The Anatomy of the Bottle: Smoke Lab

Intending to bring an innovation mindset and craft-oriented approach, SMOKE LAB created the first vodka of its kind in India.

Making its U.S. debut last year, Smoke Lab, distributed by India’s NV Group, released Smoke Lab Vodka Classic and Smoke Lab Vodka Aniseed. The vodka is distilled 5x times using a charcoal filtration system—making it a smooth yet bold spirit. The distillery uses locally sourced Basmati rice, a crop indigenous to India, and pure Himalayan spring water, to create the homegrown vodka.

“Smoke Lab is where eccentric creative ideas come to life. It’s always experimenting. We’re innovators and responsible creators of a great-tasting liquid, made from Basmati rice and 5X distilled.”
– Founder, Varun Jain

While what’s inside counts, the bottle is worth definitely worth mentioning. The unique shape of the bottle came from the idea of how smoke disperses into the air. Having SMOKE LAB VODKA be visible on a bar shelf is what inspired the brand to utilize both surfaces of the bottle so together they would have more of an impact. The white and black bottles are eye-catching with their “S” logo down the front. They can be displayed in two ways, as each bottle has two sides.

When placed next to each other, the front display forms the “S” and when the bottle is alone, the edge side will also display the “S.”

Smoke Lab didn’t stop at just vodka—the brand also has a high-fashion streetwear brand, water, and sanitizers. “In India, it is not allowed to make any advertising for alcohol, therefore brands have come up with surrogate brands to advertise their products,” adds Jain. Many other companies use sales of CD’s or bottled water to advertise their brands, but Smoke Lab is a little different. The high-end streetwear works to promote the lifestyle Smoke Lab is looking to create–one that’s edgy, expressive, and inclusive. What makes this all interesting is that you might think the fashion inspired the bottle, but the truth is that the bottle and its concept inspired everything else.