Titos is one of the most underrated vodkas. Well worth the price (roughly $20/750ml here in PA).

We were also offered a taste of Square One. It is made of rye and is organic. It was excellent, but is about 2-1/2 times the price of Titos. IMHO, not worth the difference.

I've been wanting to try Boyd & Blair potato vodka for a while. Made in Pennsylvania it's received some nice accolades.

Tito's is superb. But Monopolowa (sold by TJ for about half the price of Tito) is even better Not American, though (made in Vienna). The heavily marketed brands such as Belvedere and Grey Goose have never been the finest, though they are good. And Smirnoff red (made in USA) regularly wins blind tastings -- showing that non-artisanal vodka can be good too, though without the nuances that Tito's etc. have.

I just looked at the website and see that they make a 151 proof version.
I don't think I have ever seen (let alone tasted) anything that strong.

Stoly comes in 151 proof in some countries. Quite a few rums are made overproof and 151 seems to be the magic value (perhaps due to tax laws -- though the high proofs become close to undrinkable unless diluted as they dessicate the mouth too much). Tea rum is often made at 80% (160 proof) as a teaspoonful is added to a cup of tea

The practical limit is 95% or 190 proof -- removing the rest of the water content gets to be quite expensive and is only done for laboratory purposes. Also somewhat dangerous as it can kill cells on contact (above 70% ethanol is a good bactericide).

Try some of this stuff:
http://www.sunsetrum.com/verystrongrum.htm

It's the go to drink (diluted in coke) in St Vincent and the surrounding islands. Just don't show off by dropping a bunch on the ground (including your foot) and setting fire to it.

http://crystalheadvodka.com/about

I won this is a Xmas raffle. Came in a gift set with two shot glasses, 750ml. Made in canada. Very smooth taste.

There is a vodka made not too far from where I live: Seven Brothers

http://www.seven-brothers.com/seven%20brothers_002.htm

Looking forward to a taste test!

i have sent a request to the washington post. want them to get a couple certified "mixologists" to blend those vodka fruit punches and have a group of experts distinguish various vodkas. all would be double tasted, and a few placebos tossed in. should be interesting results to see if the chosen ones can tell a mega buck vodka from a two buck chuck.............

There's a wonderful Vodka made in Ferndale Mi, just out side Detroit. You can visit the distillery and sample.

http://www.valentinevodka.com/distillery.html

Hangar One out of Alameda makes nice vodka as well.

But something interesting I heard recently from a friend is that you can make cheap crap vodka into very drinkable vodka by running it through a Brita

Very true -- but that just eliminates the impurities; it doesn't add back in the desirable elements that give the best vodkas their subtle flavour and beautiful mouth feel. Still a very cheap way to get decent vodka (slightly below Smirnoff Red quality, fwiw). If you don't have a Brita, burning a match and swirling it in the vodka also works (best done inside Russia).

Interesting thread.

As a very minimal social drinker (I maybe drink 3 or 4 times a year), I'm no longer in the loop on booze.

Years ago, when I did drink, I drank some Vodka. I never even thought to try "American" vodka. It was just not on my radar.

I do remember the buzz in America many moons ago over "Passport Scotch". Evidently fairly popular in parts of Europe, yet in the US, it was rather inexpensive - and thought of by many as rather cheap and not worth drinking. Something about Tariff laws if I recall, made it inexpensive in the US and it got the false reputation of being bottom shelf stuff. So I drank it and did not know any better. But when it came to Vodka I usually stuck with the top shelf stuff. I don't even recall American Vodka being offered or available at most restaurants I drank at. Back then anyway.

This is what I do normally since I've been drinking vodka straight since about five years ago. I guess my secret is out!

I don't get the hype on Tito's... When I first started coming to DFW, everyone was telling me I had to try Tito's...

Meh.

It gets the job done, but not my favorite vodka by any measure.