VODKA FIN ~ CONCLUSION ~ EXTR`EMIT`E ~ END`e!

... The World's Best Premium Vodka tasting got out of hand ...

"so many vodkas ... so little time" -- and then there were all those damned OPINIONS to deal with and the threats of physical violence if their cheesy vodka hadn't made the BIG-BOY-LIST, my knee caps and what was going to happen to them. Not to mention the many ... can't you just tell me who the top ones are, I won't say a word to anyone... Anyway there are thousands of opinions and 29 that were repeatedly offered up and worthy enough to make 'a' list, (no flavors allowed) tossed, were the $4.00 bottles of local Jet Fuel used in the last NASCAR race that da' good-OLE-boys thought should `a been `n clewed`ed.

The count drop off from the 4th to the 5th was great, so the top five5 actually became the four4 that are listed but not in the actual order.

Four out of thirty v. thousands of votes is good enough and it's all just "opinions" anyway. Surprise to me was the originator in the Vodka Pepsi challenge "Stoli 80 proof" was only brought up one time by a guy still stuck living in the early eighty's but big Stoli's like 100 - elite - Gold all came up over `n over but never past the midle of the pack.

Me, you say? Well, I enjoy my vodka made from Polish potatoes -- I keep it in the freezer and drink her up neat with a manzillian olive stuffed with anchovy (Goya pasteurized olives with anchovy mousse are preferred over non-pasteurized) because of the strong salty fish and brine taste seems to overwhelm the potato finish. The one I enjoy is cheap, relative to the $50 and $100 ones out there and it sounds like the University name where my daughter attends college in Kutztown, Pa., so you figure it out.

Now lost on many was the original question -- "WHAT'S the BEST" and not the one you drink or that you may like a lot so my vote for best taste goes to Chopin, but I can buy 4 bottles of my stuff for the same price. I do KEEP BOTH at home.

Does that do it for you?

THAT'S MY OPINION!!

~Chopin $40ish - 80 proof, (birthplace of vodka) Polish; distilled from potatoes (smoothest vodka & 1 of the best)

~Belvedere $35 Poland (birthplace of vodka)- 100% Da^kowskie Gold Rye

~Jewel of Russia, Classic $40 - Russian; Birthplace of the last Szar - distilled from hard Russian winter wheat and rye (smooth and delicious)

~ULTIMAT $58 - (birthplace of vodka) Poland; Three Polish vodkas go into Ultimate: potato for richness and body; wheat for light smoothness and rye for flavor **** the bottle is worth $20 bucks alone, LOL$$$ is aprox.

"The World's Best Premium Vodka"

Recently a bunch of us "foodies" were about to take a snow-day off and get together. The decision was to become "Tini'z" (get it foodies v. tini) and sit at the warm bar all day watching it snow, sipping the World's Best Premium Vodka Martini (with anchovy stuffed Manzillian Spanish Olives).

Problem is, we didn't have VODKA consensus and we still don't -- It seems it's like asking 5 Doctors (all proctologists) their opinion on "what's aching your ass" and after they get their finger in it ... all have a different opinion!

SO, VODKA OPINIONS ARE LIKE ASS-HOLES … EVERYBODY HAS ONE!HERE' THE LIST ~ PUT A FINGER IN & HOW 'BOUT UR 2¢ WORTH?

Chopin $40 -x / / / / 80 proof, Polish; distilled from potatoes (smoothest vodka & the best ) Level $25 -x / / / / Sweden - wheat "a grappa`ish, trying to pass itself off as a vodka."
Imperia-Russian Ultra $28 - x / / ?maybe Russian, wheat
Iceberg $20 , Canada, sweet corn. 12,000 year old artic icebergs- smooth, fruity, lots of flavor
Jean-Marc XO $60 750 mL - France, wheat, round mouth feel
Jewel of Russia Classic $40 - x / / / / Russian; distilled from wheat and rye (smooth&delicious)
Ciroc $38 - x / / / / French; 5x distilled from grapes (eau de vie`ish, pass'n itself off as a vodka)Precis $38 - x / / 80 proof - Swedish Lake Boren water
KAUFFMAN LUXURY VINTAGE VODKA $100 - Russia Awesome *not avail yet
ULTIMAT $58 - Three Polish vodkas go into it: potato for richness and body; wheat for light smoothness and rye for flavor
Roberto Cavalli Vodka $50 750mL - x / / Italy, ?grain, filtered through crushed Italian marble Zyr $30 750mL - x / Russian; distilled from wheat and rye (assertive)
Hangar One $33 - x / U.S.A. wheat & grapes
Ketel One $31 - x / Holland; distilled from wheat
SKYY 90 $35 - U.S.A. 1st 200 proof then Sierra Mountain h2o added to = 90 proof
Belvedere $35 750 mL x / Poland (birthplace of vodka)- 100% Da^kowskie Gold Rye
Stoly 100 - Russian winter wheat, glacier water
Luksusowa $18 750 ml 80 proof, Poland Potato
STOLICHNAYA Elit $60 750 ml - Ordinary/Russian wheat
VOX $34 - Holland, 5x distilled
Absolut $27 - Swedish; wheat for mixing ~ piercing, antiseptic quality, dry taste, unremarkable Grey Goose $44 1 L -(crappie); 80 proof, French; distilled from wheat, rye, and barley (lacking the character of "ultra-premium")
Belvedere $35 - 80 proof, Polish; distilled from rye ("harsh & bitter")
Tino's Vodka $17 750 mL, Handmade U.S.A. corn, vanilla and French oak flavor, gritty & rough
Monopolowa $9.99 1 liter, cheapest 93 points - Austria, potato, bright and snappy