301960 Mon May 01 01:43:22 -0700 2006 23 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1687084 Some help, please: does anyone know links to reputable vodka ratings? My article search isn't turning up much. I'm trying to figure out what new vodkas to try. I recently had Jewel of Russia for the first time and liked it a lot. Other vodkas I like, in no particular order: -Stoli Gold (black label, gold writing) -Ketel One -Chopin (I know I'm paying too much for this) -regular stoli (red label) Vodkas I don't like -Absolut -Grey Goose (fine, but too $$$ for what you get) My vodka drink of choice when dealing with stuff this pricey is a very dry martini with 2 olives. I just want my vodka to taste like clean, chilled water. Mon May 01 01:43:22 -0700 2006 0 nooodles 1 1687088 I always thought that ivodka was helpful Link: http://www.ivodka.com Mon May 01 09:45:09 -0700 2006 1687084 0 pamd 1 1687092 "I just want my vodka to taste like clean, chilled water." you should definitely check out Reyka vodka. it's from iceland, filtered through volcanic rock. it's so pure they don't have to add sugar, which a lot of vodka producers do to help make a smoother tasting product. it's the cleanest vodka i've ever had. it's relatively new to the market and it's quickly getting more popular in restaurants in boston. Mon May 01 10:58:02 -0700 2006 1687084 0 rebs 2 1687102 I think I've seen Reyka but I've never tried it. I'll give it a try. I can't say that I've ever had a vodka that tasted like pure chilled water. Regardless of price or the popularity of the brand, they've all had some distinctive flavor with an alcohol finish and a bit of viscous mouth feel when taken neat. Stoli (regular) tastes dirty too me. Finlandia seems to me to have a bit of caraway flavor. For the record, I usually drink mine with soda and a twist. For a Sunday afternoon blood, at home and en famille - Hood River - straight from the tank car. Mon May 01 12:15:51 -0700 2006 1687092 0 taco_belle 2 1687121 Our favorite is Iceland (or Iceberg?) vodka, also from Iceland. Cleanest tasting vodka, and inexpensive to boot. Mon May 01 15:10:07 -0700 2006 1687092 0 coll 2 1687214 Talk about hype, I fell for that volcanic rock nonsense and was rewarded with a nasty harsh eruption on the palate. Try it neat, it's brutal. Tue May 02 06:20:03 -0700 2006 1687092 0 kelvin8r 3 1687250 i've tried reyka in every way possible (including neat) and it tastes incredibly clean everytime. everyone i've served it to agrees. i haven't tried any other volcanic rock filtered vodka (which i think many icelandic vodkas are right?) so i can't make a judgement on all of vodkas that claim to be made this way. either way, it's still better than grey goose which sells for about the same price. Tue May 02 12:56:33 -0700 2006 1687214 0 rebs 4 1687272 In fact, you probably have tried "volcanic rock" filtered vodka. Despite what their marketing department wants you to believe, the Reyka people aren't pouring their product through lava outcroppings out behind the distillery. They're pressing their alcohol through stainless steel filters containing a highly refined silicate of some sort. Which is a common method of filtering liquids. Here's a website of a company producing "volcanic rock" filtering medium: http://www.silbrico.com/silkleer.htm Not exactly what the Reyka folks put on their website. Perlite, that white, spongelike rock you get at garden supply stores is also volcanic, and also a common filter medium. Basalt is one of the more prevalent "volcanic" rocks in Iceland. If you crush it, you get gravel. A gravel bed in an industrial filter is pretty normal. But who's going to want to drink something called "Gravel Filtered Vodka". So they change the name. Which in turn creates an emotional reaction unrelated to the actual physical product. It's great if you like the stuff, but it helps to cut throuh the hype. Tue May 02 16:14:01 -0700 2006 1687250 0 Jef 5 1687312 it's really not the volcanic rock thing that attracts me to the vodka in the first place. i could care less about what it's filtered through. all i care about is the fact that it's an incredibly clean tasting product. Wed May 03 01:19:45 -0700 2006 1687272 0 rebs 1 1687093 If you like vodka with no flavor, just buy your cheapeast rock gut and pass it through a brita filter a few times. My vodka of choice is Smirnoff - I think it has the most pleasing flavor. I can tolerate Grey Goose, Finlandia, Skyye, and Ketel one. But cannot