The High-End Magic Behind the Best Vodka I’ve Ever Had

Gizmodo ^ | 5/15/15 | Brent Rose

[nickcarraway]

See source link.

[4FreeSpeach]

Probably true but Lithuanian vodka was the basis of many currently popular Russian vodkas. The former Stolichnaya distillery in Kaunas, Lithuania will acknowledge that it has many times the variety of vodkas exported than originating vats. Poland and Lithuania are siblings in too many ways and on the same side. If you like one you’ll like the other. Try them both! They are both high caliber!

[Charles Martel]

That’s odd - I’ve seen that stuff at a liquor store in Texas. It even had the chunk of bison grass in the bottle. Is the brand imported with FDA required changes?

[Svartalfiar]

Yes, they quadruple distill for alcohol content, but it's not supposed to be perfectly clear flavorless alcohol. At all. From their website:

Nose: Faint hint of vanilla along with some gentle, soft cream characteristics.

Palate: Full and round with a medium bodied weight and rich, velvety texture. Some vanilla swaying between sweet and savory with a hint of white pepper and spice.

Finish: Good length with notes of almond, clotted cream and some faint almond and Brazil nut characteristics.

Their whole tagline is "Unlearn tasteless. Relearn taste" and "#knowthedifference". The entire point is that vodka isn't supposed to have no flavor.

[Lurker]

For later.

L

[TexasGator]

Interesting. On that same page they say:

Rye, water, character ... completely free of additives.

If they add nothing to it, where do they get all those flavors?

[TexasGator]

Got to hand it to those Belvedere writers!

On of their collections is unfiltered to allow the flavors through!

Another is double-filtered through charcoal to reveal its refreshing texture and complexity!

BEAM ME UP!

[TexasGator]

Smirnoff beats out Grey Goose in blind test ...

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Consumer/story?id=3201973&page=2

[TexasGator]

Another blind test:

Belvedere
$32.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
Polish; distilled from rye

Belvedere, which made its American debut in 1996, is imported by the same Minneapolis company that brings us Chopin (see below); the two vodkas also come in identical frosted bottles (which are quite lovely). But, according to our blind taste test, Belvedere “doesn’t hold a candle” to its potato-based cousin. While a few tasters praised its “smooth creaminess” and detected “a pleasing vanilla taste,” most noted that it had “less flavor” and “less burn” than other vodkas we tried and found the aftertaste to be “harsh,” “bitter,” and “hard to swallow.”

Final Verdict: “The bottle is lovely, but the vodka itself leaves a lot to be desired.”
Grade: Two Shot Glasses and a Chaser

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/shopping/2004/09/hit_me_with_your_best_shot.2.html

[TexasGator]

Smirnoff wins again:

http://www.theconnoisseurs.com/index.php/drink1/spirits1/777-the-blind-connoisseur-challenge-vodka

[TexasGator]

Smirnoff wins again!

https://www.drinkspirits.com/vodka/the-smirnoff-vodka-challenge/

[Svartalfiar]

. But, according to our blind taste test, Belvedere “doesn’t hold a candle” to its potato-based cousin. While a few tasters praised its “smooth creaminess” and detected “a pleasing vanilla taste,” most noted that it had “less flavor” and “less burn” than other vodkas we tried and found the aftertaste to be “harsh,” “bitter,” and “hard to swallow.”

Final Verdict: “The bottle is lovely, but the vodka itself leaves a lot to be desired.”

I don't drink vodka at all, so it's irrelevant to me. I was just commenting on the flavor part because that was the whole point of their reveal with the show. That, and the Belvedere-James Bond deal for the new movies to use vodka martinis instead of real martinis.
I've tried a couple vodkas, and none of them are appealing in any way whatsoever. I only 'like' Belvedere because they do have a pretty badass looking bottle. I'll buy a bottle of the Woody Creek if I find it jut to try it/have vodka on hand for guests, but Scotch and beer are both just so much better.