I’ve always wondered if I could take my sense of smell and push it further into the world of taste. To me, taste and smell are one and the same. I wanted to test the limits, curious to see what would happen if I took everything I knew and brought it into a brand new medium. One that explores the senses in a completely immersive way.

I was inspired to take the next step when a close friend of mine who works in the drinks industry asked if I had ever thought about the world of spirits for my next venture, and how vodka would be the perfect medium. Vodka is the purist spirit, and therefore the perfect foundations for creative exploration. After talking about it for days, I was excited to look at how to bring my creative thoughts to life. I’ve always had the ability to tell stories through scent. The challenge was to do that again, but this time take people around the world with me through something entirely new.

I believe in collaboration. I know that when you’re creating something like this, it takes a whole team. I was introduced to Joanne Moore, a Master Distiller. She’s renowned as one of the best in the industry. I saw a chance not just to work with a taste maverick, but to learn from the best and create something remarkable together.

From the first time we spoke, it felt like two kindred spirits from very different walks of life but with the same heartbeat. I felt the connection immediately. She guided me into the world of taste, hand in hand. And yet, when I first visited her distillery, I realised how many similarities there were between creating fragrance and crafting flavour for spirits. It was fascinating. There was so much overlap, even some of the same ingredients performed in similar ways, in both worlds. I loved that. 

I can see myself creating all kinds of fusions with Joanne Moore to add to the Jo Vodka collection, I want to show people different parts of my personality with every fusion created. 

Fusion 101 - The Purist 

This was the key to unlocking the whole collection. If this hadn’t been right, none of the others would have worked. We worked so hard on this until it was exceptional and have decided to keep the recipe secret, being the cornerstone of the whole collection. 

The balance is just right - delicate sweetness, sharp with clarity. This one is the jewel. Confident, uncomplicated. Clean, like footsteps crunching over snow. Fresh, like walking barefoot in a cool stream.

Fusion 102 - The Bohemian

My boho side presents herself daily. I might be in a tuxedo jacket, but my feet are often barefoot in the sand, drawn to the sunset. This vodka is the free spirit of the collection. The dreamer. The one who’s either at the most fashionable parties or sitting on a driftwood log by a beach fire. No matter the season, this citrus combination feels like sunshine for the soul.

Pomelo, yuzu, bergamot, and bay leaf give it that earthy, herbaceous note. It turns a simple vodka soda into something special. It also makes a magnificent “Margavita” , our take on a margarita for those who don’t love tequila. I love a splash of it over sorbet.

Fusion 103 - The Artist

This one reminds me of my father, who was an artist. I have so much respect for anyone who creates, whether they’re painting, sculpting, whatever.

The Artist takes me back to what I call “rock and roll Chelsea”- the King’s Road in the ’70s. It was the heartbeat of London. Music, food, flowers, it was alive. Creative, eclectic, eccentric, electric.

This vodka needed an edge. Rose, orange, pink peppercorns, and sencha create that picture in my head. It’s delicate, dry, and earthy.

Flavoured vodkas can include a wide range of flavourings, not just natural botanicals, but also extracts or compounds blended in.

What we’ve done with Jo Vodka is different. We’ve taken a very purist approach, using natural botanical, much like you would in gin but applied delicately to vodka. The idea was to create a subtle, refined fusion, not an overpowering flavour. The result is an elegant, nuanced spirit that reflects my vision and Joanne Moore’s craft. 

It took months for the team and I to choose the right bottle. We wanted it to be a work of art in itself, elegant and different from others in the vodka category. The red stopper was added as a trademark, acting as a red compass on top, to find it, to experience it. Each label has been carefully designed to bring to life each fusion's personality, the paper used reminds me of the scent blotting paper I use for my fragrances. I wanted each bottle design to showcase our thought, creativity, love and passion. 

From the 1st July, Jo Vodka will launch globally in partnership with Avolta, a world duty free retailer that will stock Jo Vodka in 100 duty frees worldwide, from North & South America to Europe and Asia. I am so excited by this amazing opportunity to launch on a global stage. Avolta is on a mission to change the duty free shopping experience and have been looking to partner with brands to inspire this change, so when they approached me it felt like a natural fit for Jo Vodka to be at the forefront of this new experience for travellers this summer. 

We’ll also be launching our own Jo Vodka website and online shop, where UK customers can purchase the trilogy directly. We’re having so many exciting conversations with UK retailers, restaurants and hotels to create a whole range of new experiences this summer and later in the year. 

We will be launching two more fusions towards the end of the year, both inspired by different parts of my personality and my life experiences. The beautiful thing about collaborating with Joanne Moore is that we can continue to add to the collection when inspired to create a new unique fusion that encapsulates a different personality, feeling or moment. 

The delicate nature of the vodka allows it to stand on its own, enjoyed straight from the freezer or paired effortlessly with soda to highlight the subtle botanical nuances of each luxury fusion. 

The Purist by Jo - this is best served neat with a twist of lemon or olive for those who enjoy a classic dirty martini style

The Bohemian by Jo is best enjoyed in a tumbler with a large piece of ice and finished with pomelo zest or a wheel of pink grapefruit. 

Artist by Jo is delicious served as a highball cocktail with soda, garnished with a lime wedge or rose petal. 

We’re launching with three hero serves but I am excited to play around with each fusion to reinvent classic cocktails with a new flavour experience. From a Cosmopolitan with the 103 The Artist, to our take on a Margarita with 101 The Bohemian or a Dirty Martini with the 101, The Purist all creations will stir the senses and offer a new experience.