South Carolina Smiles and Places 2008 Official Vacation Guide - (Page 23) A Toast to Lowcountry Vodka Not long ago, Scott Newitt of Coastal Wine, a North Charleston, SC, distributor, came up with an idea: why not combine the state’s famous muscadine grapes with five-times distilled vodka to produce a unique beverage? Thus was born FireFly, the Lowcountry’s first vodka (and the only muscadine-wine-flavored vodka on the planet). The product’s unusual name refers to the way the muscadine wine makes vodka’s usual “fiery” quality “fly away. ” The 80-proof premium vodka that Newitt launched in 2006 with his partner Jim Irvin, co-owner of IrvinHouse Vineyards on Wadmalaw Island, went on to receive an 89-point rating from the Beverage Testing Institute, which rates the taste and quality of spirits. The BTI describes it as “a fruity vodka that has an interesting spice and grape character. ” Hankering for a taste? You can find one of the dozens of retail outlets and restaurants that carry it by checking out the list on the website, which also offers recipes and a history of vodka. Find out more… FireFly Vodka 843-559-6867 www.fireflyvodka.com Soap Company Cleans Up After three years in business, Southern Pride Soaps of Chapin, SC, has a comfortable niche with a collection of soaps that tap local pride. Sold at more than 300 merchants throughout the South, the soaps display images that will not wash off or fade, ranging from Rainbow Row in Charleston to licensed University of South Carolina Gamecock images. Not all styles are rooted in local lore; soaps might offer beautiful floral patterns, astrological signs, or even wedding scenes to be used as favors. Patrons of the website can also order novelty soap dishes, such as a shopping-bag-shaped porcelain dish with the state’s Palmetto tree and crescent moon. The handmade soaps are gently scented with yellow Jessamine, peach blossom or magnolia (though unscented soaps are also available). Find out more… Southern Pride Soaps 800-508-7035 www.southernpridesoaps.com www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com 23 http://www.fireflyvodka.com http://www.southernpridesoaps.com http://www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com
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