Favorite Vodkas

[theben]

To all the boozehounds here: please post all the vodkas you have actually tried and then post your top 3 favorite (or top-2 or top-1 if only one stands out). please only comment and list ones that you have tasted, not just heard of.

[Sightless]

1 Grey Goose
2 Finlandia
3 Stolichnaya

[bravos1]

I'll just list Grey Goose and stop there.

There are MANY different vodkas that are good. To me, Grey Goose is the best for the price, and one of the overall bests IMO.

[rohjoh]

Grey goose
Belvidere
Kettle One

[ScottyP431]

Armadale > the Goose

[WackityWhiz]

Hawkeye... kurosh, you know what's up

[HtotheNootch]

Luksusowa
Chopin

I prefer potato vodka.

[phil_ivey_fan]

Van Gogh - Dutch Chocolate

Stoli - O and Cran

[GuyOnTilt]

Chopin
Armadale
Ketel

I typically drink Ketel for value.

I like Ketel more than Grey Goose, but that's just me and I can understand people liking Ketel less. But there's no question in my mind that most people who try Chopin or Aramdale that like vodka will agree they're both better. I haven't tried any of the other well-known top of the line vodkas (there's one with Russia in the name or something) so I can't comment.

I heart vodka.

GoT

[MrWookie47]

I drink Fris. Grey Goose is a little smoother, but Fris is such a ridiculous value that I don't buy anything else.

[mslif]

[ QUOTE ]

I typically drink Ketel


[/ QUOTE ]

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]

I heart vodka.


[/ QUOTE ]

Try the following:

Wyborowa (http://press.wyborowa.com/)
Hangar One (http://www.hangarone.com/)
Pearl (http://www.pearlvodka.com/)

and orange juice

[Chaostracize]

You thinking of Stoli for the Russian one?

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
To all the boozehounds here: please post all the vodkas you have actually tried and then post your top 3 favorite (or top-2 or top-1 if only one stands out). please only comment and list ones that you have tasted, not just heard of.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've cut way back on drinking but in some older threads (maybe one or two years out) a bunch of us agreed that Skyy was a "bang for the buck" leader (usually about 60% of the price of Ketel (which I liked in the past) and much less than Grey Goose (which IMO is mostly hype). Ordered in a bar it does cost about the same though.

Anyway, search the older archives for more info.

~ Rick

[kurosh]

[ QUOTE ]
Hawkeye... kurosh, you know what's up

[/ QUOTE ]?

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
I drink Fris. Grey Goose is a little smoother, but Fris is such a ridiculous value that I don't buy anything else.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup. Fris and Wyborowa are the only vodkas I drink.

[mslif]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hawkeye... kurosh, you know what's up

[/ QUOTE ]?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why aren't you with your girlfriend enjoying some time outside?

[gunt]

[ QUOTE ]
Grey goose
Belvidere
Kettle One

[/ QUOTE ]

[WackityWhiz]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hawkeye... kurosh, you know what's up

[/ QUOTE ]?

[/ QUOTE ]

They don't have Hawkeye vodka in iowa city? It's like $1.42 a handle in Des Moines. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[theben]

haven't yet tried wyborowa, so i cannot comment on it. but i've heard amazing things about wyborowa single estate vodka. (one friend said it is better than jean marc)

[peterchi]

[ QUOTE ]

I like Ketel more than Grey Goose

[/ QUOTE ]
I like both, and I agree with this.

[theben]

ive had: smirnoff, absolute, iceberg, fris, ketel one, grey goose, zyr, chopin, armadale


my favorite 2 are:


1. Zyr
2. Chopin

3 is undecided

[TheMetetron]

1) Chopin
2) Belvedere
3) Grey Goose

In order of preference.

[theben]

my feeling is that rain and fris are real steals

[ethan]

1) Vox
2) Hangar One
3) Mor

Fris is the best you'll get for under $40/1.75L, and it costs less than half that.

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
my feeling is that rain and fris are real steals

[/ QUOTE ]

These are both very good values. I prefer fris, and it also happens to be cheaper.

[Barrett's Last Privateer]

I really like 42 Below.
It comes from New Zealand.

