In this instance, I'm willing to eat my words. Delicious, yummy words.

[xiphias]

In the past, I've made the claim that there are only two types of vodka: cheap vodka, and not-cheap vodka. And that one bad vodka was basically indistinguishable from any other bad vodka. And that the differences between brands of good vodkas were . . . "subtle". That is to say, pretty darn close to nonexistent.

As part of a certification class I'm taking to hone my skills, I've been doing some side-by-side tastings of different brands, and, okay, when you're doing very careful side-by-side tastings, you CAN tell SOME differences. I mean, I can tell that Skyy has a little more body than Svedka, for instance -- when I'm comparing them side-by-side. If you handed me a shot of vodka blind and asked me to tell you which one it was, I really doubt I could. This is very different than, say, single-malt Scotch. A Macallan and a Talisker -- you'd have to have had your taste buds shot off in the War to be unable to tell them apart. (Hint: the one in which you can smell the smoke from across the room is the Talisker.) But vodka, the differences are small, and fundamentally, don't really make any practical difference. Once you throw something through a column still five times, and follow it up with a triple filtration process, it's gonna taste pretty much exactly like anything else that you throw through a column still five times and triple-filter.

That's what I'd have said across the board before yesterday. When I tasted, and then bought a bottle of, Karlsson's Gold vodka. Which is the first thing which I've had that says "vodka" on the label that actually TASTES like something. It's a potato vodka that smells like, and TASTES like, potatoes.

Obviously, you can't use it the way you would use other vodkas. I mean, sure, if you LIKE potato-orange-juice, feel free to make a Screwdriver with it. But, really . . . this actually has FLAVOR, so you have to think about that when you're making stuff with it.

The folks I bought it from said that they'd had a Bloody Mary made with the stuff, and that was good, but that the main thing they did with it was to drink it straight, or cut with water. But that you could also do infusions with it -- but basically, based around "potato". Apparently, infusing dill in it is great, black pepper goes well.

If I didn't keep kosher at home, I'd be tempted to do a bacon fat wash with it. I'm still tempted to try a sour cream fat wash.

Because it is a potato vodka that tastes like potato.

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

I wonder how it would taste mixed with consume? Sort of a beef and potato thing...

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Would onion be too weird?

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

Mmmm... sour cream cocktails... Perfect for that Latkes & Vodkas party someplace like GesherCity's been known to throw for Chanukah!

Chive? Rosemary, for sure...

[mbarr.livejournal.com]

I have to let you try 44 North vodka- huckleberry infused. (potato, but not so that you can tell.)

It's one of the few that are really good to drink straight, iced.

[jim-p.livejournal.com]

On the other end of the purity scale: I saw the Mythbusters where they tested the cheap-vodka-through-the-brita-filter myth. They then brought in an expert to judge them. One thing I wish they'd done would be to create a "perfect vodka" by cutting Everclear with distilled water to 80 proof. Has anyone actually done this in a vodka tasting?

[tylik.livejournal.com]

When you say potato, do you mean cooked potato or raw potato? Because Chopin tasted really remarkably of raw potato, to me.

...not really my idea of fun, but I could imagine it might go well with smoked salmon, capers and onions.

[ellettra.livejournal.com]

Y.U.M!!! I bet the dill infusion would be magnificent.

[403.livejournal.com]

I vote for trying a fat wash with salmon fat and a good cheddar cheese.