Kole: A Fresh New Take On Flask Design

By Drew Prindle Published December 22, 2019

When it comes to flasks, you’ve generally got two options. You can either store your booze in a traditional hip flask, or one of those chintzy plastic ones designed to look like an oldschool cell phone. Outside of these two categories, there’s not a whole lot to choose from — but Nisnas Industries wants to change that.

The company’s new Kole flask is a complete departure from the tired old hip flask design. Instead of the curved but not-quite-pocket-friendly form that you’re used to seeing, Kole is boldly and unapologetically cylindrical. But it’s more than just a tube for your booze — Nisnas has included some simple design elements that make it highly functional as well.

Recommended Videos

Related: Drink Up With Our Favorite Backpacking Flasks

150904-0001 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

First of all, nearly all the flask’s parts are made from machined stainless steel, so they’re incredibly durable and designed to last a lifetime. However, because steel isn’t a great insulator (or very nice to hold in your hand), Kole’s container is nestled inside a warm, sumptuous sleeve of wood. It comes in your choice of oak, walnut, or mahogany; all of which will insulate your booze, coffee, or whatever liquid you happen to be carrying. And beset of all; when it comes time to enjoy the hooch you’ve stowed away, the lid of the flask is designed to double as a shot glass.

Unfortunately you can’t get your hands on one right away, but Nisnas has recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help cover the cost of production. Back the project now, and you can lock down a Kole for about 93 bucks. The creators expect to begin shipping in early December if all goes well — so barring any hiccups in the manufacturing process, the flasks should be ready just before Christmas. Head over to Kickstarter to learn more.

Topics

Culture

Drew is our resident tech nerd. He’s spent most of his life trying to be James Bond, so naturally he’s developed an…

Culture

Brave: Victor Cruz’s Honest Take on Bourbons and Turtle Racing

victor cruz turtle racing feature 60th annual grammy awards red carpet

Ask former NFL wide receiver Victor Cruz for his honest pitch on turtle racing. “It’s the slowest two minutes you’ll ever watch,” he says. Read the wrong way, it's not the most enthusiastic endorsement of the second-annual Old Forester Kentucky Turtle Derby, which takes place on Saturday, May 1, at 4 p.m. ET. But you have to see the tell, the upturned corner of the mouth — Cruz is in on the joke. And then, like Keyser Söze, poof, it's gone. "When you look at these turtles and you see the way they’re shaped, their skillsets are unmatched," he continues, straight-faced. "People don’t recognize how strong their grip is to the ground. They may be going slow, but they’re moving.”
Related Guides

History of the Super Bowl
Kentucky Derby Drinks
Mint Julep Guide

Food & Drink

Hudson Whiskey Relaunches with New Look, New Whiskey

hudson whiskey relaunch 1

Hudson Whiskey was one of the brands at the forefront of the American craft whiskey movement. The distillery behind it, Tuthilltown Spirits, was the first distillery in New York State to operate since Prohibition when it launched back in 2003. The distillery has gone through some changes since those early days, the biggest being the 2010 acquisition of the Hudson Whiskey brand by beverage conglomerate William Grant & Sons (owner of well known brands like Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, and Sailor Jerry), followed by the overall acquisition of the distillery in 2017. Things have been relatively quiet from Tuthilltown since then, but the distillery revealed some big news in recent days. The label design and the liquid found within the bottle has undergone a significant relaunch, focusing on its role as a true representative of the New York craft whiskey scene, along with a price shift that should please consumers.

The new names of the whiskeys are all nods to iconic New York cultural institutions including films and food. Baby Bourbon is now called Bright Lights, Big Bourbon. The mash bill is 95% corn and 5% malted barley, unique for bourbon in that no flavoring grain like rye or wheat is used. The whiskey is aged for longer than it used to be, or a minimum of three years according to the brand. Manhattan Rye is now called Do The Rye Thing, which should please Spike Lee fans. As a complement to the bourbon, the mash bill is 95% rye and 5% malted barley, similar to the ubiquitous MGP formula. This whiskey is also now aged for a minimum of three years and is certified as an Empire Rye, meaning it meets certain requirements like 75% of the mash must be New York-state grown rye. Also, Maple Cask Rye is now called Short Stack, and the distillery has unveiled a brand-new whiskey called Back Room Deal. This rye is finished in barrels that originated at Tuthilltown, were then sent to Scotland to age peated scotch, and then returned to the distillery to infuse the whiskey with a bit of smoke.

Food & Drink

Angel’s Envy Releases Special New Mizunara Cask Whiskey

Mizunara Cask Whiskey

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of Angel's Envy's Founder's Day on August 19, the distillery released a new bourbon finished in Japanese Mizunara oak casks. This blend of four-year-old and nine-year-old whiskey spent an additional two years in these new charred oak casks, made from 200-year-old trees, during which it picked up a bouquet of floral notes including sandalwood, coffee, and a bit of smoke. "We chose this release for the tenth anniversary because my dad, having taken on several consulting roles in Japan during his career, always had a deep appreciation for the country and its distilling community," said cofounder and chief innovation officer Wes Henderson in a prepared statement. "This release, finished in Mizunara casks made from this rare, 200-year-old wood, felt fitting for such a special milestone for Angel’s Envy.”

This is a first for the distillery, and it really stands out in terms of flavor from its core range that is finished in port and rum barrels. "When we set out on this project, we knew where we wanted to end up, but we also knew we might not wind up there," said Henderson in a recent Zoom meeting. His son and production manager Kyle detailed the difficult and lengthy process of getting ahold of these barrels, which he said are extremely limited and tightly controlled by the Japanese government. It took about five years in total to procure them, and 18 months of that time was spent on a waiting list.