Cheap Vodka

[House]

Ethanol and Water.

Good shit.

[R]

Considering even so called "experts" cannot tell the difference between any vodkas, there is no reason not to use the cheapest vodka.  Vodka is just 40-50% (80-100 proof) alcohol in water.  Period.

[D3Dman]

I'd have to disagree, Ngls.

I still tend to buy cheaper Vodka, but there are definitely differences.

Some are thicker, some are smoother, some are sweeter.

Alcohol is difficult for taste testing, though..... after the first shot it all DOES tastes the same.

[Galaxy Admin]

I cannot drink cheap vodka at all. Any Vodka that costs less than $20 per litre is nasty. About the only cheap vodka I can drink is Smirnoff Silver or New Amsterdam.
 Finlandia is the wtg imo if you are on a low budget.

[D3Dman]

I usually go with Stoli.

[D3Dman]

I've never tried smirnoff silver - but normally I can't drink smirnoff.

Finlandia is decent shit.

[dimebag420]

Lately i've been buying Epic vodka. Its goes for 19.99 for a half gallon. Supposedly, it is american grain vodka mixed with french vodka. It finishes pretty smooth to be cheap. Pinnacle vodka runs a close second coming in at 9.99 a fifth, and it too is supposedly blended, but it is a bit harsher on the finish.

[Gurknel]

Aristocrat all the way... $13/handle here in AL

[R]

I'm telling you, even the "expert" tasters at the CIA (cunlinary institute of america) and the Cordon Bleu couldnt tell the different between any of them.  I tried to tell the diffeence between 5 vodkas and although I honestly could tall a difference between some of them, the differences were very, very subtle.  I imagine if you used good water and pure ethanol you could get a very good vodka--pair it with an expensive label and voila!
 
I used to be involved with a beverage company and part of our business was provate label--in other words, we made several other peoples beverages as well.  In one particular product, we had our label, the store's label and three other brands in one store and I was there handing out coupons for our product.  The only difference between these 5 products was the label and in one example the label and the cap, otherwisw they were the same product in the same bottle, some made the same day by just changing the label on the high speed labeler!  It was amazing that some people would not take our coupon to use because they told us how much better some of the other brands were--one was 75% more money and people preferrred to buy that brand even though another bottle had exactly the same product.  In fact, the store brand was nearly 60% less money than ours and the only thing different was the label!!
 
A lot of this is perception, obviously.
 
If someone is really into vodka, it would be worth their time to compare a few of them in a blind taste test. 
 
Whiskey and other drinks are a whole other ballgame, and there are huge differnces on those prodicts.  Vodka, not so much.  BTW, there shouldnt be any sweetness to vodka, and in some countries if there is anything in the vodka except water and alcohol (and trace volatiles from potatoes or rice fermentation) it is not allowed to be called vodka.  Russia for example.

[dimebag420]

Heres a test for you...get a bottle of Skol Vodka, a bottle of Skyy vodka,a bottle of Taaka vodka, and a bottle of Grey Goose. Try them in a blind test and i can damn near guarantee you that you will notice the differences. Also make sure to taste them at room temp. If after tasting you cant tell the difference then you will be very happy with the Skol, its about 7 bucks a half gallon. It reminds me of paint thinner.

[samtherocker123]

I love Ciroc Vodka !




edit for picture only

[jyjy]

Kind of a shame to mess up good ethanol.

...and Dan wins the thread. Good story: I once met someone in South Carolina at a festival who would mainline(IV inject) everclear rather than drinking. He had a whole kit like heroin addicts for it and everything... I wonder if he is still alive.

[R]

Kind of a shame to mess up good ethanol.

...and Dan wins the thread. Good story: I once met someone in South Carolina at a festival who would mainline(IV inject) everclear rather than drinking. He had a whole kit like heroin addicts for it and everything... I wonder if he is still alive.

Not a good idea at all bros.

[dimebag420]

The thought of mainlineing Everclear makes my liver hurt...fucks that!

[Dashneo]

My friends and I tend to go for cheap ass Karkov. When my friend took his first shot ever all he could say was "ugh! Tastes like distilled hand sanitizer!" lol I've tasted better but we don't have the cash for the good shit