The Taste

Naysayers claim all vodka tastes the same, or it’s flavorless or that its popularity is based solely on bottle design. Cocktail snobbery has escalated to the point that some bars don’t even serve vodka; it’s viewed as an amateur’s spirit. This is ridiculous.

For one thing, vodkas do taste different. Even nearly neutral ones have good and bad qualities. Comparative taste tests can reveal subtle differences in texture (is it watery or syrupy?), color (clear or yellowish), “hotness” (how harsh is the alcohol?) and fruit or sweetness (some people taste pineapple, for example). To gauge new vodkas, it’s best to sample several in one sitting. We tried four new brands.

LiV (rhymes with five)
Country: Long Island, NY, USA
Concept: hand crafted in Long Island’s first craft distillery since the 1800s
Made from: potato
Bottle: indistinct, straight-forward shape with synthetic cork
Taste: alcohol nearly burned off the nostril hairs; hot on the throat, some hints of anise/vanilla

Ultimat
Country: Poland
Concept: Brought to you by the folks from Patron Tequila.
Made from: potato, wheat and rye
Bottle: big cobalt blue vessel with a jumbo cork stopper
Taste: the rye gives this some spiciness; there’s a little burn at the back of the throat; coats the tongue with medium-to-heavy body

360
Country: Weston, MO, USA
Concept: Eco-friendly, made from recycled glass and comes (oddly) with an energy-saving light bulb (if you buy the holiday gift pack).
Made from: grain
Bottle: old-fashioned wine bottle shape with embossed logo and Grolsch-like swing-top stopper
Taste: sweet on the tongue, thin, light, pleasant, clean and crisp with some caramel/vanilla in the long finish

Double Cross
Country: Slovak Republic
Concept: Filtered through a diamond dust system and seven times distilled, making this super-clean and smooth. Made from: winter wheat
Bottle: Giant rectangle shape looks like an oversized cologne; somewhat hard to pour.
Taste: Virtually no "nose" and the smoothest of the bunch; very drinkable even straight up or on the rocks.

-- James Oliver Cury