Website (http://www.42below.co.nz/) is kinda cool too

When describing passionfruit it includes the quote "It's like Natalie Portman and Keira Knightly both saying "Yes" at the same time."

[Nick709]

I can't only list three, I probably drink stoli the most, but I love ciroc, pearl, chopin, belvedere, and grey goose.

[Los Feliz Slim]

Monopolowa is a very good potato vodka from Austria that can be had for around $10.

I've decided that brand-whoring vodkas is insane. They're essentially the same, so spending three times as much just doesn't make sense.

[TheCroShow]

not jumping off a cliff here, but i have to go with grey goose. i am not a huge fan of vodka, but of the limited # of vodka i have tried, this was the best.

[MrTrik]

I've tried many many. I think Grey Goose, Stoli, and Sky are the one's I buy most often. I don't think there's much difference until you get into the very upper prices.

Sky is my choice for Vodka tonic (or diet mist, that sort of thing)
Stoli is my favorite for screwdrivers
and Grey Goose is my favorite for bloody marys or straight (shots out of the freezer)

[BobboFitos]

[ QUOTE ]
Luksusowa
Chopin

I prefer potato vodka.

[/ QUOTE ]

i didnt like chopin, but in general potato vodkas rule

[rohjoh]

All this vodka talk made me thirsty... Just poured a kettle one rocks, and it is quite good.

[TeeJayORTj]

I putting down a vote for Dubra or Rubinoff.

[Manque]

Not a big Vodka fan. Just as a tip, buy a bottle of
Grey Goose and when it's finished fill it up with something crap like Popov. I bet you nobody will know the difference.

[tonypaladino]

[ QUOTE ]
Not a big Vodka fan. Just as a tip, buy a bottle of
Grey Goose and when it's finished fill it up with something crap like Popov. I bet you nobody will know the difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

BS

I can absolutly tell the difference between Grey Goose and some [censored] vodka.

When mixed, there's no really difference between Kettel/Grey Goose/Skyy, but anyone can tell the difference between a Grey Goose and OJ and an [censored] Brand &amp; OJ

[dblgutshot]

I always just have smirnoff vodka in my house for mixes. Would you recommend getting greygoose or something else?

I am usually not the one drinking it so I don't know.

[theben]

Who here has actually sampled Jean Marc XO vodka and Stolichnaya Elit?

[MINETZ]

dimitri is definatley my favorite vodka, hands down.

[MINETZ]

seriously tho grey goose if ive been running well, absolute if ive been running ok, and smirnoff if i need to wallow in my pair because of how bad ive been running.

[TheMetetron]

[ QUOTE ]
I always just have smirnoff vodka in my house for mixes. Would you recommend getting greygoose or something else?

I am usually not the one drinking it so I don't know.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hell no.

I have Grey Goose, Chopin, Belvedere, and sometimes some Sky for me to drink and the girls I'm trying to screw.

I have $10 for 1.75 L crap vodka for the guests I don't care about. Fuck them.

Also, someone who said there is no difference between a good vodka and ass vodka is on crack. I can tell the difference between Grey Goose, Chopin, and Belvedere... I can certainly tell the difference between those and a crap vodka, even if it is mixed.


Edit: I actually have Smirnoff Green Apple (to mix with cran) and Smirnoff Vanilla (for vanilla vodka and coke). I'd really like to find better tasting flavored vodka though... Maybe a trip to BevMo is in order.

[Manque]

Maybe by the hangover.

[RunDownHouse]

[ QUOTE ]
When mixed, there's no really difference between Kettel/Grey Goose/Skyy, but anyone can tell the difference between a Grey Goose and OJ and an [censored] Brand &amp; OJ

[/ QUOTE ]
Seriously, Grey Goose is all hype. The founder has even admitted it: his plan was to make a vodka of the same quality as Skyy/Absolut, and then price it at 150% of those brands and build a ton of hype so people would pay. It has worked beautifully.

If you're mixing it, save yourself the cash and get a standard premium over Grey Goose. If you're drinking it straight, on the rocks, or with tonic, you'll likely want something of actual higher quality in any case.

