Vodka question - I think you dark side guys would know best

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Vodka question - I think you dark side guys would know best

Posted: 12/19/2005 9:27:42 PM EDT

What is a real good vodka?
Some friends and I are having a russian theme party this break, and we want to have some good russian vodka.

So...what say you?
What is a good Russian vodka that is readily available?
Stolichnaya is what I have in mind but if someone knows more....
Also - what to eat with good vodka?
Caviar? what kind?
Black bread? what kind?
Some sort of meat? salami?

Thanks for all the help

Posted: 12/20/2005 12:53:28 AM EDT

[#1]

"Jewel of Russia"

Posted: 12/20/2005 2:40:13 AM EDT

[#2]

Had my fair share of Vodka with Russians...

Honestly, most Russian vodka tastes the same to me.. I have only had one type that actually tasted bad (as Vokda goes) and gave me a bad feeling the next day..

Russians traditionally eat pickles with Vodka... It actually helps get rid of the after taste...

They also enjoy stuff like chopped up tomatoes, slices of cold or warm sausage (hot dog/bologna type), bread, etc.. Nothing really fancy or expensive..

If you can find them, find Chinese/Japanese "potstickers".. Basically like a Ravioli..... These are eaten allot in Russia as Pelmini.

Posted: 12/20/2005 3:14:21 AM EDT

[#3]

Just keep this in mind. There is a difference in "Western" (W. Europe/U.S.) and "Eastern" (Former Soviet Bloc/Russian) vodka's. Eastern vodkas have much more robust aromas and flavors, where western vodkas are made to be as clean and snappy as possible, with the least amount of aromas and flavors. Go to the best Liquor store in town and look at their selection-different regions of the U.S. will carry different brands. You'll be amazed how different the separate brands will taste. Good luck and have fun. Oh...and no metal should ever touch the caviar, plastic or bone spoons should be used.

Posted: 12/20/2005 3:32:11 AM EDT

[#4]

I've no idea where to find it, but Dr. K. himself is involved with this one:

Posted: 12/20/2005 4:47:28 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
"Jewel of Russia"

www.fototime.com/C01529A09DB3643/standard.jpg

+1 Very good.......................and expensive.

Posted: 12/20/2005 4:48:46 AM EDT

[#6]

Its common knowledge that polish vodka is the best

Posted: 12/20/2005 6:27:01 AM EDT

[#7]

http://www.internetwines.com/rws24179.html

outstanding for the money

MONOPOLOWA is a distinctive potato vodka, produced of a traditional formula, which was originated in Eastern Europe, by the Baczewski / Gessler family, who were purveyors to the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in its day. MONOPOLOWA is a vodka of distinctive intensity, depth of flavor and complexity of character, attributable to a "back-to-basics" tradition of being distilled from potatoes. (Vodka, which was native to Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, as well as Russia, was popularly assumed to be a spirit made from potatoes. Nowadays it is more likely to be produced from grain in most countries.) There are certain enzymes in the potatoes that help to burn off the congeners and other inpurities much more completely during the distillation. For this reason MONOPOLOWA potato vodka is very smooth and has an almost crealike texture that cannot be found in grain vodkas. In addition it's consumer friendliness extends even to those who have a sensitivity to products products produced of grain. MONOPOLOWA vodka is two hundred years of experience in every bottle.

93 points in 2002, Highly Recommended

-The Beverage Testing Institute-

rws24179$14.56,

Posted: 12/20/2005 6:36:58 AM EDT

[#8]

Make sure the vodka is cold - it'll go in much easier and taste better. Stick the bottle in a freezer for a few hours and it'll be good to go. Stoli is always a safe bet; there are so many brands out there these days that it's hard to keep up with them all. As has been mentioned earlier, anything pickled will be a great "zakuska" - cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, okra, etc. If you can get your hands on some salo (salted pork fat) - that'd be perfect. Just make sure it's cold, too - it tastes much better that way. Put it in the freezer along with the vodka the night before. A slice of black bread, a slice of salo on top, a little pepper and garlic on top of that - that's really all you need.

Sometimes, mostly back in college days when we were poor, we'd use fruits for zakuska; oranges, tangerines, lemon all work fine. Stay away from apples - they "revert" the effect of vodka and make you sober up faster.

If you're brave enough and want to try the "hardcore Russian way" - take a mug of beer, poor some vodka in there (roughly around 3/4 beer - 1/4 vodka) and have at it; repeat as necessary until you pass out (which won't take very long).

Posted: 12/20/2005 6:28:58 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Quoted:
"Jewel of Russia"

www.fototime.com/C01529A09DB3643/standard.jpg

+1 Very good.......................and expensive.

About $35 per liter.

