Premium & Superpremium Vodka: The Topic

[phaelon56]

Hey... I see he covers Zubrowka; I would like to draw attention to the fact that I have come through with the answer to the mystery of bison grass - only a year after the question was raised (hey, what can I say - I wasn't here in time to get to it sooner). Please notice it and be pleased, somebody! I was all proud of it and everything....

I beat you to it.

Don't feel too bad Lisa - you got "kinseyed". Happens to the best of us (and even to others like me )

[snowangel]

Nice to see the mention of Shakers, but they did make an error in the article. It is distilled in Benson, MN and bottled in Princeton, MN. They also have a rye vodka, in addition to the wheat. Both are outstanding, and my new choice.

[balmagowry]

Hey... I see he covers Zubrowka; I would like to draw attention to the fact that I have come through with the answer to the mystery of bison grass - only a year after the question was raised (hey, what can I say - I wasn't here in time to get to it sooner). Please notice it and be pleased, somebody! I was all proud of it and everything....

I beat you to it.

Waaah. I hate you.

EDIT: yeah, Owen, that's all very well, but here I was showing off my great knowledge of botanical and Native American lore, only to find that I'd been scooped by an accomplished researcher, and all I can say is, what's the point of knowing anything in this vershtunkene world, eh? Grumble growl mutter.

[Marlene]

My husband was browsing about the LCBO last night and proudly bore home a bottle of Pearl Vodka for me to try. My bottle has a funky "pearl" shaped and coloured stopper.

Now my favourite vodka is currently Belvedere mostly, but I figured I'd try this just for him.

In short, it was awesome. Extremely crisp and clean. I think this may replace Belvedere in my affections or at least give it a good run for it's money.

somebody feel free to edit my lousy spelling of Pearl in the title.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I was given a bottle of Pearl and, not being a huge vodka fanatic, gave it to a friend who has an appreciation for the liquor.

I guess I am now damned for ever. She can't get it where she lives and claims it to be the finest vodka she's ever tasted.

Sorry I didn't keep it for myself - or at least try it when I gave it to her!

[Delirium]

I was given a bottle of Pearl as a gift and I ADORE it. I was a Belvedere, Grey Goose, Stoli (for mixing) until I tasted Pearl!

[J_Ozzy]

My husband was browsing about the LCBO last night and proudly bore home a bottle of Pearl Vodka for me to try

Marlene,

Do you know at which LCBO your husband found it? I would like to try Pearl, but I can't find it listed anywhere.

[DrinkBoy]

I'm not a terribly big fan of Vodka overall, but Pearl is one of the vodkas that I always recommend to people. What I find about it that I particularly like, it is "texture". It has a smooth and creamy finish that I think allows it to stand out amongst the other vodkas who's marketing mavens are trying to differentiate themselves from one another by their apparent "taste"...

-Robert

[john@thebar]

My husband was browsing about the LCBO last night and proudly bore home a bottle of Pearl Vodka for me to try.  My bottle has a funky "pearl" shaped and coloured stopper.

Now my favourite vodka is currently Belvedere mostly, but I figured I'd try this just for him.

In short, it was awesome.  Extremely crisp and clean.  I think this may replace Belvedere in my affections or at least give it a good run for it's money.

somebody feel free to edit my lousy spelling of Pearl in the title.

Dear Marlene et al., couldn't agree with you more! I'm not much of a crowd follower with vodka ( Ciroc, Belvedere, Hanger One, etc.). As a matter of fact, Mezzaluna-from Italy no less, has been my glib juice of choice for the last year or so. However, about a month ago, I tried Belvedere straight out of the freezer and I was hooked on the spot. It's very clean and subtle, so much so that I doubt it would stand up to mixers or lend itself to the various 'tini concoctions. But if you're a fan of vodka on the rocks or vodka and air (my favorite!) Belvedere is all that and then some.

[beans]

For all of the fans of Minnesota's own Shakers Vodka, a new release.

Now, SHAKERS continues the revolution with the introduction of SHAKERS Rye Vodka, made from the finest American rye -- straight from the glacial fields of northern Minnesota. SHAKERS Rye Vodka is smooth and distinctive, conveying the unique, full-bodied character and finish of rye.

I found this comment to be thoughtful answering my question of wondering how it would taste:

According to Pat Couteaux, Co-Founder and Master Distiller of Infinite Spirits, "The differences between SHAKERS Wheat Vodka and SHAKERS Rye Vodka are similar to the distinction between the flavors of wheat and rye bread. SHAKERS Wheat is smooth, soft, and slightly sweet. SHAKERS Rye Vodka is also quite smooth, but offers a more robust finish."

Full press release here.

I look forward to trying it out.

Cheers!

[Lan4Dawg]

yes but was this grain, like Powder Milk Biscuits, grown by Norwegian Bachelor Farmers?

[HaroldJoyce]

Hey, we're the Zygo guys. Please check out the site at www.energyvodka.com

One of our accounts in manhattan (Mocca, on the corner of Chruch and Reade) came up with a drink call Eat-A-Peach. I believe the ingredients are Peach puree, Fresh lime juice, simple syrup, shaken and poured into a martini glass. After, they float champagne on top and garnish it with an orange peel.

Great drink

Please check out the site to really see the details on Zygo. In the spirits world it's proabably the most innovative and foward thinking product to come out in a long time. Most "new" brands aren't really new, just old ideas repackaged by big companies and backed by clever advertising and marketing. The whole product really breaks a lot of boundaries. It's why I started working with the company. The owners, Ron and Ken are really beautiful people. They're like the Ben and Jerry's of the spirits world. Well hopefully you don't flame me too hard for the sermon. I just love the product.