[Manque]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Not a big Vodka fan. Just as a tip, buy a bottle of
Grey Goose and when it's finished fill it up with something crap like Popov. I bet you nobody will know the difference.

[/ QUOTE ]



BS

I can absolutly tell the difference between Grey Goose and some [censored] vodka.

When mixed, there's no really difference between Kettel/Grey Goose/Skyy, but anyone can tell the difference between a Grey Goose and OJ and an [censored] Brand &amp; OJ

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you can. But in my (fairly extensive) experience, very few people are able to tell the difference.

[kurosh]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hawkeye... kurosh, you know what's up

[/ QUOTE ]?

[/ QUOTE ]

They don't have Hawkeye vodka in iowa city? It's like $1.42 a handle in Des Moines. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]I wouldn't know? I live in Illinois. And to mslif, we left a few seconds after I posted that.

[ucfryan]

http://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/images/PRODUCTRECORD_849.jpg

[swede123]

[ QUOTE ]
But there's no question in my mind that most people who try Chopin or Aramdale that like vodka will agree they're both better.

I heart vodka.

GoT

[/ QUOTE ]

You're wise beyond your years, at least when it comes to Vodka.

Swede

[tonypaladino]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I always just have smirnoff vodka in my house for mixes. Would you recommend getting greygoose or something else?

I am usually not the one drinking it so I don't know.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hell no.

I have Grey Goose, Chopin, Belvedere, and sometimes some Sky for me to drink and the girls I'm trying to screw.

I have $10 for 1.75 L crap vodka for the guests I don't care about. Fuck them.


[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. Last party I had, I had a bottle of Gordon's out on the drink table, and kept a bottle of Grey Goose stashed away, which I directed the cute girls to.
[ QUOTE ]

Edit: I actually have Smirnoff Green Apple (to mix with cran) and Smirnoff Vanilla (for vanilla vodka and coke). I'd really like to find better tasting flavored vodka though... Maybe a trip to BevMo is in order.

[/ QUOTE ]

Try bacardi vanilla with coke, vodka with coke, is not something I can stomach.

There was an article in the NY Daily news last week about making your own flavored vodka, with fruits. It's not online, but I might have it in the recycling bin, I'll try to scan and post. Seems like a fun idea.

[Leo99]

Stoli, Svedka, Absolute, Zyr, Ketel One, Level, the Polish potato vodka, the Russian one that sounds like Stoli, Smirnoff.

1. Zyr Smoooooth and mild
2. Stoli Love the mouth feel and the little taste it has
3. Ketel Makes a good apple martini

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
I can tell the difference between Grey Goose, Chopin, and Belvedere

[/ QUOTE ]

You are in the Bay Area, right? Are you willing to put money on that?

[ QUOTE ]
I'd really like to find better tasting flavored vodka though...

[/ QUOTE ]

Hangar One. Best flavored vodka around. Get one of each flavor. Kaffir Lime is my favorite.

[TheMetetron]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I can tell the difference between Grey Goose, Chopin, and Belvedere

[/ QUOTE ]

You are in the Bay Area, right? Are you willing to put money on that?



[/ QUOTE ]

Probably. I assume we are talking about drinking them straight up.

[ QUOTE ]


[ QUOTE ]
I'd really like to find better tasting flavored vodka though...

[/ QUOTE ]

Hangar One. Best flavored vodka around. Get one of each flavor. Kaffir Lime is my favorite.

[/ QUOTE ]

Shall do.

[TheMetetron]

Not a big rum guy.

Vodka is definitely my poison of choice.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]

Probably. I assume we are talking about drinking them straight up.


[/ QUOTE ]

However you would like them. I will have a neutral bartender serve 6 drinks in the manner you choose, each of which will be one of those three. If you identify all 6 correctly, which should be easy if you can really tell them apart, you win the bet. I am willing to wager a significant amount on this. We can continue discussions in this thread or you can PM me. I'll even come down to San Hoser for this, I think that's where you are.

[rohjoh]

OK, after 5 kettle one rocks and 2 dos equis special lagers, I now say kettle one is a great vodka.

[Shajen]

[ QUOTE ]
Try the following:

Wyborowa (http://press.wyborowa.com/)


[/ QUOTE ]

I have heard good things about this one, from some british friends. How's it stack up to the usual (the goose, kettle 1, etc, El D? My liquor warehouse doesn't carry it, yet.

