I was with Koustubh and Orjan, two SLT researchers. We were about 100 yards from a fresh ibex carcass, on top of a high ridge, thinking the snow leopard that must have killed the ibex might still be near. This acquisition broadens Next Frontier Brands' platform of premium spirits by adding a high quality brand that is socially conscious. Established in 2006, Snow Leopard Vodka is a uniquely luxurious spelt grain vodka that is crafted in Poland and distilled six times using natural spring water and filtered twice through charcoal to ensure purity and quality. Graded "exceptional" by experts at the Beverage Tasting Institute, it has alsoreceived high honors from Tasting.com and the Ultimate Spirit Challenge. The cat turned and then “lolloped” rather than sprinted up the valley and out of sight. Having rather hastily readjusted my camera’s focus to 4 metres rather than 100 metres I had the super privilege of taking a photo of “Aztai”, one of the cats we had historically monitored, with a hand held camera. I know it’s an old cliché, but words don’t really do justice to the experience, it was a combination of great exhilaration but also wonderful calm and peacefulness.” Aztai makes his exit In fact, Edrington is owned by a charitable trust and is the largest contributor to charities in its homeland, Scotland, and also donates to charities around the world.

Improvements came with letting it warm up to room temperature, though. That slightly rough edge disappeared and it became much smoother on the palate. I thought there was a hint of liquorice in there too, which increased with one or two more sips. The Acquisition of Snow Leopard Vodka Adds a Socially-Conscious Premium Spirit to Next Frontier Brands' Beverage Portfolio On a first sip, while it was still ice-cold, there was a hint of vanilla in the taste, but not as strongly as it was on the nose. There was a slight hint of something citrusy too, but on the whole it was an extremely neutral flavour. Which is, of course, what vodka is meant to taste like. It did initially taste a little on the rough side as well, to be honest. My wife even thought it was extra-proof vodka, but it’s just a regular 40% ABV. Snow Leopard

It was this desire to help that brought Stephen to Mongolia – and face to face with Aztai – this spring. One person’s passion in protecting a near extinct species has driven the production of the super grain Snow Leopard Vodka. Stephen Sparrow, a lawyer turned distiller, used his experience in law and connections in the spirits world to create the brand that helps fund the conservation of the snow leopard species.

In India and Pakistan, sales from Snow Leopard Vodka are supporting over 60 Nature Clubs in local schools. These clubs reach out to and educate their peers on nature and wildlife conservation. For instance, in June 2015, one Nature Club in India helped school children learn about how ‘the Earth is heating up’. Our field staff introduced the basic concepts of greenhouse gases and climate change with examples from their local regions to the children in classes 6 to 8. Himalayan Nature Clubs allow students with an interest in wildlife and nature to learn more and inspire others. 8) Predator-proof Corrals They’re the kind of partner we need to massively grow the business from where we are now to reach our conservation goals”, Stephen says. His own commitment to snow leopards and their namesake spirit will continue as well: of the profits from each bottle will go to the Snow Leopard Conservation projects and the goal is one million dollars per year. Sparrow is confident it will achieve that amount because of the partnership with Edrington Group; Snow Leopard Vodka is also made in Poland, at the century-old Polmos Lubin Distillery. It takes natural spring water from a well at the distillery, and uses six distillations for purification. Nevertheless the vodka is claimed to retain what is most distinctive about spelt – a nutty taste. For many kids, going to camp is a transformative experience. During the summer months, the Snow Leopard Trust hosts hands-on education camps for children ages 10-14 to bring them closer to nature. Camp activities focus on raising awareness about local biodiversity, landscapes, and the need for conservation. A particular favorite of Stephen Sparrow’s since Snow Leopard Vodka’s founding, the camps have reached incredible results: Since 2006, we’ve been able to hold camps every year in northern India, reaching over 1,100 children. Kids learn to appreciate and value nature in eco camps supported by Snow Leopard Vodka 7) Nature ClubsTaken straight from the freezer, a good sniff reveals a strong scent of vanilla. My wife found the same, very strongly. She has a much better nose than I do, but for both of us vanilla was the only scent coming through. Here’s a ‘top-10’ highlight of great impacts Snow Leopard Vodka has made for these cats 1) Anti-Poaching Rewards Personally, I love drinking Snow Leopard Vodka in a dry martini, garnished with rosemary; what we call a ‘ Conservation Martini’. Another favorite of mine – and of Prince Harry’s, too – is the Bagheera. Take a tall glass, add a muddled slice of lemon, a spoonful of crushed ice, a teaspoon of Pastis, a good dash of chilled Snow Leopard Vodka and a layer of basil leaves, then top that off with Ginger Beer.”

Long before his meeting with Aztai, Stephen Sparrow had resolved to invest his boundless energy into saving these endangered cats. I’ve been interested in the snow leopard, and its fate, ever since reading Peter Matthiessen’s wonderful book The Snow Leopard many years ago. There are thought to be between 4,000 and 7,500 of these beautiful animals left in the wild, spread across 12 different countries in Central Asia. They’re extremely elusive, and David Attenborough has called them ‘the Holy Grail of wildlife’. Snow Leopard has gained exceptional traction in focus markets like South Korea and the USA and is well positioned to increase its global market share in other premium vodka markets," says Joe Magnacca, President and Chief Executive Officer for Next Frontier Brands. "We will continue to build brand equity and strategically scale globally."

1) Anti-Poaching Rewards

One simple and cool recipe you can make using vodka - The Conservation Martini, a reminiscent ofthe white wild cat. The Snow Leopard Trust is the biggest organisation working to save these endangered animals, and ex-drinks industry man Stephen Sparrow set up the UK branch of the organisation after hearing of the snow leopard’s plight on a visit to the Himalayas.To help fund the project, Sparrow also established Snow Leopard Vodka, donating 15% of the company’s profits direct to The Snow Leopard Trust UK. Snow Leopard Vodka About Snow Leopard Vodka In fall 2013, SLT UK and Edrington supported a pilot study in Kyrgyzstan using 10 remote sensor research cameras to photograph and count snow leopards in the important Sarychat-Ertash Nature Reserve. The following spring, they enabled the launch of a full study using over 30 cameras. This is the first long-term, systematic survey of snow leopard populations in Kyrgyzstan! The first-ever snow leopard population monitoring program in Kyrgyzstan was made possible by Snow Leopard Vodka 4) Handicrafts and Women Empowerment