This week, the family-owned O'Neill Vintners & Distillers announced a new premium vodka: Saint Javelin. The vodka is set to hit shelves mid-August, with 100% of proceeds going toward Ukrainian relief efforts. The distillery is donating all proceeds from the vodka to Razom, an organization providing relief and recovery to the Ukrainian people.
To kickstart the campaign, the California-based O'Neill is donating $50,000 before the first bottle of Saint Javelin is sold. Jeff O'Neill, the distillery's founder and CEO, saw that there was an opportunity to support Ukrainians through the company's spirits division that will allow all of the company's partners to join Saint Javelin's mission.
"It has been horrific to watch events unfold on the other side of the world, seeing families being torn apart and lives broken and changed forever," O'Neill said in a statement. "Many of us have made small contributions to Ukraine, but I was trying to find a lasting platform that could continue to promote success against a barbaric regime that our children may have to face later."
As for the name, Saint Javelin, it pays homage to the thousands of anti-tank missiles supplied by the United State that have become an iconic weapon of war. The javelins have helped the otherwise underdog Ukrainians inflict damage on Russia's military advances.
O'Neill said he hopes to sell 5,500 cases of Saint Javelin vodka in its first year. The vodka is made with a grape-based spirit and blended with super premium neutral grain spirit. It will be available in 750-ml bottles at $22.99. Saint Javelin can be pre-ordered online www.saintjavelinvodka.com.