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
Try the following:

Wyborowa (http://press.wyborowa.com/)


[/ QUOTE ]

I have heard good things about this one, from some british friends. How's it stack up to the usual (the goose, kettle 1, etc, El D? My liquor warehouse doesn't carry it, yet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't bother coming into the city for it either. Every place I've been to recently has stopped carrying it. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[BoogerFace]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll just list Grey Goose and stop there.

There are MANY different vodkas that are good. To me, Grey Goose is the best for the price, and one of the overall bests IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Try the following:

Wyborowa (http://press.wyborowa.com/)


[/ QUOTE ]

I have heard good things about this one, from some british friends. How's it stack up to the usual (the goose, kettle 1, etc, El D? My liquor warehouse doesn't carry it, yet.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is very different. It has sort of a creamy taste. Hard to describe. You can get an idea of the style by trying Pearl vodka, which is similar and very good, but not quite as good as Wyborowa.

[ChicagoTroy]

My folks brought me a bottle of Rostov back from St. Petersburg, and it was excellent. Sadly, they don't export it for some readon.

[J.A.Sucker]

The best vodka you can buy in the US is Chopin. Nothing else is close. Grey Goose and Ketel are terrible.

I have some Russian friends who smuggle back some Russian vodkas that they can't sell here. Most of them have lactic acid added to them, to make them nice and creamy-tasting. You get lots of fruit, a big buzz, and no hangover.

The best two from Russia that I can remember the names of are Blue Topaz and Paratrooper (I think this is right). Of course, the names are in Russian, but these are the English translations. Most of the good stuff comes in 375 mL bottles, so everyone gets their own and you drink one or two for the night. Eat dill pickles with the Vodka.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
The best vodka you can buy in the US is Chopin. Nothing else is close. Grey Goose and Ketel are terrible.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's the wager, chief. Ten glasses of Goose/Ketel/Belvedere/Chopin, however you like them served. Two will have Chopin in them. You will not be able to identify them. Bet? I'm willing to put a large amount on this.

[Los Feliz Slim]

If anyone ever takes you up on this, I would be happy to take some of the action.

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Probably. I assume we are talking about drinking them straight up.


[/ QUOTE ]

However you would like them. I will have a neutral bartender serve 6 drinks in the manner you choose, each of which will be one of those three. If you identify all 6 correctly, which should be easy if you can really tell them apart, you win the bet. I am willing to wager a significant amount on this. We can continue discussions in this thread or you can PM me. I'll even come down to San Hoser for this, I think that's where you are.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would be more than happy to help partake in the judging of this event as I personally do not know either of you, but would find the results interesting.

[theben]

El D, while i am essentially 100% certain your vodka challenges will never actually go down, if they do you must post the results.

i also suggest doing a round-2 and add in jean marc and stoli elit, the two most expensive vodkas in the world. see if the 50$+ category is actually different from the 30$ category.

[Analyst]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The best vodka you can buy in the US is Chopin. Nothing else is close. Grey Goose and Ketel are terrible.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's the wager, chief. Ten glasses of Goose/Ketel/Belvedere/Chopin, however you like them served. Two will have Chopin in them. You will not be able to identify them. Bet? I'm willing to put a large amount on this.

[/ QUOTE ]

To really throw the gauntlet, make it a double-blind ABX test. For example:

- one glass of Grey Goose, identified as such to JAS
- one glass of Chopin, also identified
- one unidentified glass containing either Goose or Chopin, determined by a coin flip

JAS to taste the three in any manner he desires in order to determine which vodka is in the third glass. For statistical purposes, he probably would need to do a dozen or so trials, at the end of which you could probably put gin in the third glass . . .

My son did this with Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi for a science fair experiment with interesting results. I'd be happy to serve as bartender/quality control tester for this one.

[J.A.Sucker]

I will not wager in this regard, but I will take part of it and serve as a neutral 3rd-party. I think 10 vodkas is too many - you just can't do it. Analyst's plan is more reasonable, but I am going to pass because I haven't had much vodka lately. A better one is to see which one gives you the worst hangover the next day...