drink Stoli or Absolut. Most "premium" vodkas are as premium as Budweiser's "premium" pilsner. Its all in the marketing. Link: http://www.ohmygoditburns.com/ Mon May 01 11:13:52 -0700 2006 1687084 0 rl 1 1687099 There is a new very nice (but expensive-$30) vodka made from Potatoes in Maine. Cold River Vodka. Their website is www.coldrivervodka.com.Right now it is only sold in Maine and New Hampshire. So sorry if you are not near there. It is excellent! Mon May 01 11:56:13 -0700 2006 1687084 0 Emilief 2 1687123 We love Luksusowa potato vodka from Poland, inexpensive and clean tasting. Mon May 01 15:14:04 -0700 2006 1687099 0 coll 1 1687108 the ny times reviewed vodkas last year, and smirnoff came out the winner. i like ketel one, as it tends to give me less of a hangover. chiroc is also very good, but it's made from grapes, and has an grappa-esque aftertaste, which i like [some people don't] from the times: BEST VALUE Smirnoff United States Grain 80 proof $13 *** Pure, clean and ultrasmooth, with pleasing texture and classic vodka aroma. Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/26/dining/26wine.html?ex=1264654800&%2338;en=a9c441f3597a0350&%2338;ei=5088& Mon May 01 13:27:47 -0700 2006 1687084 0 bryanj 2 1687124 I read that review and went out and bought Smirnoff for the first time in years, but was very disappointed. It had a distinct taste to it, not pleasant at all. Mon May 01 15:15:18 -0700 2006 1687108 0 coll 3 1687131 Yeah, reading the article carefully and looking at what they thought was "good," I realized I'd be very unhappy following their recs. Mon May 01 16:14:39 -0700 2006 1687124 0 nooodles 3 1687132 Coll, did you get the red label "Triple Distilled"? Ran out of Ketel One last week and sub'd it in a dry martini, seemed to be very smooth. Wouldn't think of using their regular product for other than mixed drinks. Mon May 01 16:18:55 -0700 2006 1687124 0 PolarBear 1 1687110 If you're looking for an absolutely flavorless, reagent quality ethanol experience (modulo the added olive brine and fortified wine of your martini) you could try diluting Everclear with distilled water. Which is more or less what vodka is in the first place. 151 and water maybe 1/1 and if you live somewhere they sell 195, than 1/2 or 3. Mon May 01 14:27:28 -0700 2006 1687084 0 Jef 1 1687129 I'm a HUGE vodka fan and most premiums are not that at all. For the everyday martini I like Ketel and if I want to splurge I but Hanger One. It's from the west coast and is awesome. Blows Goose, Belvie, Chopin, and about 50 others out of the water, check it out!~ Mon May 01 16:09:07 -0700 2006 1687084 0 Raymond 1 1687130 i like zyr for martinis. other vodkas i've had as a martini and liked: kettle one, luksoswa (sp?), chopin, belvedere hated: grey goose absolut is equivalent to well vodka. Mon May 01 16:12:10 -0700 2006 1687084 0 rolypoly 2 1687157 Agree completely, and would add Pearl from Canada as one of the nicer ones. Years ago got a bottle of Grey Goose that tasted like it had a petroleum product mixed in it, will never waste money on that over-hyped crap again. Mon May 01 18:33:16 -0700 2006 1687130 0 PolarBear 1 1687140 Vodka comparisons are sort of odd, since by BATF regulation a vodka that's not "without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color" can't be sold as vodka in the U.S. Mon May 01 16:37:58 -0700 2006 1687084 0 Robert Lauriston 2 1687169 :-) The very definition of a commodity. A commodity market can be extremely efficient, benefitting the buyer. To profit, the owners of industrial vodka cracking plants must prevent that. But they are prohibited by law from doing so in any way which can be perceived by human senses. So they rely on packaging and pricing and intangibles like "prestige". Cleverly, not only do they foster debate over the non-existent differences in the raw product, they also foster second-order controversy of this sort -- questioning whether or not differences possibly could exist in the first place -- to hide the first-order illusion. For the taste of crisp, clear, mountain spring water with ethanol in it, again the best thing to do is to put some ethanol into your choice of crisp, clear mountain waters. Mon May 01 19:58:59 -0700 2006 1687140 0 jef 3 1687189 Exactly Mon May 01 22:56:19 -0700 2006 1687169 0 Karl 1 1687293 If that's how you like your vodka, try 42 Below Vodka. It's so smooth...just incredible. It's my new addiction :-) Tue May 02 19:50:41 -0700 2006 1687084 0 davina