What's the Best Vodka? And What are You Having?

I have a nightly vodka martini.

I make it slightly dirty (olive juice) and slightly wet (a teaspoon of vermouth). I shake it vigorously and pour it in to a crystal classic martini glass with 4 (!) olives. Love them olives!

I'm also cost-conscious and I've done a lot of searching on the web for polls and expert opinions re what's the world's best vodka and also affordable...my budget eliminates some choices, like Grey Goose. I have been alternating between purchasing Absolute, Skye and Stoli, and to be honest, I don't notice a lot of difference.

Tasting/judging vodka, according to what I've read, is difficult because this is a spirit that ideally is NOT supposed to have a "taste" unless it's flavored. It's supposed to be smooth and filtered, which eliminates a lot of rot-gut, but, unlike, say bourbon, is not meant to meander from a very "neutral" taste.

You'd be surprised about the difference in opinions. Some polls think Absolute is garabage; other pick it as a winner. Some think GG is the holy grail; others think it's way overrated.

Of course, as in perfume, you drink what you like...my problem is that they all taste pretty much the same to me, as a novice drinker...while I would't mind paying another 5 bucks or so for something better than my current troika of Absolute/Skye/Stoly, is the next step "up" something that a beginer would notice?

What the experts say is that if you mix vodka, you can get away with a Smirnoff, but if you drink it straight, the premium brands are required. There's also a huge debate in the world of alcohol between vodkas made from wheat/barley etc vs. fruit, with many thinking the fruit-based vodkas, with very few exceptions, are inferior.

Another challenge I have is that the liquor store in my state are STATE CONTROLLED ABC stores. While I've read a lot about many great botique vodkas, like on called "Pearl of Russia," I believe, the state stores here only carry the recognizable brands. Not unlike doing your perfume shopping at the mall!

What's "your" vodka, and why? And what's your drink?

"Dirty" is simply a term used to decribe the addition of olive juice. You're getting brine from the olives anyway. An additional 1/2 teaspoon simply adds a little zip/flavor and is just barely noticable; for me it does nothing to ruin the taste.

In fact, the two mix beautifully. That's why the classic martini--gin or vodka--HAS an olive or two. But of couse, as you said, it's a matter of taste.

Yeah, I freeze my glass and shaker also.

Any suggestions for a goodtasting, simple to make WARM/HOT vodka drink for the wintertime?

I hear you man. My state is exactly the same.

It kills me to read about peoples' recommendations for great booze and not being able to buy it.

Like I said in my original post, it's like only being able to shop for scent at Macy's.

Perhaps we should start decanting booze for each other!