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Neft is an Austrian vodka brand with Russian roots. Produced by Destillerie Freihof, present on the market since 1885 and also producing Edelweiss vodka, Freihof schnapps, Mirtillo liqueurs. Important export markets: Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain.
Historical reference. Neft is a young brand, but the history of its appearance is full of interesting details. The founders of the brand were three Russian engineers who devoted their youth to the development of oil fields in Western Siberia. The harsh climate, difficult work, life away from families in difficult living conditions – it is not surprising that oil workers sometimes resorted to the classic remedy to raise their spirits and replenish their strength. Vodka warmed, brightened up rare moments of rest, was used to disinfect midge bites, and even helped in the aftermath of an oil pipeline break.
Ordinary table conversations turned into a business channel: the comrades thought about what vodka with a real masculine character should be like. Over the years, these thoughts have found a very real embodiment in a high quality product. The creators of the brand came to the conclusion that only two things are needed for the “right” vodka: the purest water from natural sources and excellent alcohol.
The principal position of the authors of “Neft” is not to use fragrances, softeners and sweeteners, the brand line does not and is not expected to contain flavored vodkas with the taste of fruits, berries or spices.
The name of the new drink came by itself – it was OIL that was the meaning of their life for many years. The choice of packaging design became just as logical – oil should be bottled. Barrels made of steel sheet attract attention with an unusual look, besides, they are very practical – such containers are easy to transport and cannot be broken.
Austria was chosen as the place of production, where novice businessmen found the very necessary components: impeccably clean water from alpine springs and alcohol from selected varieties of rye. The rest is a matter of technology: for the production of Neft vodka at the Destillerie Freihof plant, a continuous distillation method is used, with 200 stages of processing for more than 50 hours, then a carbon filtration process is carried out. The result is a vodka that the manufacturer advertises as “the purest in Europe.”
“Oil” is positioned as a product of the super-premium segment, addressed to consumers of average and above average income levels.
Awards
World Spirits Competition, San Francisco:
- 2014 – Silver (Black Barrel) medal.
Packaging Design Awards, San Francisco
- 2014 – Gold medal for packaging design.
Chine Wine & Spirits Awards, Hong Kong
- 2014 – Gold (White Barrel) medal.
Can of the Year Award, Токио
- 2012 – Honorary Diploma for packaging design.
The Vodka Masters, London
- 2016 – Silver medal.
The Luxury Spirits Masters, Лондон
- 2016 – Gold (Black Barrel) medal in the category of ultra-premium vodkas.
The Design & Packaging Masters, Лондон
- 2016 – Gold medal for packaging design.
Interesting Facts
In 2013, the viral video of Neft vodka topped the chart of the week, overtaking ads for the new Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone and Pepsi Max with the most popular comedian Jeff Gordon in terms of the number of views. In two weeks, the video titled Insane Office Escape 2 (“Insane Office Escape 2”) was viewed by more than 10,5 million people. The video was practically a short action movie, the hero of which had to fight off the “bad guys” in the office building and on the streets of the city. He poured vodka from the recognizable black barrel with the inscription NEFT on the wounds received in skirmishes.
The success of the mini-movie provided high-density action with chases, special effects and stunts performed by 5 professional stuntmen. Filming was done with GoPro cameras attached to the faces of the participants, which provided a “view from the eyes”, as in a computer game. The video featured the music of the Russian band Biting Elbows, whose vocalist directed the video. Subsequently, on the basis of this video, Ilya Naishuller shot his first film “Hardcore” in Hollywood.
How to distinguish fake vodka Oil
The popularity of the brand has its downside – the number of counterfeit products is growing on the market. Signs by which you can determine the authenticity of Neft vodka:
- packaging imitates the shape of a barrel for oil products with two convex hoops in the central part;
- there is a ring on the lid – you need to pull it up to pull out the neck detail (on a fake package there will most likely be just a valve with a hole like in a beer can);
- in the upper part of the barrel there is an image of a man with tongues of fire instead of hair, accompanied by a playful inscription “flammable liquid”;
- a price below $40 is a reason to be wary, an original product cannot be cheap.
Types of vodka Oil
Neft is available in two classic packaging options – black and white 700 ml steel barrels. In addition, the manufacturer offers its exclusive customers the development of an individual barrel design with corporate symbols. An example of such cooperation was the production of a limited edition of vodka in bright red barrels for the Raketa watch factory in Petrodvorets.
Neft Black Barrel, 40%
Super premium drink. Made only from rye varieties Amato, Askari, Pollino, Rapidly and water from the glaciers of the Austrian Alps. Does not contain natural and chemical additives, flavor enhancers, fragrances. Crystal-clear color and a slight aftertaste of sweet almonds vodka owes proper grain processing and special carbon filtration.
Neft White Barrel, 40%
An ultra-premium vodka produced in small batches. It has a fresh aroma, reminiscent of the smell of alpine herbs heated by the sun. For its high taste qualities, it has been repeatedly awarded prestigious international awards. Ideal with traditional Siberian dishes: fish stroganina, dumplings, smoked meats. To serve, it is recommended to cool the drink to + 8-10 ° C and pour into a decanter with a lid.
