Full Article: Men’s Journal

Published: 10/23/20

When Nikki Simkins (CEO & Chairwoman) set out to create her Vodka, she wanted to make an ultra-premium spirit that embodied Miami’s spirit and get people excited for a good time even before they opened the bottle. There was one brand name that stood out from the rest: E11EVEN. E11EVEN Miami is one of the world’s most recognized clubs, and it’s the highest-grossing nightclub per square foot globally. It’s a lifestyle brand that people trust to do things better: “crush the day and own the night, live your best life, and have fun – be an E11EVEN!” So, through a company which she controls, Simkins licensed the iconic E11EVEN brand’s intellectual property to create E11EVEN Vodka

While the brand has just officially launched and is available nationwide, earlier this year, it was available exclusively at E11EVEN MIAMI, where celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Kendall Jenner, Travis Scott, Snoop Dogg, Nelly, Rob Gronkowski, Dwyane Wade, and Gigi & Bella Hadid were spotted enjoying E11EVEN Vodka.

To get a better sense of how E11EVEN Vodka came about, check out our interview with Nikki Simkins below.

E11EVEN having its own Vodka seems like such a natural fit; how did this partnership come about?

E11EVEN Miami is one of the world’s most recognized clubs, and it’s the highest-grossing nightclub per square foot globally. The E11EVEN brand is a lifestyle, and people trust E11EVEN to do things better. It’s all about crushing the day and owning the night, living your best life, and having fun – being an E11EVEN! E11EVEN Miami truly changed the landscape of nightlife, and that’s what we want to do with Vodka.

You have the advantage of working with one of the best nightlife brands in the world. Considering that people go to E11EVEN to have an unforgettable time, how do you tie that into the Vodka? E11EVEN represents Miami. If you love Miami, you love E11EVEN. Like the nightclub, E11EVEN Vodka embodies Miami’s characteristics, the spirit, energy, sexiness, and excitement. And we want to share it with the world. We want to export Miami, through E11EVEN Vodka, to the entire world.

Why did you choose to launch a Vodka as opposed to another spirit?

The process of developing E11EVEN Vodka was challenging and really fun. It was challenging because I insisted on creating the best Vodka in the world that embodied the Miami spirit. It was fun because I got to work with really great people to make this a reality. We found a fantastic master distiller in Miami and did hundreds of taste tests until we found the perfect spirit.

E11EVEN Vodka is handcrafted in copper stills, distilled six times from 100% Florida grown NON-GMO corn, and then refined through a proprietary seven-step filtration process. It exudes a rounded sweetness that is clean and smooth and has subtle notes of citrus peels and cacao nibs that flawlessly blend to create a divine flavor delicately teased with hints of vanilla and cracked peppercorns. The proprietary hand filtration process softens the palate, leaving a graceful finish that is long, warm, and seductive. Once we knew we had the best tasting Vodka, we set out to create the bottle. The vision for designing the bottle was, “how do I put Miami in a bottle?”. Knowing we were putting the E11EVEN brand name (on the bottle), everything had to be elevated…it had to stand out. We went with an eye-catching Miami-blue neck sleeve, a translucent frosted glass, and an easy to remove cork.

Once we had the liquid and bottle finalized, we signed up with the most prominent and respected alcohol distributor in the country, Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits. We then began the process of getting E11EVEN Vodka on the menus of South Florida’s best restaurants & bars and liquor store shelves. E11EVEN Vodka is also available online for nationwide shipping. After three years, I am so excited to (finally) introduce E11EVEN Vodka to the world!

Your slogan is Taste the Miami Spirit; how does E11EVEN Vodka embody the Miami lifestyle?

E11EVEN Vodka is ALL about Miami! It’s the place we love and care deeply about, so it was uber important for all aspects of the product to be made in Miami (it’s sourced, distilled, and bottled entirely in Miami). The sexiness of the name, the smoothness of the spirit, and the bottle’s colors – it’s very Miami. The city exudes so much culture and amazing energy…who doesn’t want to be in Miami? And for those who can’t, they can order a bottle online and taste the Miami spirit from the comfort of their homes.

Who is your target demographic?

Our customers have been evenly split between both males and females ages 23-55. However, E11EVEN Vodka is for anyone who appreciates an ultra-premium spirit that’s measured against the highest quality and taste standards. E11EVEN Vodka is the perfect spirit for anyone that believes in living their best life, on their own terms, without regard to what anyone else thinks.

Where do you see E11EVEN Vodka going over the next five years?

E11EVEN Vodka is currently available for nationwide shipping and in South Florida (at stores and restaurants/lounges). Next year, we will focus on rolling out in new markets across the U.S., and eventually, internationally.

How do people get their hands on a bottle?

E11EVEN Vodka can be purchased nationwide online at 11vodka.com. The suggested MSRP for a 1L bottle is $29.99.