Vodka – Lebanese style

"Our goal from the very beginning was to produce high end vodka, a luxury brand that has superior ingredients and superior production,” says Adam Aboulhosn, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Middle East Beverage Company, a Lebanese startup enterprise that has produced J2 Vodka, the first Polish vodka using Lebanese mountain water. Named after the DNA identifier connected with some of Lebanon’s ancient inhabitants, the first shipment of J2 has just entered the Lebanese market and Aboulhosn says they hope to sell 7,000 to 10,000 bottles in their first year of operation rising to 40,000 to 50,000 bottles within five years. Though that number may seem ambitious, it represents only 5 percent of the market for vodka in Lebanon, according to Aboulhosn.  Finding the right formula J2’s journey began two years ago when Aboulhosn’s brother-in-law ­­— who works in the wine industry in the United States — told Aboulhosn