When
the bottle of IRU Vodka (Imported
from RUssia) arrived at my desk, it came with several postcards
that read "seven times distilled no hangover vodka".
Really, a no hangover vodka? I'm a bit skeptical of that claim
as I have learned, through brutal experience, that if I drink
enough of anything, it will most decidedly give me a hangover.
But then there's that whole "congener" thing to
consider.
Congeners
are essentially impurities that are either inherent to the
substance being fermented and/or distilled or are created
during the fermentation and distillation process. I'm not
just talking dirt and debris here; I mean nasty stuff like
acetone, acetaldehyde, tannins, propanol and glycols to name
just a few of the nasty culprits. If you ingest enough of
these thugs, they will stick a knife in your gut and brain
and slice you into pieces, and the more of them you consume,
the more slices you will suffer. Booze of any color will contain
more of them than clear as water spirits, such as vodka.
Now,
there is a way to minimize these bad boys, and that is through
multiple distillations; the more distillations the less impurities.
Distilling IRU vodka seven times should go a long way in getting
rid of the enemy. Unfortunately, if you end up drinking a
bottle of this, or any other vodka, I can assure you that
you will suffer the consequences, since the primary ingredient
in alcohol is ethanol, which is highly flammable and causes
dehydration and on top of that it is volatile, which causes
nausea. Without the ethanol, there would not be any alcohol,
DUH!
I
had one question left, which the good folks at MDG Spirits
answered. How in the world can an imported Russian vodka made
from wheat, distilled seven times, and filtered five times
through charcoal, and comes in a glass bottle cost only $9.99
per 750ml bottle? Doesn't it sound to you like it should cost
at least $30.00 per bottle? Well, they claim that they have
zero dollars invested in marketing and don't pay high end
celebrities to tout their vodka and consequently pass the
savings on to the consumer. Okay, so let's get on with it
and see if it tastes as good as it sounds.
IRU
Vodka comes in a clear bottle with the letters IRU
prominently displayed in red and below them there is blue
and white lettering and a floral design; it really looks Russian.
The nose is quite odorless, with maybe just a smidgen of alcohol
- so far so good. On the palate, this vodka does a pretty
good imitation of water. There really are no flavors to speak
of. I get the tiniest little bit of a tingle, but that's about
it. The finish is warm and fuzzy, with the tingle turned up
a bit, and it lasts a short amount of time. This vodka totally
adheres to the traditional definition of vodka: an unaged,
colorless, odorless spirit with no discernible taste. What
a pleasant surprise! This is excellent vodka comparable to
super-premium vodkas costing three or four times as much.
As a matter of fact, this IS a super-premium vodka at an unbelievable
price point of only $10.00 per bottle. IRU Vodka is about
as good as vodka gets. If you're one of the lucky few to live
in New York, Oklahoma, Illinois or Florida where it is currently
available, rush out and get a bottle and enjoy! I do believe
they are expanding their market, so when it comes to your
neighborhood, try it; you'll like it. Hey, just maybe this
really is a hangover proof vodka? I'll let you know after
I finish this bottle, hee, hee!!
By George Brozowski
For
more Rants & Raves click
here.
http://www.iruvodka.com/
