Whoa, Wednesday - Food Section:

I’m not a vodka kinda’ guy, but for those of you who are, this is interesting. Who woulda' thunk it, cheap (well, relatively) is good!

A Humble Old Label Ices Its Rivals
By Eric Asimov, January 26, 2005, The New York Times

It was not exactly a victory for the underdog, but chalk it up as a triumph of the unexpected.

The idea for the Dining section's tasting panel was to sample a range of the new high-end unflavored vodkas that have come on the market in the last few years in their beautifully designed bottles and to compare them with a selection of established super-premium brands. To broaden the comparison, or possibly as a bit of mischief, our tasting coordinator, Bernard Kirsch, added to our blind tasting a bottle of Smirnoff, the single best-selling unflavored vodka in the United States, but a definite step down in status, marketing and bottle design.

After the 21 vodkas were sipped and the results compiled, the Smirnoff was our hands-down favorite.

The top 10 are listed below, read the article at the link above. Skoal!

Tasting Report: In the Best-Selling Category, a Best Seller Stands Out

BEST VALUE
Smirnoff United States Grain
80 proof
$13
***
Pure, clean and ultra smooth, with pleasing texture and classic vodka aroma.

Wyborowa Poland Single Estate Rye
80 proof 1 liter
$30
***
Elegant and intriguing, with mild flavors and great persistence.

Belvedere Poland Rye
80 proof 1 liter
$34
***
Great smoothness and purity, with good texture and body.

Absolut Sweden Level Grain
80 proof
$24
** 1/2
Smooth and substantial, with flavors of flowers, lemon grass or nuts.

Hangar 1 United States Straight Wheat and Grain
80 proof
$30
** 1/2
Pleasing, with complex flavors and a suggestion of sweetness.

Vox Netherlands Wheat
80 proof
$23
** 1/2
Smooth and neutral, with savory flavors and a touch of alcoholic heat.

Olifant Netherlands Grain
80 proof 1 liter
$17
**
Subtle, yet rich and complex.

42 Below New Zealand Wheat
84 proof
$24
**
Straightforward, pure and smooth.

Skyy United States Grain
80 proof 1 liter
$16
**
Unusual flavors of mint and lime.

Teton Glacier United States Potato
80 proof 1 liter
$20
**
Clean and light on the palate; odorless and tasteless.