[beta1607]

[ QUOTE ]
Grey Goose (which IMO is mostly hype)

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe this is true. To the OP try Three Olives Vodka.

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
I will not wager in this regard, but I will take part of it and serve as a neutral 3rd-party. I think 10 vodkas is too many - you just can't do it. Analyst's plan is more reasonable, but I am going to pass because I haven't had much vodka lately. A better one is to see which one gives you the worst hangover the next day...

[/ QUOTE ]

We definitely have enough 3rd party people to do this correctly. I'm sure we could all come up some good test cases. Is everyone chiming up about being involved in the bay area?

[Cancer Merchant]

For comparison, and embarrasment factor, you should have a vodka neophyte in the challenge as well. There should be an extra stipulation should the neophyte win.

[asofel]

Has anyone tried Christiana?

http://www.creativemag.com/images2002/paacrylicdesignChristiana.jpg

Its been too long for me to rate compared to the others, but I thought it was pretty good at the time. Its priced similarly to Goose.

[Shajen]

I tried this the other night, based on the wife's recommendation.

It's soy vodka. Smooth, in a martini.

http://www.healinglifestyles.com/stories/2003/1/3some_vodka_tif.jpg

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
I will not wager in this regard ... but I am going to pass because I haven't had much vodka lately.


[/ QUOTE ]

No, you will pass because...

[ QUOTE ]
The best vodka you can buy in the US is Chopin. Nothing else is close. Grey Goose and Ketel are terrible.

[/ QUOTE ]

...that is BS and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them.

If one is "the best" and two others are "terrible" then of course you'd take this wager. But of course, you won't, because all three of those are pretty much the same.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
El D, while i am essentially 100% certain your vodka challenges will never actually go down, if they do you must post the results.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, they'll never go down because before doing them, these guys will try it with their buddies first and realize they can't actually tell the difference.

[renodoc]

I don't see Turi mentioned. It has become a recent favorite of mine.

I would love to participate in the vodka challenge, purely as an imbibing spectator. I will also be happy to match El D's stake as I do not believe the playa in question can even come close to success.

[Mars357]

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/mmuhlestein/vodkaguide_1862_24107159.jpg

Web Site (http://www.titos-vodka.com/)

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'd really like to find better tasting flavored vodka though...

[/ QUOTE ]

Hangar One. Best flavored vodka around. Get one of each flavor. Kaffir Lime is my favorite.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hangar One is definitely your best option here.

Charbay makes a good blood-orange vodka, but I wasn't too fond of their lime and haven't tried any of their others.

I remember Tanqueray Sterling Citrus being good, but it's been quite some time since I had it.

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, they'll never go down because before doing them, these guys will try it with their buddies first and realize they can't actually tell the difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I'd have a much better shot at success than most, and I still wouldn't give you action on this bet.

That said, I don't think I'd have any trouble coming up with a few premium vodkas I could tell apart relatively easily. They'd just be different choices from the ones being discussed.

I mostly drink cheap vodkas, but here are my favorites. heres what I've had: skyy, grey goose, absolut, shmirnoff black and cranberry, McCormicks, HRD, oregon springs.

1. Oregon springs
2. absolut
3. McCormick's

I drink mostly screw drivers. I also VASTLY prefer cheap orange juice (Tampico, not even real juice in any way.) real orange juice is disgusting to me in a screw driver. I've taught myself to drink extremely cheap. McCormick's and Tampico all night long. cheap as hell.
I hate shmirnoff and didn't like sky much. HRD if anyone has had it is the worst liqour ever.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, they'll never go down because before doing them, these guys will try it with their buddies first and realize they can't actually tell the difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I'd have a much better shot at success than most, and I still wouldn't give you action on this bet.

That said, I don't think I'd have any trouble coming up with a few premium vodkas I could tell apart relatively easily. They'd just be different choices from the ones being discussed.

