Vodka

What is Vodka? 

What is vodka? No one really knows, but it seems to be a clear spirit that can be distilled from anything, grapes, wheat, potatoes etc. You name it, they’ll get alcohol out of it if it has sugars.  

Vodka, made famous by the Russians and the Polish, is now sold by any country wanting to make a quick buck. This stuff flies off the shelves, especially in the United States. The French have caught on and they produce very famous “vodka”, including grape vodka (Ciroc) and wheat vodka (Grey Goose). Vodka is produced in France, Australia, Canada, Sweden and lots of other countries too.

What is vodka? No one really knows, but it seems to be a clear spirit that can be distilled from anything, grapes, wheat, potatoes etc. You name it, they’ll get alcohol out of it if it has sugars.

Tasters should look for the following when tasting vodka:

• Clarity and colour: A good vodka will look nice and thick, creamy almost when at freezing temperature. It does not have to be crystal clear, as some great vodka have a blue or yellow hue just like a precious crystal!
• Nose: Good vodka will smell grainy, and it may have notes of sweetness and lusciousness. A bad vodka will just smell of alcohol, medicinal almost and of mentholated spirits.
• Taste: A good vodka will have a luscious texture with an oily delivery that is smooth on the palate. A bad vodka will be watery, rough and acerbic and burn. 

Ideally vodka should be at or below freezing temperature before tasting it, and then warmed by the room ever so slightly (if it is too cold that will numb your taste buds).