(no subject)

[ksmith]

Does vodka ever spoil? I unearthed an almost full bottle of Ketel One that is about 4.5 years old. Yes, it was opened, but very little was used.

I have read that it doesn't. Just wanted to tap into the Wisdom that is LJ.

Comments

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I gather that K1 has a distinctive taste?

I'm a vodka ignoramus. I think I bought the Ketel One because I liked the name, or something. And the price, which implied that it was decent.

I saw an episode of America's Test Kitchens today that told you how to make a vodka marinara sauce. That looked really good, and apparently the premium vodkas make better sauces.

[excessor.livejournal.com]

I'm not an expert, but I'll give my opinion.

Vodkas are made from all sorts of different grains and how they're made does affect taste. Rotgut vodka like Popov has a distinctly alcohol-y taste that's hard to swallow. You really need to use that kind of vodka in a mixed drink of some kind. It doesn't taste very good.

Those that have been purified many times tend to taste better. I think Ketel One is a very good vodka—you can drink it straight and it doesn't make you want to spit it back out. It actually has a nice taste. It would be a good vodka to use in a vodka marinara because the flavors are important.

Flavored vodkas have been infused with various fruits and vegetables and they have a nice taste, but I rarely like them. That's a personal opinion and everyone is different. Absolut makes a lovely pomegranate vodka but what will you mix it with? soda? It's not going to go well with cranberry (my mixer of choice) so I think it sort of limits you. On the other hand, if you're planning to serve Bloody Marys, you might want Absolut Peppar, especially if you like the Bloodies to be spicier. I'm not sure why you can't just toss in extra black pepper, but far be it for me to rain on someone's marketing parade.

My favorite happens to be Grey Goose. It's as pricey as, or a little pricier than, Ketel One, but it's deliciously smooth and makes any cocktail seem to blend well. Here's a hint: Costco sells Kirkland Vodka that is less expensive and I think is just as good as GG.

When I drink a cocktail, it's likely going to be based on GG. It's smooth enough to drink over rocks with a twist of lemon. If you get a chance, you might try Grey Goose Poire, a pear-flavored vodka. It smells heavenly but I think tastes terrible. Your mileage may vary.

Oh, and you're right about the price. As with many things, a higher price tends to correlate with a better taste, but individual preference counts. I really enjoy GG and K1, but I dislike Hangar One and Belvedere. Go figure.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

All I know about Belvedere is that they have a really weird commercial. I'd never heard of it before.

The talk of flavored vodkas lead to another question--can they off over time?