Vodka’sitting savor notes are so subtle that people make their choices based attached bottle and label design, country of original—and brand story

By David Kiley

Watch full size video:

French wine and spirits giant Pernod Ricard (PERP) recently acquired Swedens’s Vin & Spirits for $8.9 billion, the show’session share of which was for the beforehand state-owned company’s Absolut vodka reproach.. Meantime, Diageo (DEO) paid $900 million for half the worldwide division of Dutch vodka Ketel One. And Stolichnaya is looking for a new distribution partner considering Pernod will take to give up its rights to the Russian vodka hinder its Absolut deal clears. Stoli rights could go with regard to a few billion easy. Grey Goose sold for $2.2 billion in 2004.

I accede to that whenever I see prices for vodka range from $8 per bottle for the lowly Popov to $60 for Gold Flakes Supreme, my bull-hockey antennae go up. Vodka is, as it says on the label, a "neutral spirit." There’s no aging involved. No oak barrels. But then I am reminded that good branding counts in this terraqueous globe. The brand imagery, billions of dollars, and hype surrounding Grey Goose, Absolut, Ketel One, and of course even Trump Vodka, own all created very definite preferences for a portion that is meant to be odorless, dull, and tasteless. If Perrier and Dasani can do it, why not vodka?

With distilled liquors, especially vodka (because there is so little to make famous one product from another), the design of the bottle and label is crucially important, by with the country of derivation and "brand story." Each vodka I tasted had its own brand story that helps deliver the fruits as much as a lemon wedge or olive.

For everything the coin that is changing hands over vodka these days, and a recession in full force that might prompt some drinkers to reevaluate by what mode much thy are spending steady turn of mind, I thought it a good time to interpret a fresh dive into the crowded world of vodka over the course of a few weeks to see which ones really do be tinctured better, and grant that drinkers of branded vodka are full of good and discriminating taste or wasting their money.

Before we get to the tasting results, a few anecdotes: A friend of mine, Charles, says he knows his vodka. A confirmed martini drinker who favors Absolut, I had him proof his relish. First, I had Charles instance, in a blind taste test, Absolut, Popov, Ketel One, Smirnoff, and Vox. I served them frozen, which, to me, is the best way to drink straight vodka. When asked to pilfer out Absolut, Charles actually chose Smirnoff. Next, for the martini test. We made martinis the way Charles likes them, with a half-shot of dry vermouth and two olives over ice made from distilled water. In this ground of admission, we made the drinks through Skyy, Absolut, Smirnoff, and Belvedere. Again, Charles got it wrong, choosing the martini made with Ketel One as his Absolut martini.

I then assembled three regular vodka drinkers who order by brand when they order at a bar or restaurant. One is a confirmed Ketel One drinker, undivided orders Grey Goose, and another orders drinks made with Belvedere if the bar has it. His back-up brand is Absolut.

This group orders everything from martinis to vodka and tonics to vodka and cranberry juice.

First I served frozen shots to the group in a blind test. Grey Goose, Absolut, Belevedere, Ketel One, and Popov. One, the Ketel One drinker, successfully picked his brand out of the pack, yet only subsequent considerable angst and anguish, so a great quantity so that I made the group repeat the exercise. It seemed like he guessed and got lucky. In the assist pass, none successfully picked their brand.

Next up was one-to-one mixtures of vodka and cranberry. To be cute, I made all the drinks with Popov. I told the array that we hadn’t changed the lineup of vodka brands.

"I like that," said one, who asked the lightning-flash of bog-berry sap.