While on an East Coast promotional tour for his new Crystal Head Vodka, comedy legend Dan Aykroyd stopped by Cranbrook Liquors in Cockeysville. While Aykroyd having his own vodka may seem a little out of left field, the Saturday Night Live alum has already partnered with a wine distrubutor and has made a few reds and whites.
At about 3 p.m., the line of Aykroyd fans (complete with proton packs and Blues Brothers shades, no less) began snaking outside the liquor store. The eager fans were all waiting for Aykroyd to sign a vodka bottle, shaped like a crystal skull, reflecting his life-long love of the paranormal.
I got a chance to talk to Aykroyd in the few precious minutes he had before autographing his new liquor.
What makes this particular vodka unique?
Well it has no additives commonly associated with a lot of vodka manufacturing. A lot of vodkas today try to achieve a smoothness, a satiny, velvety feel by adding fusel oils, like raw sugar. What we did was go to the government distillery in New Foundland and said we wanted to go back to an old style country or moonshine. What you have here is the cleanest vodka in the world. We really have something to talk about here. We wanted to make a pure spirit, started out with a bottle, started out with a fading celebrity endorsement, and now I have a real thing to talk about because we really do have taste in the bottle.
Any particular cocktails you recommend for your vodka?
I like it with freshly squeezed orange juice for a Crystal Driver. I like it with 7-Up for a Heads Up. I like a Cranium, with cranberry and soda. But you know what, it’s great just in a shot glass with a little squeeze of lime. Or just in a shot glass cold. When you freeze the heads and pour it, it comes out as if it was liquid platinum, it comes out in dollops. I’m just so pleased with the result.
Your two major passions in life seem to be blues and comedy. They seem like opposites, but to you, they’re probably not so different.
Well there’s a lot of humor in blues. Willie Dixon wrote that song “Dead Presidents” and it was about money. Johnny Taylor, “Who’s making love to your old lady, while you‘re out making love?” The blues is full of humor, all the lyrics, they’re double entendres.
Will Slimer be making a cameo in the upcoming Ghostbusters movie?
I’m going to see the script in the next few hours, I’m about to read the third script, I’ve been submitted it and we’ll see what happens.