Look out champagne, vodka has begun to bubble.

The proletarian spirit that has kept you company on many a night on the town has acquired luxe appeal. O2, the newest entrant on the bubbling block, was officially launched in Calcutta on December 30, 2009 at Venom. The British product, made from premium grain, got its patent as the world’s first sparkling vodka from International English Distillers Ltd. Batch distilled and filtered thrice in 100-year-old copper pots, this smooth vodka bubbles in the mouth with the spirit of champagne served in a shot glass!

The “luxury spirit” is the first vodka in this category in India, says Sudip Majumder, managing partner, Acme Consultant Mumbai, promoters and distributors of O2 in India. The drink is available only in select cities at the moment, including Calcutta, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Gurgaon and Pune. And like all good things, it comes at a price. A 750ml bottle of O2 is priced at Rs 3,000-3,500, while O2 945 will cost Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 for the same size. But the steep tag will not come in the way of its popularity, believes Sudip. “With the segment for white spirits growing by 30-40 per cent per annum, people always want to have something different. It’s aspirational.”

Best drunk chilled and served as a shot or as tapastinis — vodka served with snacks inside the glass! — O2 is available at Venom, Shisha, HHI, The Park and The Kenilworth.

And there is more to look forward to. “Ecstasy, a vodka-based liqueur, will be available in Calcutta by April,” says Sudip.

Ipshita Nandi