Vodka ranked!
A couple of months ago we found ourselves with two bottles of vodka in the freezer (a Smirnoff and a Tito's), at which time, it occurred to me that I should try to rank all existing brands of vodka in the world. Brooke and I arranged a blind taste test of our two bottles, and since that day (until today {and today and today}) we haven't had a similar opportunity.
Today we do, albeit two completely different brands (Krakus and Rehorst). Taste tests will generally consist of a chilled shot and a vodka tonic rounds. In the situation of a tie, a vodka martini round (or whichever didn't happen first and second) will occur (at a later date, generally).
Therefore, this list*, which will eventually be the standard by which all people select their vodka, will start off a bit fragmented. The transitive property applies (if Smirnoff is better than Barton's, and Barton's is better than Five O'clock, then Smirnoff is better than Five O'clock without needing a taste test). That said, there will be a sub-list of taste-tested vodkas (A, B, C, etc.) which do not have a direct place on the list yet, because they haven't been 'ranked in'. This latter list is not necessarily (though presumably) in order. The order of this list is in terms of tasting and quality only, not value (overpriced or underpriced vodkas get no advantage):
Tasting Notes / Taste Tests
27 November 2013 - Tito's vs. Smirnoff
28 January 2014 - Krakus vs. Rehorst
22 February 2014 - Smirnoff vs. Pinnacle
26 February 2014 - Smirnoff vs. Krakus
5 March 2014 - Krakus vs. Golden Fields
18 April 2014 - Krakus vs. Skyy
20 July 2015 - Russian Standard vs. Pearl
29 July 2015 - Stravinsky vs. Stolichnaya
31 July 2015 - Stolichnaya vs. Prairie
2 October 2015 - Green Mark vs. Russian Standard
19 February 2016 - Tito's vs. Skyy 90
27 March 2016 - Griffon vs. Stanislav
5 June 2016 - Prairie vs. Russian Standard
Ketel One Wins! (for now)
16/17 March 2017 - Smirnoff vs. Pearl
21 & 23 June 2017- Russian Standard vs. Stolichnaya
Today we do, albeit two completely different brands (Krakus and Rehorst). Taste tests will generally consist of a chilled shot and a vodka tonic rounds. In the situation of a tie, a vodka martini round (or whichever didn't happen first and second) will occur (at a later date, generally).
Therefore, this list*, which will eventually be the standard by which all people select their vodka, will start off a bit fragmented. The transitive property applies (if Smirnoff is better than Barton's, and Barton's is better than Five O'clock, then Smirnoff is better than Five O'clock without needing a taste test). That said, there will be a sub-list of taste-tested vodkas (A, B, C, etc.) which do not have a direct place on the list yet, because they haven't been 'ranked in'. This latter list is not necessarily (though presumably) in order. The order of this list is in terms of tasting and quality only, not value (overpriced or underpriced vodkas get no advantage):
- Rehorst
- Green Mark
- A. Chopin Vodka
- B. Belvedere Vodka
- Smithworks
- Ketel One
- C, Fugu Vodka
- Prairie Vodka
- Russian Standard
- Stolichnaya Vodka
- Ledgerock Vodka "Traditional"
- Tito's Handmade Vodka
- D. Skyy 90
- Smirnoff Vodka
- Pearl Vodka
- E. Pinnacle Vodka
- F. Skyy Vodka
- Krakus Polish Vodka
- G. Griffon Vault Vodka
- Golden Fields Grain Vodka
Tasting Notes / Taste Tests
27 November 2013 - Tito's vs. Smirnoff
- Chilled Shot - Tito's is clearly the winner here. Much smoother. Smirnoff has the slightest assiness, but not too bad.
- Vodka Tonic - Tito's wins by a bit, but Smirnoff is absolutely a respectable choice for mixed cocktails.
28 January 2014 - Krakus vs. Rehorst
- Chilled Shot - The Rehorst vodka wins this by a nose (that's a nod to Krakus, which is our favorite "home rail" vodka and features a horse and rider on the bottle).
- In an upset, the Krakus and Tonic won for both Brooke and my blind tasting. I think it was the fact that both are very smooth and Krakus is a potato vodka (I think - these reviews are clearly not well researched at this point), which maybe makes for a better cocktail.
- Rehorst wins the well-deserved victory in a clear Martini win! Clear victor in the clear cocktail contest. Rehorst is nearly unparalleled.
22 February 2014 - Smirnoff vs. Pinnacle
- Our first split decision, Brooke preferred the chilled Pinnacle shot and the Smirnoff and tonic, whereas I chose it the exact opposite. Both vodkas seem adequate, though nothing special.
26 February 2014 - Smirnoff vs. Krakus
- This was a real shocker for me. After blind tasting both a martini and a chilled shot, I was surprised that both Brooke and I preferred the Smirnoff. Both were adequate and enjoyable, but the Smirnoff is just smoother.
5 March 2014 - Krakus vs. Golden Fields
- This was a landslide: tonic cocktail and chilled shot was clearly superior with the Krakus.
