Okay, maybe it’s not Marquis de Sade-flavored vodka per se. But there’s no question the lord of S & M inspired the new Marquis Vodka. According to a press release, the new British spirit proclaims to do balance its naughty nature with the tagline “vice should also be tempered by virtue.” To that end, the brand balances its inspirations, combining 17th century Libertine sensibility (that’s code for whips and chains) with a charitable touch. The company donates 20% of its retail value to Worldwide Orphans, Meals on Wheels, Trevor Project and Footprints. Apparently, when you reach for a black frosted Marquis bottle, it’s about much more than personal pleasure-seeking, though it’s slightly unnerving that orphans are benefiting from booze and Marquis de Sade’s namesake.
As for the taste, Marquis Vodka’s sustainable rye farm and distillery located in Poland produces a vodka that has, “a light spiciness with a buttery, rounded finish, as opposed to the blank slate associated with traditional neutral wheat- and corn-based vodkas.”