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Vodka: can you taste any differences?


Wmcmanus

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There's more to vodka than the taste per say, there's also the consistency, the smell, etc. I'm not a huge fan of Grey Goose, it's the de-facto overfancy overpriced vodka. Belvedere, on the other hand, has a lovely mouthfeel, good flavor and terrific smoothness. Polish vodkas are some of the best.


Growing up with Soviet factory-made vodka has kind of clowded my judgment, but the favorite standby to this day is Stoli. Smirnoff is ok, but it's a little harsher and more mediciny tasting than it should be.

 

If you're going to do a DBT with vodka, you can't just serve one shot after another, at room temperature. I say serve two or three shots, one chilled, one regular, one warm (nasty, but it will bring out some of the flaws); have a palate cleanser and some time between rounds; due it over a course of a few days if possible, to minimize the effects of intoxication. And finally, don't just spit the damn vodka out - this ain't no wine tasting.

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I'm a tito's guy myself. 27 bucks for a handle here. if I want to spend less I'll get a handle of kirklands for 13 at Costco.

The shady stuff we used to drink in the Eire was Scottish vodka, General something or another. 20 Euro a handle... never good when something is that cheap :D

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Not sure if this bit of alcoholic folklore is true or not but I hear from my boozer friend that Titos actually buys shit vodka then filters it

I've never heard of that.  My understanding is that they distill their own corn-based vodka.  I think they've only gotten popular in the last 5 or so years.

 

 

The shady stuff we used to drink in the Eire was Scottish vodka, General something or another. 20 Euro a handle... never good when something is that cheap :D

Ya the $13 one isn't anything amazing, but I think it's just fine for mixed drinks with friends.  I've done informal comparisons between it and other cheap vodkas and like this one more.  Kirkland also sells a smoother vodka for a little under $30 (handle) that's supposedly rebranded Grey Goose.

 

It's about $18 at Trader Joe's.  Hope that there is one nearby to you.

Handle or a fifth?  That's about the price of a fifth here in LA.

Edited by n3rdling
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I've never heard of that.  My understanding is that they distill their own corn-based vodka.  I think they've only gotten popular in the last 5 or so years.

Handle or a fifth?  That's about the price of a fifth here in LA.

 

Actually it was JP who said that he'd heard that Tito's might be filtered bulk vodka, not me.

 

That price was for a fifth.  Sorry, I missed the "handle" part.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I can generally taste the difference. The bad has a certain taste to me that's just absent in good vodka. Favorite cheap stuff is still Russian Standard and if I could get Karlsson's here, that would be my premium go-to.

My 2 cents: I have tried the brita filter trick with crappy product and the change is not insignificant. 5 runs through a normal, disposable filter got rid of most of the harsh, nasty flavor. The only cost was an hour of my time and a filter that now makes water taste like vodka.

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You really should use a separate filter for that.  Does it make it taste like good vodka or bad vodka?

 

The only cost was an hour of my time and a filter that now makes water taste like vodka.

(squints)

 

Not sure if kidding or win.

 

EDIT:  lollers, if you type "brita filter" and let google suggest searches, the 3rd choice (2nd if you don't include "brita filter" itself), is "brita filter vodka".  Apparently there was a Mythbusters episode.

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