[/ QUOTE ]

ethan, I agree with that. Stick Wyborowa in there, for example, and I can do the 2 out of 10 test with the other vodkas mentioned. I was responding specifically to the vodkas that people were naming when referring to vodkas they liked or didn't like. My experience has shown that even people who are fanatical about those vodkas (LOVE Goose, HATE Belvedere, etc.) can't tell them apart when put to the test. And I am talking about serious drinkers too. Most people are really kidding themselves when it comes to their vodka preferences.

[STLantny]

It all tastes like rubbing alchohol, or water to me, thats how I tell if I like it or not.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
Hangar One is definitely your best option here.

[/ QUOTE ]

They have a new (to me) one out, Raspberry. I am going to try that ASAP.

[ QUOTE ]
Charbay makes a good blood-orange vodka, but I wasn't too fond of their lime and haven't tried any of their others.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't remember which ones I tried, but overall I liked the Charbay.

[Ulysses]

Just a general comment. Based on comments in this and other alcohol-related posts, ethan REALLY knows his way around good liquor, probably moreso than anyone else on this forum, including me.

[Matt Flynn]

Asking my favorite vodka is like asking which 50-year-old woman I'd most like to bang. An interesting question, but in the end there are more important ones.

[theben]

clearly, there are more important questions to ask. for example, i probably should make a post entitled "reasons matt flynn is the greatest"

but hey, what is OOT for? pointless topics!

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
Asking my favorite vodka is like asking which 50-year-old woman I'd most like to bang. An interesting question, but in the end there are more important ones.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sela Ward is 49, so probably her next year. For now, I dunno, maybe the Bowflex grandmother.

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
My experience has shown that even people who are fanatical about those vodkas (LOVE Goose, HATE Belvedere, etc.) can't tell them apart when put to the test. And I am talking about serious drinkers too. Most people are really kidding themselves when it comes to their vodka preferences.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've heard this is also true about mainstream beers (e.g., Bud Light versus Miller Light, not Bud versus Heineken).

~ Rick

[BusterStacks]

To all of you who put Grey Goose as your favorite, I encourage you to try Crater Lake vodka. Grey Goose was my only drink before I tried it, now I won't go back. I haven't seen it mentioned in this thread, but by god it is the finest vodka on earth. Take it from a guy who only drinks vodka, and tons of it.

[Emmitt2222]

For someone with almost no knowledge of vodka whatsoever I am interested in knowing if there really is a difference between the really really cheap kind and Skyy, Goose ect catagorie? El D, you say that people can't tell the difference with similar priced vodkas, but how about between the midrange ones and the really low priced ones? Im just interested for the future to know if it is even worth spending more on something like Goose than the super cheap kind.

[Matt Flynn]

[ QUOTE ]
clearly, there are more important questions to ask. for example, i probably should make a post entitled "reasons matt flynn is the greatest"

[/ QUOTE ]

aw come get a hug. ;-)

[theben]

/images/graemlins/grin.gif

all in good fun

[Manque]

You are so right. People are so full of it when it comes to their "discriminating tastes"

[BeerMoney]

1.) Orloff
2.) Popov

[Jeff W]

Anything that's not Popov or Mr. Boston is probably fine. I'm partial to Finlandia.

[astroglide]

non-popov is a pretty good choice here

[theben]

popov! good choice

[theben]

i concur

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
but how about between the midrange ones and the really low priced ones?

[/ QUOTE ]

Definite difference.

[Brain]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
my feeling is that rain and fris are real steals

[/ QUOTE ]

These are both very good values. I prefer fris, and it also happens to be cheaper.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hangar One is definitely your best option here.

[/ QUOTE ]

They have a new (to me) one out, Raspberry. I am going to try that ASAP.


[/ QUOTE ]
I've had it. I unfortunately didn't get the chance to try it in cocktails, but from what I could tell drinking it neat and warm it's good stuff.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Charbay makes a good blood-orange vodka, but I wasn't too fond of their lime and haven't tried any of their others.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't remember which ones I tried, but overall I liked the Charbay.

[/ QUOTE ]

The lime was just a little sharp for my tastes, at least when I had it neat. It was definitely better in cocktails.
Charbay also produces quite a few other liquors. They have a pastis I've been meaning to try and I just finished off a bottle Ricard, so I think I'll give it a shot. They also make a whiskey ($300), a grappa ($75/375ml), a couple rums and a black walnut liqueur ($70). I can't think of another distillery offhand with that eclectic a product line.