[beans]

Harold,

No flaming.

Glad to know your affiliation with the Zygo product.

Hope you stick around eG (btw, WELCOME!) to contribute your enthusiasm into other cocktail forum threads -- and for any other threads throught all of eG!

We love our cocktails. We love food. So let your hair down and jump right in. The water is just fine....

[KatieLoeb]

Has no one mentioned Stolichnaya Persik????

[beans]

I did up thread. On the back of the June edition of Cheers I see it larger than life, all glossy on the back cover.

It waned in popularity when I bartended in Alaska and we stopped ordering it. Now that I've just flipped through the Ohio beverage journal I see oHIo dropped or never picked it up for legal sale within this staunch, conservative, stuffy place.....

Doh!

[KatieLoeb]

I did up thread. On the back of the June edition of Cheers I see it larger than life, all glossy on the back cover

OK - I see it now. I'm blind sometimes...

A friend of mine that runs a bar/restaurant in Cape May, NJ loves the Stoli Persik with cranberry juice. That seemed to be her favorite "at home after work" cocktail on my last visit to her. It's also used in a Blue Crush, one of their specialty cocktails that has Stoli Persik, Blueberry schnapps, pineapple juice and a smidge of Blue Curacao.

Looks like Windex in a cocktail glass. But it is pretty tasty!

[phaelon56]

McCormick Peach Vodka - not sure about this one. McCormick Vodka was the cheapest (price and quality) well vodka that I've ever seen (it comes in plastic bottles)

Mohawk Peach Vodka, US, no picture or much info other than noting it exists

We once tried Crystal Palace vodka, which also came in 750ml plastic bottle like the McCormick. It was a disaster. Not only was it even worse than the other cheap vodkas we'd purchased prior to that time, the plastic bottles seemed to slip when being tossed back in the speed rack during bar rush. Based on unanimous demand from all the bartenders, we never got plastic bottles again. In addition to being slippery they totally threw off that intuitive sense of weight and balance that one develops for free pouring shots in a hurry.

Mohawk is still a popular brand here in central NY state - their well gin and flavored schnapps are well distributed in this area.

[SBonner]

I've just purchased this unusual Vodka from a small New Zealand. The aromas reminds me of wintermint and I'm curious for martini or drink ideas.

[beans]

Go to 42 Below's website:

http://www.42Below.co.nz

Click on the bartender (wait for all to load up) and a box to the right will appear. Select Feijoa and you will see 18 cocktail recipe choices for using that flavoured vodka.

This vodka is making a tremendous hit all over Europe, the Vegas Barshow and now starting to gain a wider US distribution. Enjoy.

Edited July 23, 2004 by beans (log)

[bacchant036]

the feijoa vodka is a tough one.

biggest problem i find is that every new zealander who tries it loves it, due to it reminding us of home, and that time of the year when the feijoa tree in the back garden is packed with fruit signalling a couple of months of feijoas evryday, feijoa jam, feijoa juice, feijoa cakes, feijoa muffins etc etc etc you get the picture.

where as almost every european who tries it screws there nose up and seems to pull all sorts of unkind references to things things like linament etc,

the woman of my dreams runs a club with an australasian night bi monthly where they chewed through 6 bottles in about an hour - what they normally go through in a week, so theres definitly a market for it

its kind of like marmite, you either love it or hate it.

the ways we use it in the bar tend to be in long drinks where you can dilute the intensity of the flavour a bit.

it goes really well with apricot, apple juice and ginger - either fresh or ginger beer

also goes well with passionfruit, and we've even experimented with a french 75 style drink.

if you want more info i'd reccomend firing off an e-mail to justin bade (justinbade@42below.co.nz), hes the area manager for 42 below over in the UK and has a whole pile of suggestions hes managed to gather from all the bars stocking it in london.

another thing to look out for is there new manuka honey vodka, almost earning the liqueur tag due to a high sugar content but i love it!

[Marlene]

My husband was browsing about the LCBO last night and proudly bore home a bottle of Pearl Vodka for me to try

Marlene,

Do you know at which LCBO your husband found it? I would like to try Pearl, but I can't find it listed anywhere.

I obviously missed this question. Hubby found it at the LCBO in Oakville. All of them here seem to have it.

[wadam]

Hm. Interesting. I may have to try it. Previously, the only Vodka that I've been enthusiastic about drinking was Ciroc. I've never been a huge vodka fan, but I'm always on the lookout for vodkas that will prove me misguided in my general dislike.

[john@thebar]

I guess that there's a statute of limitations on editing posts. At the end of my post in this thread on Pearl Vodka, I wrote about how much I liked Belvedere. Not that it's going to affect the spot market on Polish rye or anything, but I obviously meant to say Pearl is all that and then some. oops!

[ctgm]

Has anyone had this and does anyone know anything about Ruski Vodka? I cn't find any information and I can't even find who makes it!!

[slkinsey]

I don't think there is such a thing as "Ruski Vodka."

What I have heard of is called "Stolichnaya Lemon Ruski." It's been around since something like 1997, and I have seen it marketed as "a unique blend of wine flavor, genuine Russian vodka and lemon flavor." It's around 5% ABV and is Stolichnaya's entrant in the "premade 'cocktail' market" where it competes with similarly odious products such as Bacardi Breezers, Smirnoff Ice, Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails, etc.

In other words, it's Russian Zima.