slcmetalhead's Most Recent Comments

1. At the Russian Standard Original Review on May 19, 2010 at 11:31 pm...

   I love this stuff. I first bought it on a whim about a year ago, and I've gone back to it ever since. This is very, very good vodka, and it's moderately priced (at least, it's a lot less than Belvedere, Grey Goose, etc.).
   
   I typically drink this straight, either as an ice-cold shot, or sipped cold. It has virtually no smell at all - it's kind of uncanny, actually. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was water. It's very smooth, and is one of the very few vodkas I can drink at room temperature without needing a chaser (although it's still best served chilled). There is little burn, especially if you shoot it. Sipping it, there's a minor burn, but what can you expect at 80 proof?
   
   The flavor is one of the more complex of the vodkas I've tried. It manages to be silky smooth, and yet it carries a lot of subtle fruit overtones - citrus and grape stand out for me. There's a faintly metallic quality in the flavor as well, but I don't find that unpleasant personally. It does have an aftertaste as well, but it's very neutral - not at all unpleasant.
   
   It should also be noted that I have had very mild hangovers when I've limited myself to just this vodka, and some light beer. I'm not sure if this is just coincidence, but I've gotten pretty wasted off this stuff and woken up feeling much better than I should have.
   
   Also - since the Russian Standard Platinum vodka isn't listed on this site, I'll add a few words about it as well. For sipping, I actually prefer the Russian Standard Original, as its flavor is more complex. The Platinum version isn't a terribly interesting vodka for sipping, and it seems a bit sharper than the Original. But for shots, the Platinum is bar-none the smoothest vodka I've ever had. It's like taking a shot of butter - no burn whatsoever, and a very clean flavor.
   
   I give Russian Standard five stars, considering flavor as well as price. This vodka could definitely cost more than it does, and in my opinion it's head and shoulders above a lot of the so-called "top shelf" (i.e. top price) vodkas.

2. At the Ketel One Review on May 15, 2010 at 1:06 am...

   As with all my reviews, I'm sipping an ice-cold shot with no additions.
   
   My initial impression? Very mild, quite neutral. A bit sweet. There's a bit of burn going down, but not much. It's not the smoothest vodka I've ever had, but it's pretty nice. Also, the smell is very neutral, almost non-existent.
   
   However, there's a faintly unpleasant aftertaste that I can't put my finger on, a bit pungent. A bit of lingering burn as well. Still, it's pretty good quality stuff overall.
   
   Having said that, it's also pretty pricey at $24.59 for 750ml. It's good, but it's not that good. I'd give it 4 stars for taste alone, but taking price into account, I give it 3.

3. At the Belvedere Review on Apr 26, 2010 at 8:57 pm...

   This stuff has a mild smell - faintly citrusy. Not the most odorless vodka I've encountered, but the scent is pretty minimal.
   
   The taste also smacks of citrus, something like a dry gin. However, it's got quite a burn to it, though not enough to elicit a cough. It's not nearly as smooth an experience as I had hoped for. The aftertaste is a bit sweet... also a little bitter. It certainly lingers, in any case.
   
   Overall, it's not a bad vodka, but it's pretty ordinary, and grossly overpriced at $30 a fifth. I'd give this three stars for flavor alone, but in light of the price, I'm giving it 2 stars.

4. At the Tito's Handmade Vodka Review on Jan 30, 2010 at 10:20 pm...

   I have to say, I was completely UNimpressed by this vodka. Smooth? Not really. It smells like rubbing alcohol, and it's got a strong bite to it as well (drinking it straight). Not nearly as neutral as, say, Russian Standard. It's pretty easy going down the throat, but I can't say I care for the flavor. It's got a slight pleasant sweetness to it, but that's drowned out by the caustic septic flavor that comes with it.
   
   As a mixer it's fine, but then so are a lot of other vodkas. If mixing is what you're doing with your vodka, I'd say save your money and go with something like Monopolowa ($15 a LITER here in UT, and perfectly good as a mixer).
   
   Overall, I'd say Tito's is better than a vodka like Smirnoff, but it's not worth $20 a fifth, and it's not fit for drinking straight. My personal favorite for shots and martinis is still the Russian Standard series.
   
   I gave Tito's 2 stars, taking into consideration both flavor and price.