For some reason the Charbay flavored vodkas are often available for around $10/bottle at Hi Time Wine Cellars (http://www.hitimewine.com/), marked down from $27 or so. I also see they've started making a green tea-infused vodka, which I can see working.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]

For some reason the Charbay flavored vodkas are often available for around $10/bottle at Hi Time Wine Cellars (http://www.hitimewine.com/), marked down from $27 or so.

[/ QUOTE ]

Damn you, you had me very excited. Looks like it's just the Key Lime flavor that's on clearance. If there was a mistake earlier, it's now fixed.

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
I was responding specifically to the vodkas that people were naming when referring to vodkas they liked or didn't like. My experience has shown that even people who are fanatical about those vodkas (LOVE Goose, HATE Belvedere, etc.) can't tell them apart when put to the test. And I am talking about serious drinkers too. Most people are really kidding themselves when it comes to their vodka preferences.

[/ QUOTE ]

This has generally been my experience as well. I think it's quite possible that the people who could tell them apart are some of the same people who believe these brands are fairly similar, so saying one's great and another's terrible isn't something they'd do.

I'm amused that the fanatical LOVE/HATE thing seems to come up mostly with vodka, which is generally where you're going to see the least difference between premium brands. I suppose it's probably just because there are so many heavily-marketed premium vodkas and trendy vodka-drinks these days.

[JKratzer]

I know what Hawkeye is. Dirt.

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Try the following:

Wyborowa (http://press.wyborowa.com/)


[/ QUOTE ]

I have heard good things about this one, from some british friends. How's it stack up to the usual (the goose, kettle 1, etc, El D? My liquor warehouse doesn't carry it, yet.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is very different. It has sort of a creamy taste. Hard to describe. You can get an idea of the style by trying Pearl vodka, which is similar and very good, but not quite as good as Wyborowa.

[/ QUOTE ]

Diablo - ever had Zubrowka? It's a Polish vodka flavored with bisongrass, giving it a taste that's....hard to describe and sort of creamy. It has much more flavor than the Wyborowa, but your description reminded me of it. It's a little odd if you put it in a cocktail which normally takes unflavored vodka; I like it either mixed with cider or neat.

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

For some reason the Charbay flavored vodkas are often available for around $10/bottle at Hi Time Wine Cellars (http://www.hitimewine.com/), marked down from $27 or so.

[/ QUOTE ]

Damn you, you had me very excited. Looks like it's just the Key Lime flavor that's on clearance. If there was a mistake earlier, it's now fixed.

[/ QUOTE ]

The prices'll go back down. They were all $10 somewhere around 2 years ago, went back up, and then were back to $10 sometime within the last year. I'll send you a PM if I notice them cheap again.

[Luzion]

Has anyone tried Kalashnikov vodka? Im curious if anyone gotten ahold of the limited edition life sized AK-47 bottle. Apparently you cant get them anymore, but Im still curious how the vodka is in the regular bottles. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

http://i14.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/6c/7f/77_1_b.JPG

http://i15.ebayimg.com/01/i/04/09/b5/7a_1_b.JPG

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040920/040920_vodka_hmed_8a.hmedium.jpg

[GetThere1Time]

Buy it now for just $250! (http://cgi.ebay.com/Collectible-bottle-AK-47-Kalashnikov-in-the-form-of-gun_W0QQitemZ7185955597QQcategoryZ35658QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem)

[AEKDBet]

Grey Goose sucks

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]


Sela Ward is 49, so probably her next year. For now, I dunno, maybe the Bowflex grandmother.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hell yes. I got dissed for mentioning Sela in the over-40 thread, some kind of 'stable-wife-but-we're-talking-about-banging-here' crap. By people who then put up Helen Hunt. wtf.

[Kyo Souma II]

[ QUOTE ]
Grey Goose sucks

[/ QUOTE ]

It doesn't suck, it's just way overpriced..

A handle at the ABC stores in NC is $57. A handle of 3 olives is $28. And it comes with a free t-shirt.

-kyo

[theben]

what is the el diablo mask from? where did you get all those el D things?