The Secret Ingredient In Dan Aykroyd's Crystal Head Vodka

While this might seem like a great setup for a new Indiana Jones movie, this is not actually a preview for Dan Aykroyd and the Crystal Skull. Instead, Aykroyd in partnership with artist John Alexander designed the "iconic skull-shaped bottle as a symbol of life, reflecting power and enlightenment," (via Crystal Head Vodka). This brand is known for both an innovative look as well as priding itself on being additive-free and using only the finest ingredients. A standard bottle is described as ultra-filtered and refined. Each skull's worth is filtered seven times, and three of those filtrations use semi-precious crystals known as Herkimer diamonds.

That's right, this skull vodka actually uses crystals in the creation process. 

While not "technically" a secret ingredient, this is definitely key to the distinctive taste Crystal Head fans know and love. Herkimer diamonds are actually quartz crystals known for their diamond-like appearance and are more widely used than you might expect in making spirits (via Dale's Jeweler's). Crystal Head Vodka is one of a number of high-end luxury spirit brands to add Herkimer's to the filtration process, and experts have remarked that this could be an effective technique for removing oils and impurities — if done at the right time. Keep in mind that the quality and sourcing of the original ingredients as well as the distillation process all lead to the final effect that makes Crystal Head Vodka so unique.

And does the product measure up to the sparkly hype? Tasters say yes.

Describes one fan of Aurora, "If you love vodka and all the complexity of this fine liquor, then this ticks all the boxes! Lastly, and most importantly, this is just oh so smooth! The pictures don't do it justice, better than the clear skull vodka. Makes a nice gift" (via Instagram). In addition to the clear glass skulls, you can choose from Aurora, a pearlescent bottle with high-quality English wheat and pristine water from Newfoundland, Canada, Onyx, a black bottle with Blue Weber Agave and sourced from a single farm in Mexico, or limited editions including a rainbow-themed Pride skull or one of just 25,000 limited edition hand-painted John Alexander bottles too (via Crystal Head Vodka).

People love not only this vodka but also the collectible skull bottles that come with it. A quick stroll through Instagram features all sorts of creative ideas by users, including using the empty skull as a vase. One even used theirs as a light (via Instagram). These skulls are serious holiday gifts, as many fans show their collection near the Christmas tree. In fact one even composed a short song, "On the sixth day of lockdown my true love gave to me, Six Skulls a-drinkin' ... Four Christmas mugs, Three furry friends, Two Marvel tatts, And a banjo so musically, " (via Instagram).