the risky practice, she tells the Mail. More»

Meaning the watered-down spirit 'Vodkat' is out of luck, needs new name

(NEWSER) - Watered-down vodka-like spirits can't use vodka-like names, a British judge ruled yesterday. He ruled in favor of Smirnoff maker Diageo and ordered the producers of "Vodkat"—a 22% strength spirit made from a mix of vodka and neutral fermented alcohol—to find a new name for their drink. The decision gives vodka the same protected status as champagne, whiskey, and sherry, the Telegraph reports. More»

Companies have 30 days to comply

(NEWSER) - The FDA has taken action against companies that make alcoholic energy drinks, giving the firms 30 days to provide evidence to support their claim that caffeine and booze are a safe combination. A group of concerned scientists have said there is no evidence to support the claim that the drinks are safe. "Being wide awake and drunk at the same time increases the risk of engaging in several forms of violent or other high-risk physical behaviors that can cause injury," they said in a statement. More»

(NEWSER) - Diddy may be mixing beer with his vodka soon. Rapper-pitchman-entrepreneur Sean Combs is in talks to help market Guinness and Red Stripe, sources tell Advertising Age. Combs has already worked with Diageo, the British company behind the brews, on its Ciroc vodka brand. If the deal goes through, Combs would buck a hip-hop artist trend of endorsing one only beverage at a time, a la Jay-Z (Bud Select), Kanye West (Absolut), and KRS-One (Smirnoff). More»

French company pays $8.3B for premium vodka brand

(NEWSER) - French liquor giant Pernod Ricard's spirits were soaring after its $8.34 billion bid won it ownership of Sweden's state-owned Vin & Spirit, the parent company of Absolut vodka. Pernod topped US-based Fortune Brands in an auction for the purchase, the Wall Street Journal reports, and is now the wine and spirit industry's co-leader. More»