By
George Brozowski
Well,
Waddya know, there seems to be a new category being developed
in ultra high end Vodka!
Just
in case you've been living under a rock, here is my take on
the vodka categories. Historically, it all started way back
when with the poor man's "un-premium" category and
continues even to this day with the down and dirty and very
cheap vodka that is primarily appreciated by hobos, bozos
and the great unwashed that are just looking for a cheap buzz
for just a few bucks. This crap is distilled from God only
knows what and where and burns like hell going down and is
even worse coming back up and causes monumental hangovers
from all of the impurities that were never removed.
That
eventually led to the not quite premium, but better vodka
category, where the spirit was distilled from something actually
recognizable and even filtered in a mostly vain attempt to
make it less like kerosene and extinguish some of its fire.
This extra effort had the adverse consequence of driving up
the price a bit.
Then
along came the premium category. This vodka is actually produced
from better grains or potatoes or fruits or even rice and
carefully distilled and filtered to remove even more of the
impurities and can cost more than $10.00 per bottle.
Now
comes the super premium category, and here, vodka actually
becomes drinkable. However, be warned that even in this category
you will find some stinkers. This stuff starts to cost from
the high teens to the mid 30's, and price does not equate
with quality in any sense of the word. It's a tale of trial
and error that will demonstrate to you that a $19.99 bottle
of vodka can be equal to or better than a $35.00 bottle of
vodka. However, you do get some pretty good, clean, crisp
and usually smooth spirits from this point onward.
There's
a sub set of all of these that I like to call confused vodkas,
which their makers more politely refer to as infused. Some
of these are really extraordinary and the flavors ring clean
and true. Most, however, taste like toxic waste that has been
produced by inbred cannibals using ingredients and recipes
straight out of the 7th level of hell. Here, again, a high
price does not automatically mean it will be good or better.
Generally speaking, if you want the taste of raspberries,
then just go to the supermarket and buy some damn raspberries.
Now,
we get to the really expensive stuff - the ultra premium category
of vodka. This can start in the mid 30's and go up from there.
Way up. I'm talking about a dollar sign followed by 3, 4 and
even 7 figures, but generally, you'll find most of this category
between $35 and $100. Up until just recently, these vodkas
were the cleanest, crispest, purest, smoothest vodkas you
could get your hands on. They adhered to the strictest definition
of true vodka: an un-aged colorless, odorless distilled spirit
with no discernible taste or flavor. At this point, we come
to the newly formed fork in the proverbial ultra-premium road
and Russian Standard Gold Vodka is a prime example.
As
an ultra-premium, selling for around $45.00 per bottle, it
raises certain expectations. And it certainly delivers but
in a different, yet delightful, way by being flavorful but
not flavored, which I find rather an intriguing statement
to make about any vodka. This is not your traditionally defined
crisp, clean, odorless, colorless vodka. That brings this
discussion to the word "terroir".
It
is a French word used to denote the special characteristics
that the geography, geology and the climate of a certain place
bestows upon items grown there, and this vodka possesses terroir.
Russian
Standard Gold Vodka is made from select winter wheat
harvested from the Southern Russian Black Steppes renowned
for their rich fertile soil. It is distilled using soft glacial
waters from the remote Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe.
To this, they add touches of Ginseng extracts and incorporate
time-honored Siberian golden roots that provide a soft taste.
Then, of course, they package this spirit in a decorative
gold presentation box that opens vertically down the middle
in such a way as to thrust the bottle forward on its own built
in stage when opened.
And
of course the custom designed bottle completes this presentation
with a gold label and Cyrillic lettering, mighty darned impressive
and mighty darned Russian looking. Slap a bow on this baby
and you're ready for Christmas gift giving.
The
nose is earthy, warm and has highlights of vanilla and the
vaguest hint of honey. I don't believe I have ever described
vodka with any of those words before. It is viscous in the
mouth and lays there warmly while giving off impressions of
vanilla and grass and almonds and yeasty bread yet all of
this is so subtle I have to take several tastes before I realize
them all. The finish is piquant yet smooth and very warm and
moderate in duration. On the rocks, the finish loses all of
its pepper and leaves me with a warm smile. I would never
use this as a mixer as I think it is wonderful all by itself
straight up, chilled, or on the rocks. It rocks!
This
is an excellent ultra premium vodka with that twist of terroir
that makes it very interesting and different indeed.
For
more Rants & Raves click
here.
www.russianstandard.com/