# What's a good vodka? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746 "2003-02-13T03:17:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/1 "2003-02-13T03:17:07Z")
I’ve been asked to buy a bottle of vodka for **El Elvis Rojo’s** birthday party. Can anyone recommend a good vodka for a reasonable price? ---
**Author:** ![whiteboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@whiteboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiteboy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/2 "2003-02-13T03:19:16Z")
Grey Goose ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/3 "2003-02-13T03:38:11Z")
Grey Goose isn’t just a good vodka. It’s the **ONLY** vodka. ---
**Author:** ![Blunt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Blunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blunt)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/4 "2003-02-13T03:38:43Z")
Ketel One is another good one, and it is more reasonably priced than Grey Goose. Grey Goose is probably better than Ketel One, but it is also pretty pricey. Both are very good vodkas in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Calculus_of_Logic)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/5 "2003-02-13T04:03:38Z")
LOL. Osco pharmacy’s store brand vodka. $8 for a 1.75L bottle. Tastes like charcoal & fire mixed together. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/6 "2003-02-13T04:16:29Z")
I like Ketel One, too. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/7 "2003-02-13T04:23:30Z")
And to round out your choices, Absolut, Finlandia, Smirnoff and Stoli are all perfectly presentable marks that will allow you some flexibility. Tell Red I said, “Happy Birthday!” ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/8 "2003-02-13T11:09:38Z")
Grey Goose is way overrated and expensive. When I hear people order it in a mixed drink I think they’re suckers. Go with Ketel One. Smirnoff is perfectly good but not impressive as a gift. If you can find some exotic potato vodka that might be fun. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/9 "2003-02-13T12:45:07Z")
Seriously, nothing wrong with Grey Goose, but see if you can find Hangar 1 vodka instead. It’s produced by a tiny, tiny company that doesn’t have distribution everywhere yet, but it is, far and away, the single best vodka that I’ve ever tasted - and I’ve tasted a lot of vodka. Plus, their flavored vodkas are even better. the bad news, other than having to go out and look for it, is that it runs aroung $36.00 a fifth. For a one time purchase, though, I’d say it’s worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/10 "2003-02-13T13:09:02Z")
I’d just like to point out that differences in quality between nonflavored vodkas are almost entirely imaginary, and in the US vodka producers are in fact forbidden to advertise on basis of quality. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/11 "2003-02-13T13:47:46Z")
Why has no one mentioned **Belvedere** or **Van Gogh** or **Vox** vodka? They are all very nice top shelf Vodkas. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/12 "2003-02-13T13:51:55Z")
**Chopin** vodka is also a good choice. If you want a decent bottle that isn’t too expensive I like **Absolut** or **Sky**. Don’t buy a top shelf vodka if you are goint to make mixed drinks. The extra money isn’t worth it when you can’t really taste it. ---
**Author:** ![k61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@k61](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k61)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/13 "2003-02-13T14:10:07Z")
Zubrowka (from Poland - aka bison grass vodka) is definitely the best vodka on the planet. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/14 "2003-02-13T14:14:48Z")
[Mor](http://www.morvodka.com), an Estonian potato vodka, is worlds better than any of the usual top shelf grain vodkas. Only Zubrowka, Luksosowa, and the other potato vodkas even come close. ---
**Author:** ![k61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@k61](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k61)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/15 "2003-02-13T14:20:20Z")
never tried Mor but it looks like my kind of drink! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/16 "2003-02-13T14:27:47Z")
Vodka snobbery is like the emporor running around talking about his great new outfit. The point of vodka is that it’s _flavorless_. All you taste is the alcohol. Now some vodkas are smoother to drink straight; this usually means the alcohol is distilled a little bit better. Russian and Polish vodka are designed to be drunk straight; others are to be used in mixed drinks, so they aren’t as concerned on the smoothness. If you’re serious about vodka, get something Russian (I drank Stolychnaya back in college, long before anyone in the U.S. had heard of it). And drink it like a Russian: in a water glass, and no sipping allowed. Don’t be a wimp: gulp it right down. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/17 "2003-02-13T14:28:35Z")
Vodka snobbery is like the emporor running around talking about his great new outfit. The point of vodka is that it’s _flavorless_. All you taste is the alcohol. Once you add a mixer, there’s no way in hell anyone can tell one from another. Now some vodkas are smoother to drink straight; this usually means the alcohol is distilled a little bit better. Russian and Polish vodka are designed to be drunk straight; others are to be used in mixed drinks, so they aren’t as concerned on the smoothness. If you’re serious about vodka, get something Russian (I drank Stolychnaya back in college, long before anyone in the U.S. had heard of it). And drink it like a Russian: in a water glass, and no sipping allowed. Don’t be a wimp: gulp it right down. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/18 "2003-02-13T14:28:54Z")
Vodka snobbery is like the emporor running around talking about his great new outfit. The point of vodka is that it’s _flavorless_. All you taste is the alcohol. Once you add a mixer, there’s no way in hell anyone can really tell one from another. Now some vodkas are smoother to drink straight; this usually means the alcohol is distilled a little bit better. Russian and Polish vodka are designed to be drunk straight; others are to be used in mixed drinks, so they aren’t as concerned on the smoothness. If you’re serious about vodka, get something Russian (I drank Stolychnaya back in college, long before anyone in the U.S. had heard of it). And drink it like a Russian: in a water glass, and no sipping allowed. Don’t be a wimp: gulp it right down. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/19 "2003-02-13T14:36:08Z")
Point taken **Chuck** all three times 🙂 I’m off to grab a pint of orange Stoli - no ice - no less!! For a real treat: try the **Russian Quaalude**. One part Frangelico one part vanilla Stoli one part Bailey’s Irish Cream very nice ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746/20 "2003-02-13T14:41:58Z")
Damn, **Phlosphr** , you forgot to warn people to make sure the floor is comfortable to lay down on before they drink that concoction. :eek: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-vodka/154746.md?page=2)