Posted: 12/20/2005 8:57:24 PM EDT

[#10]

Screw all that expensive stuff, Get some komchatka vodka for $5.00 and put a rubber over your tongue so you cant taste it and spend the money you saved on some ammo

Posted: 12/20/2005 9:51:20 PM EDT

[#11]

Stoli's Elite

Posted: 12/21/2005 2:53:16 AM EDT

[#12]

No mixers, no ice, correct? Preferably straight up in a water glass?

I heard the average life expectancy for Russian men is now 56-57 years.

Posted: 12/21/2005 3:30:01 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
No mixers, no ice, correct? Preferably straight up in a water glass?

I heard the average life expectancy for Russian men is now 56-57 years.

Straight in a shot glass....

Posted: 12/21/2005 3:44:09 AM EDT

[#14]

They must think Americans are real pussies for putting cranberry juice, tonic, etc. in their vodka.

Then again, I might could show them a thing or two with bourbon.

Posted: 12/21/2005 3:47:17 AM EDT

[#15]

Take average Vodka, run it down a Brita water filter 3 times and POOF instant smooth Vodka.

Posted: 12/21/2005 3:53:14 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Straight in a shot glass....

That's how it should be, but using a water glass is pretty common, too. It seems that using a water glass gives it more dramatic effect or something because that's what you see them drink out of in movies all the time.

Quoted:
No mixers, no ice, correct? Preferably straight up in a water glass?

The only thing you're allowed to add to vodka is beer.

There is even a Russian saying that loosely translated means "drinking vodka without beer is a waste of money".

Posted: 12/21/2005 10:16:21 AM EDT

[#17]

What my friends and I have done, is have everyone bring a different bottle to a party, varying in price. We then conduct a blind taste test of about 10 different brands. There is usually a clear winner, and the results can be surprising. We have done this with rum, vodka and tequila. It makes for a fun start to a party, and is a decent education in finding your taste for a particular alcohol.

Posted: 12/21/2005 11:21:51 AM EDT

[#18]

Does anyone find it ironic that "traditional" vodka is made from potatoes, a vegetable that wasn't introduced to Russia until probably the 17th century at the earliest as first the Spanish had to discover them in Peru, then import them to Spain and then they had to travel a continent east? What did they make vodka from before the potato?

Posted: 12/21/2005 11:29:20 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Does anyone find it ironic that "traditional" vodka is made from potatoes, a vegetable that wasn't introduced to Russia until probably the 17th century at the earliest as first the Spanish had to discover them in Peru, then import them to Spain and then they had to travel a continent east? What did they make vodka from before the potato?

Grain?

Posted: 12/21/2005 12:00:13 PM EDT

[#20]

Top 20 Vodkas
1. Olifant Vodka
2. Chopin
3. Krolewska Vodka
4. Van Gogh Vodka
5. Luksusowa Potato Vodka
6. Stolichnaya
7. Ketel One
8. Sinopskaya
9. Ultimat Vodka
10. Sputnik
11. Charodei
12. Zhitomirska Vodka
13. Grey Goose
14. Rodnik Vodka
15. Zodiac Vodka
16. Kryshtal Charodev
17. Tito's Handmade Vodka
18. Absolut Citron
19. Kozak
20. Finlandia

My personal fav:

(for now, it changes from time to time)

FYI - - Many vodka consumers claim they can tell a difference in taste between different brands. To test this ability the ABC News program 20/20 [1] conducted a non-scientific survey of 6 individuals aged 21-40 who sampled 6 different brands of vodka. There were 5 different super premium vodkas ($30-$60, 750ml, 2005) and a mid-priced vodka, Smirnoff ($13, 750ml, 2005). At the beginning of the survey the participants were asked to name their favorite vodka brand; four individuals chose Grey Goose ($30, 750ml, 2005). After sampling each of unmarked vodka samples "straight up", five of the six testers chose the same vodka as their least favorite sample. They were all surprised to discover that they had selected Grey Goose. When the 6 brands were mixed into a cosmopolitan mixed drink (3 parts vodka, 1 part triple sec, 1 part lime juice, & 1 part cranberry juice) they were mostly unable to differentiate between the brands. The suggestion was made to select the 'house' or inexpensive vodka next time one orders a vodka based drink.

Posted: 12/24/2005 8:59:45 AM EDT

[#21]

It has to be Potato vodka for me. Grain vodka tastes like solvent to me.
My theory is that potatoes are pure starch, which when cooked turns to pure sugars.
I think the husks on the grain contribute other things (fussil oils) that cause hangovers.

Chopin -------------Polish, the best
Teton Glacier--------USA, Idaho
Monopolowa---------Polish
Luksusowa----------Polish, usually a great value, I think I misspelled it though

Also, you can tell potato vodka by how it coats the sides of the glass.

Posted: 12/24/2005 9:51:26 AM EDT

[#22]

Other than the one listed above... are there any US made potato Vodkas?

Though I drink it... I don't really consider it real Vodka if it is not potato Vodka... but I have not been able to find any "real" vodka.