Quantum Sensations: an alcohol spray without the hangover

Children’s storybook Charlie and the Chocolate Factory delivers an inventive feast for children to get their teeth stuck into – from a never-ending gobstopper to a gooey chocolate-filled lake. While Roald Dahl’s indulgent world exists purely in the imagination, a breathtaking new alcohol spray by French gastropreneurs Quantum Sensations has all the makings of an adults-only Wonka recipe.

The innovative device offers users the chance to experience all the benefits of an alcoholic drink without getting drunk, or even the danger of a dreaded hangover. As designer and creator Philippe Starck explains: "I take my WA|HH [device] and with a single spray I feel a touch of euphoria thanks to an infinitesimal dose, a thousand times less than a glass of alcohol."

Inventor and co-creator David Edwards adds: "Its ability to deliver flavour with each dose that grows in intensity with the vapour cloud of millions of tiny micro-droplets makes WA|HH an exciting food spray for the future."

Intoxication-free lightheadedness: no pain, full gain

The invention, called WA|HH Quantum Sensations, does exactly what it says and "delivers quantum sensations to the mouth", claims Antoine Mahy, general manager.

The device contains tiny amounts of alcohol in the form of micro particles to give an instant but brief sensation of lightheadedness with just one pump. Once the lightheaded feeling passes the taste and memory of the sensation leaves a lingering and lasting impression.

The best part is the quantum of alcohol delivered in one spritz is not enough to get drunk. In fact, it would take several hundred pumps to deliver the same amount of alcohol found in a single drink.

The idea behind the spray may sound a little far-fetched but Philippe Starck’s intelligent design has made using the device very simple. It works just like a mouth refresher spray with one pump directed at the mouth, leaving a squirt of liquid on your tongue.

Flash and Demon: cool and spicy flavours

The liquid within the spray contains a mixture of alcoholic vapour and vitamins which combine to put the user into a relaxed state, similar to the stress-free feeling experienced by a glass of wine after a hard day’s work. But deciding what to include in the spray was a "bit of a challenge", says Mahy.

"We first explored perfume and then the vitamins and alcohol. I did the mind perfume side and explored things that people are not used to getting. I refreshed the mind perfume experience as it [Quantum Sensations] is not something you put on your skin or have in the air. It is something that you put in your mouth, which has a quick impact when you get it so we give people a different experience with this technology."

There are two flavours to choose between: Flash and Demon. "Flash is about coolness. It’s for you if you want something really chilling because it contains vitamins B6 and B12 that are linked to relaxation. Demon, is something extra zingy. You have a burst in your mouth with some spice so this one offers more of an energy rush," says Mahy.

The quantum sensations team has plans to develop the experience even further. Mahy suggests that: "Beyond the Flash and Demon lines, and the Mind Perfume series, future Quantum Sensations may have benefits including, hormones, risk-free pleasures, such as quantum tobacco, coffee, alcohol products and more".

Complete sell-out: satisfying future demand

The invention launched in May 2012 with an exhibition at "Le Laboratoire" in Paris. Visitors were invited to discover the WA|HH experience and a photographer took pictures of their moment of surprise when they first experienced the unusual mouth and mind sensation.

"So far it has [only] been sold at the Lab Store, the store we have in Paris. The only issue is that it sold out in three weeks because there was a lot of momentum in the press about it," says Mahy.

The challenge will be to produce enough new ones to satisfy the Lab Store’s demand. However, the spray will not be available in a local convenience store or corner shop near you anytime soon because it is still a very niche product.

"I think at the beginning we’ll target what we call in marketing, "the explorers", – people that are prepared to explore new sensations and new products," says Mahy.

"We have to start off in selected distribution that is highly targeted and then maybe one day we will roll it out," he adds.

Going mainstream: new ritual for everyday life?

The next step for Quantum Sensations is to study the "tricky idea of a mind perfume" and whether it is possible to pair something in the mouth with something in the mind and body. "I think that’s something we have to dig into a bit further because we are only at the early stages. I think it’s definitely a powerful direction so we’ll be working with different vitamins and [their] different benefits," says Mahy.

In the meantime there is no doubt that the spray has fulfilled creators David Edwards and Philippe Starck’s aim to simplify life and reinvent a daily experience.

As Mahy explains: "We want to facilitate people’s lives because we live in a world where you have to contain your needs and desires because of side-effects like obesity. We want to offer people choice so if they want an alcoholic drink they can have it but if they want an alternative because of the time of day or month we can play a role in opening up that choice."

Can Mahy see this type of invention taking off in mainstream culture? "It’s a new ritual so it’s a gamble and difficult to say."

But, Mahy adds, the premise behind the idea is very difficult to argue with: "The concept behind it is to get a positive without the pain. You can get the taste without the calories; get some alcohol but none in your blood. I think this philosophy of no pain and full gain is something interesting and vivid and we’ve found a good tool to address it with."

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