
Smirnoff Gold is a blend of Smirnoff No 21 premium vodka with a hint of natural cinnamon flavouring and edible 23 carat gold leaf.
Rather than sinking to the bottom of the bottle, the leaves have been designed to remain suspended throughout the liquid to create what Diageo describes as a "stunning premium look". On sale from this week, the launch will be supported by a £4.5m integrated campaign.
To coincide with the unveiling of the new variant, Smirnoff is launching a new way of serving the vodka – Smirnoff Apple Bite – a blend of Smirnoff vodka, lemonade and apple juice. Smirnoff Apple Bite will also be available in a pre-mix can.
The latest announcements from the brand builds on its ‘Drink Inventively’ positioning aimed at encouraging consumers to experiment with different flavour combinations.
Karen O’Shea, marketing manager for Smirnoff Western Europe at Diageo, claimed Smirnoff was "leading the way in innovation within the vodka category".
She said the premium offering of Smirnoff Gold would encourage consumers to trade up.