Consolidated "Vodka" thread
Nov 6, 2010 | 4:19 pm
#256
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Sipsmith do a nice vodka made in an all-copper distillery in a residential area of West London that's particularly nice. My favourite is generally local vodka made in the West of Belarus, but for vodka that's commercially available in the West I like Nemiroff (there's a De Luxe version made more for Western tastes) and Wyborova (Single Estate is lovely).
And yes, Ruski Standard is not bad at all.
And yes, Ruski Standard is not bad at all.
Nov 7, 2010 | 4:08 pm
#257
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Smirnoff
Nov 7, 2010 | 6:27 pm
#258
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Nov 9, 2010 | 4:05 am
#259
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Just out of curiosity, how heavily have Polish, Russian and Ukrainian immigrants to the US been behind the origins of American vodka brands? Is there a specific geographical area where vodka has been distilled in the US?
Nov 9, 2010 | 8:14 am
#260
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The premium vodka brands are essentially marketing inventions. Ukrainian/Polish/Russian brands are homegrown brands from those countries, as far as I know.
Nov 9, 2010 | 8:23 am
#261
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I'd expect the same. US vodkas (Sky) and vodkas developed for the US market (Vox, etc) are very much creations of the US drinks market, rather than a reference back to the Eastern European roots of vodka.
You can see it in the marketing - it's almost universally around how their vodka doesn't taste of anything, described in various different ways (quadruple-filtered, coal-filtered, smooth, best served on ice, etc).
If you look at good Polish, Ukrainian and to some degree Russian vodkas, much of their value is around the flavour.
You can see it in the marketing - it's almost universally around how their vodka doesn't taste of anything, described in various different ways (quadruple-filtered, coal-filtered, smooth, best served on ice, etc).
If you look at good Polish, Ukrainian and to some degree Russian vodkas, much of their value is around the flavour.
Nov 9, 2010 | 9:24 am
#262
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I don't believe there's such an area. Vodka didn't become popular in the US until the 1970s, and then only because of Absolut's marketing efforts saying that vodka leaves you "breathless" - no alcohol on your breath.
The premium vodka brands are essentially marketing inventions. Ukrainian/Polish/Russian brands are homegrown brands from those countries, as far as I know.
The premium vodka brands are essentially marketing inventions. Ukrainian/Polish/Russian brands are homegrown brands from those countries, as far as I know.
Nov 9, 2010 | 5:16 pm
#263
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My personal favourites are Russian (Stolichnaya) and Polish (Belvedere), but they are as much "marketing inventions" as any other brand. In fact, I don't see how you can differentiate between a brand of anything by classifying them as either "marketing inventions" or "homegrown brands" -- it's not as if these brands emerged spontaneously from the soil or were the result of divine revelation or something.
Contrast that to, say, Stolichnaya, which I presume was a popular kind of Russian vodka that did well in the export market.
Nov 13, 2010 | 2:33 pm
#264
Join Date: Nov 2010
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hey guys, this is probably not the best place to ask, but I've heard taking bottom shelf vodka and running it through a Brita filter a few times would make it much more tolerable, any truth to that? And if so why don't they do before they sell it?
Nov 17, 2010 | 4:47 pm
#266
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Just use a search engine and read the reviews from those who have tried it. Some lower priced brands so claim that they are charcoal filtered multiple times.
Nov 18, 2010 | 12:22 am
#268
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I usually drink my vodka on the rocks. I used to keep it in the freezer and drink it straight, but I found that I was drinking WAY too much that way. Now that is only for rare occasions.
My usual everyday vodka is either Finlandia, Skyy, or Stoli. I am a big fan of Ketel One, and Belvedere, just not a fan of the price.
I find Żubrwka and Christiania to be terrible. I threw away a bottle of Żubrwka that I bought in Taiwan a few years ago. Who thought it was a good idea to put a blade of grass in there?
The Christiania is still sitting on a shelf in the basement after many years.
My usual everyday vodka is either Finlandia, Skyy, or Stoli. I am a big fan of Ketel One, and Belvedere, just not a fan of the price.
I find Żubrwka and Christiania to be terrible. I threw away a bottle of Żubrwka that I bought in Taiwan a few years ago. Who thought it was a good idea to put a blade of grass in there?
The Christiania is still sitting on a shelf in the basement after many years.
Nov 18, 2010 | 3:04 pm
#269
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Żubrwka tastes best with apple juice. Personally I serve it with pear juice. In Poland we never drink pure Żubrwka. My fav vodkas are: Belvedere, Beluga and Wyborowa Exquisite.