18 April 2014 - Krakus vs. Skyy
- A split decision with Skyy winning on both the chilled shot and the tonic drink for Brooke, and me selecting the Krakus on both counts.
20 July 2015 - Russian Standard vs. Pearl
- Clear winner with Russian Standard - an almost unimpeachable win. Pearl Vodka is fine (that's high praise!), but Russian Standard is a real standard. The chilled shot decision was split, though very close. Tonic drink was clearly won by Russian Standard.
29 July 2015 - Stravinsky vs. Stolichnaya
- Unfinished competition, but Stoli won a chilled shot tasting by a nose. At first Brooke selected the less expensive, less known Stravinsky, and Joel went with the Stoli. After further review, though, both of us agreed on the Stoli.
31 July 2015 - Stolichnaya vs. Prairie
- A rare martini first tasting, and also a rare third taster. Joel and Brig preferred the Prairie, and Brooke went with the Stoli...
- Broke this tie on 22 May 2016 - a chilled shot competition, and both Brooke and I selected Prairie - in a clear win! A real surprise to both of us.
- ...and it's back to a tie on 19 November 2018 - we both selected Stoli in a chilled shot competition. The quality of either has not changed, rather i think our palates have somewhat. It should be noted that we both knew which was which during the tasting, and the styles of the two vodkas here is very different - Stoli has a slight bit more of burn, but is odorless and tasteless. Prairie is smooth, but has a sweetness to it.
2 October 2015 - Green Mark vs. Russian Standard
- In the chilled shot tasting, Green Mark won clearly for both of us. The vodka tonic portion of the competition was a split, with Brooke selecting Green Mark (and thus crowning it a victory), and Joel standing by Russian Standard. This holds Joel's "First Rule for General Spirits Tasting": if there are two booze which both cost approximately the same, and you've heard of one but not the other, buy the one you haven't heard of.
19 February 2016 - Tito's vs. Skyy 90
- Tito's won the chilled shot tasting for both of us. Skyy 90 is fairly high octane for just drinking cold and straight. The tonic competition was a split with Brooke selecting Skyy 90, and Joel taking Tito's.
27 March 2016 - Griffon vs. Stanislav
- Two newcomers (so their positions are estimated, but a clear winner here)... Griffon Vault Vodka is a boxed bladder of booze. It's got an odd sweetness to it (not in a good way... think diet cherry Nyquil). Tonic drink was clearly won by Stanislav (which is good, but nothing special) and the chilled shot was a closer, but still unanimous.
5 June 2016 - Prairie vs. Russian Standard
- Unfinished competition, but Prairie won the chilled shot tasting, though the separation was very small. The shots were distinct, but neither of us had a strong preference. Both were quite good. In the end we both settled on Prairie. Similarly, vodka tonics for each were pretty evenly matched. Brooke selected the Russian Standard and Joel opted for the Prairie, but again, very little separation. So, a slight lead for Prairie, but I think the martini tasting will be telling.
- Prairie wins the tiebreaker Martini competition, this time with another appearance by third taster, Brigette! Joel and Brig selected Prairie, with Brooke opting for Russian Standard.
- All three of these contests were quite close - so we don't see a lot of distinction between these vodka. Both worthy intoxicants.
- I'm declaring this one a tie on 20 November 2018 and requiring a re-taste at some point, because off the Russian/non-Russian palate difference and the transitive property.
11/12 March 2017 - Prairie vs. Ketel One
- A two-day trial - first the chilled shot was a split decision with Brooke selecting Ketel One and Joel opting for the Prairie. In the vodka tonic competition, Ketel One was a clear superior for both of us. Transitive property notwithstanding, I think there may be a preference in taste for Russian vodkas for Brooke and American (or Prairie!) for myself and Brig that may be mis-appropriating victories here. If ever Ketel One and Russian Standard come up against each other (or, oy vey, Stoli!) the competition would get more complicated. Perhaps this is an acknowledgement that none of these competitions are ever done. If others taste these same vodkas in competition, we might overturn results. If 1000 people assure me that Russian Standard is better than Prairie (under pre-approved conditions!), perhaps we have a new winner.
Ketel One Wins! (for now)
16/17 March 2017 - Smirnoff vs. Pearl
- Pearl wins it in a (somewhat harsh) mini-martini tasting. Pearl gets ranked into the main list of vodkas. Smirnoff, it turns out, makes a pretty bad martini. Pearl vodka makes a somewhat bearable vodka. Tie-breaking tasting on 16 March 2017.
- **(Whoops! - I mistakenly bought Pearl instead of Pinnacle Vodka, so didn't solve the earlier competition, but instead started a new one!)
- In the martini tasting, Brooke was at first unable to make a selection. Joel clearly chose the Pearl. After further review of the two, Brooke agreed and chose it as well (for purposes of counting, though, Pearl is only up 1 - 0 in tasting.
- Chilled shot contest makes this a bit muddled - Brooke and Brig both select the Pearl; Joel prefers the Smirnoff. Now it's tied 2-2, with a pending vodka tonic rubber match.
