The makers explain how they use black catechu to colour their spirit, but then describe their own product as: “A smooth, flavourless award-winning vodka with a breathtaking black appearance.” Yes the appearance of a drink can be part of the pleasure, but surely the main point of any drink other than water is its taste? And the colour of Blavod from the bottle I tried was petrol-blue – rather fetching in a way – not the black I’d expected, my breath remaining very much untaken. Smooth it was, though I’d gladly have suffered a bit of roughness for some flavour.

The website talks about designer and premium vodkas, the first epithet pretty meaningless, the second usually signifying something is expensive. So hats temporarily off to the marketer who thought this one up. If differentiation is the whole point of the exercise it will make its mark in student bars and clubs. But just for a brief period before something else with a fresher gimmick comes along for next year’s um, freshers, and their forerunners graduate to something more tasteful, a word that has a depth of meaning.