A peach-cherry flavored vodka is just the pandemic antidote some Wichitans wanted

To escape from the cold of Wichita for his Dec. 15 birthday a few years ago, Troy Brooks took a trip to San Diego. While there, he was enjoying some of his then-favorite drink, Ciroc — rapper Sean Combs’ flavored vodka — when an idea struck.

“Well, what if I could start my own?” Brooks wondered.

The idea for Greatness Vodka was born, but then he had to do a lot of research.

Brooks is a manger for King of Freight, and he started his vodka company by studying the distillery business online. It was through that research that he met a partner and began distilling peach-cherry vodka in Jacksonville, Fla.

His company is based in Wichita, and Brooks hopes to open a distillery here in 2021.

“It’s just tough with COVID.”

Brooks said that through a past travel business he learned that people often will spend money for things they want sooner than for things they need.

“People love fun.”

He said he figured that if he could have a product wrapped around fun times and celebrations, “Then I knew I could have a winner.”

Greatness Vodka, which hit the market six months ago, is in most Wichita liquor stores and some around Kansas. The company is looking for an out-of-state distributor and is particularly interested in Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. The pandemic has slowed that process.

Brooks said his first shipment was 1,000 bottles, and they sold out in the second week of sales. The second shipment of 1,000 bottles was sold out before arrival. Now, he’s on his biggest shipment — 6,000 bottles — and sales continue to be brisk.

“That kind of gives you an idea of the excitement around it.”

The 750 milliliter bottles are $20.

Brooks credits the “extremely smooth” peach-cherry flavor with the vodka’s popularity.

“I wanted to do something different as we came into the industry.”

He also wanted something that wouldn’t burn like some liquors do or taste like cough syrup as others do.

In 90 days, Brooks is going to release Pure Greatness, a nonflavored vodka.

The Greatness name came from a time of struggle for Brooks. He’d played college basketball at Central Christian College and then Newman University.

“I was just always working hard, just putting in the extra work, striving for greatness,” Brooks said. “When basketball ended for me, I kind of didn’t know what to do. I kind of went through negative times.”

He said he then trained himself to think differently and let his inner positive feelings reflect to others.

“Think great, look great, feel great.”

Brooks said he thought about calling the company Grandeur — French for greatness — but then thought, “You know what? Let’s just be yourself, man.”

He hopes Greatness Vodka can one day be his full-time job.

“By this time next year, I truly believe it will be.”