When first unveiled in 2003, elit by Stolichnaya vodka justified its $60 premium price with promises of unparalleled purity and crispness delivered by a cold filtration process that makes it easier to separate impurities and particulates from the spirit. Today, Stolichnaya is upping the ante with the debut of the elit Pristine Waters Series Himalayan Edition, the first in a new collection of vodkas that are distilled using water from some of the most exotic and pristine sources on the planet. The inaugural release of the globe-trotting spirit is distilled using water collected from a reservoir nearly 10,000 feet above sea level in the Himalaya mountains of Nepal. Originating from snowmelt and naturally filtered through layers of rock during its journey down the mountain, this water is some of the most unspoiled in the world. The new release is priced at $3,000 and contained in hand-blown Czech bottles, each sealed with a decorative golden ice pick and delivered in a numbered oak case. Vodka lovers who are not able to secure one of the 300 bottles of the inaugural offering need not wait long; later this year, Stolichnaya will reveal the next release in the new series. (www.elitbystoli.com)
