11th of September 2009
The Smirnoff Co. announced that it will be unveiling a huge ice sculpture of Liverpool’s iconic landmark the Liver Building’s Clock Tower on 11th of September 2009 in Liverpool ONE. The replica, measuring 5 metres long by 3.75 metres high, will celebrate the national launch in Liverpool of 2 new flavours of vodka; Green Apple Smirnoff and Lime Smirnoff.

Liverpool is one of five cities in the UK simultaneously showcasing an ice sculpture of a symbolic local landmark. Other designs include Urbis Manchester, Edinburgh’s Forth Bridge, Glasgow’s Armadillo and the London city skyline.

The installations will see some of the world’s top ice sculptors, Duncan and Jamie Hamilton, Ben Edson, Jack Hackney and Darren Jackson work through the night to carve the structures from a mix of clear and white ice. The ice blocks for the sculptures, being prepared in giant freezers at the Hamilton’s workshop in South West London, will be transported to each location on the 11th of September. Upon arrival, they’ll be slotted into place and shaped into their illustrious designs, incorporating limes, green apples and frozen bottles of Smirnoff flavoured vodka.

Sculptor Duncan Hamilton comments;
“We were delighted to be asked to work with Smirnoff Flavours. This is the first time we have been asked to design and produce a project of this scale. The challenge to present such unique large sculptures in five city centres, at the same time and on the same day is wonderful.”

Michael Martin, spokesperson for Smirnoff vodka comments;
“We wanted to do something original and exciting and resolutely iconic to mark the launch of Lime Smirnoff and Green Apple Smirnoff in the UK. When we saw what the Hamilton’s had in store, we were blown away. Make sure you get to see the sculpture before it melts and check out the new flavours of Smirnoff available in many bars around the country!”

Weighing an impressive 3½ tonnes, the sculpture will take 4 men approximately 5 hours to construct and carve from the time the blocks arrive on site. Once completed, they will be on show day and night, until the ice melts and the monuments disappear.