Renowned for his starring roles in classic films like Ghostbusters, The Blues Brothers, and Coneheads, Dan Aykroyd has made a major name for himself in the entertainment industry. On top of this, the celebrated actor is the creator of Crystal Head Vodka, an ultra-premium vodka that features a stunning skull shaped bottle. Sold in 70 countries and honored with multiple prestigious awards, Crystal Head Vodka has made Aykroyd a heavy hitter in the alcoholic beverage industry.
Home Business Magazine had the chance to catch up with Aykroyd and get the inside scoop on his distinguished vodka label. He happily shared what inspired him to get into the vodka industry, Crystal Head Vodka’s exceptional aspects that differentiate it from the competition, and tips for others looking to market their own line of alcohol. He also shared helpful advice for those aspiring to get into the entertainment industry!
HBM: Tell us about your ultra-premium vodka, Crystal Head Vodka. What sets it apart from the competition?
DA: “Creativity is at the heart of everything we do. It’s why we craft the purest, smoothest vodka with one-of-a-kind packaging and imaginative thinking—only the best to hold our multi-award-winning spirit. Crystal Head uses only the highest-quality ingredients to create unique expressions of ultra-premium vodka. Our original vodka is crafted from locally sourced Canadian corn, offering a silky-smooth vodka with a hint of sweetness and vanilla. Aurora, with its iridescent bottle that has a metallized finish, uses the highest-quality English wheat, offering a crisp, drier and bolder vodka. All of our Crystal Head expressions are blended with the pristine water from Newfoundland, Canada, and filtered through Herkimer diamonds. Crystal Head Vodka is always free from any oils, sugars or additives. Nothing but pure spirit.”
HBM: What inspired you to get into the vodka business?
DA: “It all started when I wanted to bring Pátron Tequila to Canada. Before long, I was trying to find a premium vodka that I could serve my guests, but there wasn’t anything available that had a clean taste. Before creating Crystal Head, every single vodka I had tried tasted off. They all had this fake, overly viscous, artificially sweetened taste and smelled like perfume. I know now that this was due to the use of glycerol, which produces an oily finish, limonene, and sugar, used to sweeten and mask impurities.
We decided to produce something that friends and family could enjoy, which is why we created Crystal Head. With Crystal Head Vodka, we set out to create a pure and clean liquid by eliminating any additives and relying on the purity of our manufacture to create an award-winning vodka.”
HBM: What tips do you have for those looking to found and market their own line of alcohol?
DA: “Prepare to work hard and watch the business as closely as you would a 3-year-old child on a playground swing.
Some people launch a brand and expect it to be an instant hit. These are rare stories and even ones that look like overnight successes have a lot of work behind them in time, energy, and resources.”
HBM: What has been your greatest achievement with your vodka brand? The greatest challenge you have overcome?
DA: “There have been so many amazing achievements but by far the greatest was Crystal Head Vodka winning the Award for Excellent Taste out of 400 beverages at the Prodexpo Bar Show in Moscow, Russia. For a Canadian vodka maker to receive an award from a Russian panel is most satisfying and speaks to our uniqueness. Winning this prestigious award in a country with such a long history of producing great vodkas is a significant honor.
There have been many challenges along the way. It was a challenge just to find someone who could successfully create such a complex bottle. Every bottle is hand-inspected and takes up to 16 times longer to create than a standard bottle. It’s produced by leading glass manufacturers in Europe and actually contains bits of crystal to achieve absolute clarity. It’s a long process, but we do not cut any corners. Crystal Head Vodka is known for disrupting the industry and we are not afraid to face challenges head on.”
HBM: You have also starred in many popular, classic films. What have been some of your favorite memories from your entire acting career?
DA: “My strongest memories are of the talented people with whom I collaborated across a range of creative disciplines – writing, acting, producing, directing, set designing, cinematography, costumes, stunts, editing, music scoring, advertising, marketing, promotion, releasing and exhibition. These collaborators were the best in the industry at the time.”
HBM: What is one thing people should know about being in the entertainment industry? Any tips you would like to share?
DA: “To anyone seeking a career in writing and performing comedy, you must read three books: Drama by John Lithgow and Steve Martin’s two books, Troubadour and Born Standing Up.”
HBM: What other projects do you have in the works?
DA: “We are extremely excited for the launch of our third expression, Onyx. The bottle is a celebration of the powerful, warrior crystal, with its luxurious black finish and matching crest-debossed cap. It shares its powers of intuition, focus, positivity and protection to those who keep it close. Onyx holds connection to our earth with its protective energy that allows in no light, keeping it safe from harm. Crafted from Blue Weber Agave sourced from a single farm in Mexico, Onyx acts as a symbol of the human journey. It is a focus on positivity, calling on one’s inner creative spirit.
We are bridging the gap between vodka and tequila by introducing consumers to something entirely new to create with. Combining the flavor of tequila with the smoothness of our vodka allows for a modern take on traditional tequila cocktails and classic vodka cocktails. Onyx offers notes of fresh green grass, nuanced white pepper, and hints of citrus on the nose. It develops into the subtle, yet unmistakable earthy grip of agave with a touch of spice and sweetness. This is like no other vodka you have tasted.
Everything we do originates from our passion to deliver quality products with a difference. Like all Crystal Head Vodka expressions, Onyx is blended with the purest water from Newfoundland, Canada, and filtered through Herkimer diamonds. It is always free from oils, sugars or additives.”
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