Lay's Just Released Its Own Potato Vodka

Mike Pomranz
·2 min read

As a neutral spirit made from little more than alcohol and water, vodka can be distilled from all sorts of ingredients: corn, quinoa, and even old Twinkies. And if you know even a little bit about vodka production, you've likely heard it can be made from potatoes, too. And yet, for two major brands, this vodka-potato connection feels like a new revelation.

Last month, Arby's launched a vodka inspired by the fast food chain's French fries. And not to be outdone, today, Lay's has announced a vodka made in part with the same potatoes used for their potato chips.

Lay's Vodka
Lay's Vodka

Courtesy of Frito-Lay

Created in partnership with Portland, Oregon's Eastside Distilling, Lay's Vodka is made with a blend of Portland Potato Vodka and vodka distilled from Lay's proprietary potatoes. For the unaware, Lay's chips are made with a variety of potatoes developed in-house by Frito-Lay food scientists. According to a 2018 article from the Hartford Courant, they "are drier and grainier than the Russets, Yukon Golds and Red potatoes found in grocery stores." (Topical aside, these potatoes were recently in the news as Frito-Lay's parent company, PepsiCo, has been in an ongoing dispute with Indian farmers who are growing the variety without PepsiCo's authorization.)

Unlike Arby's vodkas — which were spiced to take on flavors similar to their fries — Lay's has kept it simple, foregoing the temptation to create a BBQ or Sour Cream & Onion vodka, and instead opting for a straight 80-proof vodka with a "crisp, clean finish."

Bottles will launch today, exclusively at Shop.EastsideDistilling.com/LaysVodka, where they can be picked up for $40 a pop while supplies last (and if similar promotions are any indication, they won't last long). Promotional photos show that the labels are individually numbered out of a batch of just 1,300 bottles.

"For decades, Lay's has created joy through iconic chips and delicious flavors," the company stated. "Now, just in time for holiday festivities, the iconic potato chip brand is transforming its signature, proprietary potatoes into a one-of-a-kind vodka." I can only assume it pairs well with potato chips.