- Tie finally broken on 19 April 2017 - A vodka tonic contest clears all of this up... The Smirnoff has a slight sweetness, whereas the Pearl & Tonic has more of an ass-i-ness. Sweetness wins and so does Smirnoff!
21 & 23 June 2017- Russian Standard vs. Stolichnaya
- Russian Standard won both a chilled shot and tonic competition, unanimously. 2-0, then 3-0 respectively (Brig was around for the latter). All tasting were quite close. Interestingly, on the first taste of each - the shot and the cocktail - there was no discernible difference between the vodkas. On second taste, each time, the Stoli exhibited a slight aftertaste, which sealed the win for Russian Standard.
27 December 2017 - Stolichnaya vs. Ketel One
- All three tastings done this evening, and it was very close. All of the tastings were hard decisions for any of the three of us to decide, but Ketel One won the chilled shot 2-1 (Brig and I selected the KO, and Brooke took the Stoli).
- The martini tasting was a toss-up. Brig couldn't decide which was better for her, Brooke chose the Ketel One and Joel chose the Stolichnaya.
- Finally for the vodka tonic, it went 2-1 in favor of Stolichnaya, with Brooke again being solo, but this time on the KO!
- Both of us choosing the Stoli in the vodka-tonic competition (and even Brooke, who went the other way) commented that the Stoli drink, which is our house vodka, was familiar. Even though this competition has officially ended in a tie, I am going to give the temporary edge to Ketel One, because of the familiarity factor that led us to select the Stoli and Tonic.
Ketel One Wins! (for now)
2 February 2019 - Russian Standard vs. Fugu
- In a rare Clinton tasting, we only did a chilled shot competition and Fugu won 2-0. It's gone now, and not sure when if ever this one will be finished, but it's in the lead for now, techniclally...
22 June 2020 - Russian Standard vs. Russian Standard Gold
- It's been over a year, but we're back at it, and it's a classic match-up between two versions of the same brand with Brigette joining in the competition. The chilled shots and the tonic competition were a toss-up, with a slight advantage going to the standard standard
- Chilled Shot (2-1 in favor of RS over RSG); Tonic Drink (1-1 w/ Brooke abstaining and unable to choose winner)
- We will call it a tie for now, however, because, anecdotally, Brigette had had a martini made from both vodkas and declared the Gold far superior, so we will await a re-match.
28 June 2020 - Green Mark vs. Smithworks
- This was a tight match-up, but Green Mark vodka comes to be what may be the best vodka in the World (in Milwaukee, at the Colonel). Smithworks has become our standard house vodka, and it held up well (getting a vote from Joel in the chilled shot competition).
- When it came to tonic drinks, though, Green Mark won hand's down, and I don't expect a martini competition would make any difference.
- Turns out we made room for a martini contest anyway, and Green Mark is confirmed. It's a much smoother vodka (the American Smithworks, like many American vodkas, has a sweetness to it, which is pleasant, but ultimately inferior). [December 2020]
- Green Mark is a hard-to-find, but really satisfying Russian Vodka at a very good price point.
19 March 2021 - Ledgerock "Traditional" vs. Smithworks
- After a visit up to the Fox Valley, we stopped at Ledgerock Distillery outside of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. After a tasting, and a delightful cocktail enjoyed outdoors on their back patio. The next weekend, Brig came over for a backyard tasting, and we had a chilled shot and martini round for the two top contenders.
- It was easy to to tell in the shots which one was which one was which, and it's a total preference decision... The Ledgerock has a sweetness that both the purveyors and their website highlight, and the taste is distinctly "craft". It won't win a "purists" Vodka tasting, because it is distinctly not tasteless and odorless, however it won the round (2 - 1)
- We did martinis next, and the results were the same, Brooke & Joel both selected the Ledgerock craftier taste, and Smithworks was a solid, still worthy, second.
- After revisiting the Ledgerock (which we only just recently finished the bottle of while on a visit to Clinton, where it had been... redistributed) in a vodka soda cocktail contest, it was no match for Smithworks [August 2022].
23 December 2021 - Belvedere vs. Chopin
- We went straight to a martini competition with Brigette in attendance. The three-person contest was unanimous, with Chopin winning all three of our taste-tests (which is great, because it is generally a few bucks cheaper!). I suppose it's possible that Belvedere could come back were we to have the opportunity to do some additional shot & tonic competitions, but I kind of doubt it.
3 July 2022 - Smithworks vs. Kirkland Signature American Vodka
- We have broken in to the world of Costco vodka (and, although we didn't do a taste test while we had it, Kirkland's French style vodka is definitely superior to their American vodka). That said, the American style vodka was fine, especially for the price point. We sampled chilled shots with Brigette in attendance again, and Smithworks still was preferred 3-0. Additional tastings may be forthcoming, but we feel fairly sure results will stay the same.
*NOTE: This list will be updated into perpetuity (or until the end of the internet, or until Google goes bankrupt).
Labels: booze, cocktail, lists, ranked, top 7 (or so)
posted by joel @ 21:43
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