Best budget vodka on the North American market?

[sjwaste]

Skol vodka. It comes in a plastic handle, even. However, it's done really well in blind taste tests. It's the dark horse of vodkas, trust me.

 

[moshquerade]

SKYY grape vodka + Sprite 0 ftw

 

[OFFascist]

Tito's, I guess you could consider the price to be "budget" but it tastes better than any other Vodka I've drunk.

I love Vodka Tonic.

 

[TallBill]

1.75 l bottle of SKYY for $23, not bad.

 

[DayLaPaul]

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer
Vodka all tastes the same, some just have a little after taste. Its meant to taste like rubbing alcohol and I bet noone here could determine their "favorite" from a blind taste test.

Bullshit. In theory, all vodkas are supposed to taste the same, which is to say flavorless. In practice, however, anyone who drinks vodka on a regular basis can tell you that this is not the case. Every vodka has a distinct flavor. With the upper shelf vodka, I have a hard time distinguishing between brands, but anything mid to lower shelf, you can most definitely tell the difference.

If you give me a shot of one vodka and tell me what its, then immediately line up 3 shots of unidentified vodka, I guarantee you I can pick it out of the bunch.

Now if you were mixing the vodka, I'd agree with your statement, but any vodka connoisseur, drinks his/her vodka straight.

 

[mztykal]

LEVEL!

</end thread>

 

[Turin39789]

whiskey

 

[shortylickens]

If you insist on purchasing cheap vodka I suggest you try filtering it. Assuming you have a water filter laying around that you do not intend to use for water anymore.

 

[chin311]

svedka and maybe pinnacle

 

[DT4K]

If by mixing, you mean just giving it a splash of juice for some color and flavor, then yeah, it might make sense to spend more on good stuff. But if you're making a drink with 1 oz of Vodka and 3 or 4 oz of juice, there's no way you're going to be able to tell the difference between Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tito's, or whatever.

I looked and apparently our liquor stores don't carry Flor de Cana.
For inexpensive rums, I like the basic Cruzan. If I'm seriously strapped for cash, I'll buy Castillo.
When I feel like drinking better stuff, I'll go with a Cruzan single barrel, Appleton, Myers, or Mt Gay.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

So where are all the grey goose snobs? You cant talk vodka without someone claiming to drink only grey goose.

 

[ebaycj]

Originally posted by: yllus
As I enter the twilight years of my late twenties, I find my tastes beginning to refine. In the realm of alcohol, I've started to wonder if is a superior vodka I could be purchasing over the default choice of Smirnoff Red (or if I'm feeling cheap, Polar Ice).

The purpose of the vodka would primarily be to be mixed into something else - orange juice, cranberry juice, whatever. The price range is $25 - $45. Any recommendations?

At the moment, I am considering trying Youri Dolgoruki. It appears to be quadruple-distilled. Another option is Tito's Handmade Vodka, though it seems to be harder to locate in this city.

A tip of my own in return for reading this far: Skip restocking your wet bar with Bacardi next time you're at the liquor store and try Flor De Cana 5-Year Old Rum. To quote Wikipedia:

Flor De Caña is renowned as one of the best rums in Latin America, having won more than 100 international awards since 2000 and has been the most award-winning rum brand during this period. It has captured gold, silver, and bronze medals and has received high recommendations from wine and liquor enthusiasts.

kirkland (costco brand) 5 times distilled is surprisingly good and inexpensive.

 

[BudAshes]

stolichnaya (sp?)

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer
So where are all the grey goose snobs? You cant talk vodka without someone claiming to drink only grey goose.

I only stock grey goose because thats the only one I get free. I don't drink it though.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer
So where are all the grey goose snobs? You cant talk vodka without someone claiming to drink only grey goose.

I dont think it's snobbery so much as it's the most commonly stocked premium vodka in a bar/restaurant.

 

[BChico]

Luksusova (~$20/1.5L)

Polish Potato Vodka

 

[SN4p]

Ketel One, Stoli, Three Olives (good flavors) and Russian Standard are all pretty good.

 

[TwiceOver]

Stoli

 

[BTA]

Fris is the best value vodka bar none.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Originally posted by: DT4K
If by mixing, you mean just giving it a splash of juice for some color and flavor, then yeah, it might make sense to spend more on good stuff. But if you're making a drink with 1 oz of Vodka and 3 or 4 oz of juice, there's no way you're going to be able to tell the difference between Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tito's, or whatever.

I looked and apparently our liquor stores don't carry Flor de Cana.
For inexpensive rums, I like the basic Cruzan. If I'm seriously strapped for cash, I'll buy Castillo.
When I feel like drinking better stuff, I'll go with a Cruzan single barrel, Appleton, Myers, or Mt Gay.

Never had Meyer's, but I'll readily swill the other three as fast as possible. Bevmo has a handle of Mt Gay for like $30. I cheaped out last time and got the handle of bacardi select for $17. Worst. Decision. Ever.

 

[Safeway]

Tito's is amazing. It is local to Austin, TX, so it was widely available while I was at UT. It was the vodka of choice.

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: uclaLabrat

Originally posted by: DT4K
If by mixing, you mean just giving it a splash of juice for some color and flavor, then yeah, it might make sense to spend more on good stuff. But if you're making a drink with 1 oz of Vodka and 3 or 4 oz of juice, there's no way you're going to be able to tell the difference between Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tito's, or whatever.

I looked and apparently our liquor stores don't carry Flor de Cana.
For inexpensive rums, I like the basic Cruzan. If I'm seriously strapped for cash, I'll buy Castillo.
When I feel like drinking better stuff, I'll go with a Cruzan single barrel, Appleton, Myers, or Mt Gay.

Never had Meyer's, but I'll readily swill the other three as fast as possible. Bevmo has a handle of Mt Gay for like $30. I cheaped out last time and got the handle of bacardi select for $17. Worst. Decision. Ever.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread and turn it into a rum discussion. But Myers is good if you're making mixed drinks, but still want to taste the rum. I don't think I'd drink it straight.

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: yllus
Hmm. I will add Ketel One and Chopin.

Not cheap by any means! Might as well recommend Level or Vox!

You can try Skyy, stoli, UV (haven't tried it myself but sells very well), Pinnacle (not as good as skyy though), Burnetts (cheap), Heaven Hill (usually the well vodka at bars).

Up a level you have

Absolut, Vincent V Gogh

Another level,

Fris, Level, Choplin, Ultimat Vodka, X-Rated, Prada and Vox


Just to name a few.

 

[Syrch]

double post

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Safeway
Tito's is amazing. It is local to Austin, TX, so it was widely available while I was at UT. It was the vodka of choice.

There are exactly 6 bottles of it in all of central Toronto, it seems. I'm debating taking the streetcar out to get it for the sake of trying something new.