This invention relates to a novel type of vodka, and a novel method for producing such vodka. Summary of invention

The inventors have surprisingly found that a pleasant tasting alcoholic beverage, a vodka, with an intense green colour can be obtained by flavouring vodka with tarragon. No other additives are necessary. In particular no additional colouring or flavouring is needed. The inventors have found that such a vodka is easy to produce in a cost efficient manner because the lack of other additives provides advantages during production.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided an alcoholic beverage, in particular vodka, comprising: water, from 30 % to 50% of ethanol, and tarragon extract providing tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) flavour and tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) colouring. The vodka may consist of or comprise water, from 30% to 50% of ethanol, tarragon flavour and tarra gon colouring, preferably provided as tarragon extract

The tarragon flavour and the tarragon colouring is preferably extract from fresh tarragon leaves. Hence, the tarragon extract preferably provides the colouring.

In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a flavoured and coloured vodka comprising the steps of a) mixing tarragon with an ethanol-water mixture where the ethanol content is at least 70%, and allow the ethanol water-mixture to extract the flavour and the colouring from the tarragon, b) filtering the mixture, and c) diluting the filtrate with water to bring the ethanol content to from 30% to 50%.

The ethanol content in step a) is may be at least 90%.

The final product preferably consists of water, from 30% to 50% of ethanol and tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) extract. Preferably fresh tarragon is used. In one embodiment the amount of fresh tarragon is at least 10 kg per 100 litres of ethanol -water mixture. In one embodiment the amount of fresh tarragon is at least 20 kg per 100 litres of ethanol -water mixture. The extraction time is preferably at least 35 days. In a third aspect of the invention there is provided an alcoholic beverage obtainable by the method of the second aspect of the invention.

Detailed description Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is used to flavour an alcoholic beverage, in particular vodka. Preferably a tarragon with a flavour, such as Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa is used. The vodka comprises water, from 30% to 50% of ethanol and tarragon flavour and tarragon colouring, preferably tarragon extract. No other additives are necessary. Hence, the vodka is preferably free from added sugar or other added components. The ethanol content is more preferably from 35 % to 50%, even more preferably from 37.5% to 45%.

Hence, in a preferred embodiment the vodka contains only the above components, that is water, from 30% to 50% of ethanol and tarragon flavour and tarragon colouring which pref erably is tarragon extract. Preferably the content of other compounds, for example contaminants from a previous fermentation and distillation process (such as fusel alcohol and essential oils) is preferably less than 3%, more preferably less than 1%, more preferably less than 0.5 % and most preferably less than 0.3%. The ethanol-water mixture may be provided by vodka production including fermentation and distillation as in known in the art.

Preferably fresh tarragon is used. The tarragon colouring and the tarragon flavouring is pref erably obtained from the tarragon plant, preferably from fresh tarragon, preferably fresh tarragon leaves. Dried tarragon or premade tarragon extract may also be used.

The water is preferably potable water.

The method of producing a flavoured vodka comprises the steps of: a) mixing tarragon with an ethanol-water mixture where the ethanol content is at least 70%, and allow the ethanol water-mixture to extract the flavour and the colouring from the tarragon, b) filtering the mixture, and c) diluting the filtrate with water to bring the ethanol content to from 30% to 50%. The high alcohol concentration used during the extraction step facilitates extraction of the colour and the taste from the tarragon. The ethanol content in the extraction step may be from 70% but is preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 90%, even more preferably at least 95% and most preferably at least 96 %. The ethanol content used during the extrac tion step is preferably from 95% to 99%. The high-alcohol content water-ethanol mixture used in the extraction step is suitably produced from a source, such as fruit, which does not contain essential oils. This eliminates the need of separation of essential oil from the prod uct.

It is preferred that fresh tarragon is used. Preferably the leaves of the tarragon plant are used. The amount of fresh tarragon is preferably at least 10 kg per 100 litres of water-eth anol mixture during the extraction, most preferably at least 20 kg per 100 litres of water- ethanol mixture and more preferably at least 25 kg per 100 litres of water-ethanol mixture and most preferably at least 30 kg per 100 litres of ethanol-water mixture. The amount of tarragon may preferably be from 25 kg to 50 kg per 100 litres of vodka. The inventors have found that the incubation time should be at least 35 days to obtain the strong colour and taste even more preferably at least 40 days. During extraction, the flavour and the colouring compounds of the tarragon leaves are extracted by the alcohol into the alcohol-water mixture. The temperature during the extraction step is preferably from 15°C to 25 °C.

The vessel used for the extraction step is preferably of a type that minimizes contamination, in particular to avoid that the alcohol extract undesirable compounds. An enamel-plated vessel is suitable for this. Filtering is done as is known in the art. For example, a paper filter may be used. Preferably all visible parts of the tarragon plant is removed by filtering. Preferably a clear liquid with a strong green colour is obtained. The filtrate is diluted with potable water to obtain the final alcohol concentration of the vodka. No other additives are necessary. In one embodiment, filtering is optional and the mixture from the extraction process is diluted to obtain the final product without filtering. The final vodka product may be filled on bottles or other contain ers.

EXAMPLE Fresh tarragon was added to 96.6 % alcohol with the following proportion: 30 kg fresh tar ragon for 100 litres of 96.6% vodka. The mixture was allowed incubate sit in a enamel-plated vessel for 40 days at 20°C to allow the vodka to extract the flavour and the colour from the tarragon. After 40 days, the vodka had a strong green colour. After this extraction process the mixture was physically filtered using a paper filter to re move the tarragon. The filtrate was mixed with distilled water to bring the alcohol down to 40%. The final product had a pleasant green colour and was found to have a pleasant taste.