Comments On 360

1. terry said on Apr 10, 2008 at 2:54 am...

   tito's vodka--texas fellow i believe...shut it down till you try his vodka. for real. credibility is at stake.

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2. ryan hastings said on Sep 30, 2008 at 3:29 pm...

   glad you are adding pictures to the reviews. i like visuals.

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3. VodkaBuzz said on Oct 01, 2008 at 9:04 am...

   Ryan, the original plan was to have photos for all the vodkas. However, I couldn't find a set up where I could take good photos of the bottles. So, I gave up on it for now. I had kept all the review bottles until recently in case I found a good way to shoot them, but that's out the door now. Eventually, I'll photograph them all.
   
   360 was kind enough to give me permission to use their product photos.

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4. Ray Abraham said on Nov 03, 2008 at 4:14 pm...

   I agree to the tee! 360 vodka is my current favorite also. It's way too smooth and refreshing to compare to any other out there. American vodka is the best and here is why. The laws state on what cannot be added and must be stated what if anything was legally added. Unlike the imports where glycerin, citric acid, sugar, etc. are all too many times the recipe to make their vodkas "creamy and sweet".
   American made vodkas is all I drink now. I've reviewed 40 or so different vodkas from all over the world. 360 is the winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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5. Austin said on Mar 23, 2009 at 1:04 am...

   I grabbed a bottle of 360 yesterday, and I am very impressed with the quality of this vodka for the price. For a 1.75 liter it only costs 40 dollars, and for a vodka that is this smooth that is a good deal.
   
   I must say being mainly a whiskey drinker, it seems like it is lacking something on the front end. However it goes down like butter, so I am not complaining. Very good stuff, I must say I wouldn't have grabbed it if I didn't read all the good reviews on this website before going to the store...

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6. Robert said on Mar 23, 2009 at 1:53 pm...

   @Austin, a lot of vodkas strive to be flavorless. 360 is one of those, in my opinion. Whiskies, on the other hand, pride themselves on flavor. So, ultimately, from your perspective, a good vodka might be missing a lot. If you want something with more character, try Imperia or one of the other Russian vodkas. The Russian vodkas I've had tend to have a bit more bite to them. That may give you what you're looking for on the front end. It'll never taste like Whiskey, but it'll give you a flavor unique to certain vodkas to look for.

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7. bettidaniels said on May 31, 2009 at 11:48 am...

   incredibly smooth. this is now my favorite also.

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8. Robert said on Jun 01, 2009 at 10:46 am...

   Did you see the 360 Earth Day rebate?

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9. bettidaniels said on Jun 01, 2009 at 10:00 pm...

   yes -- almost mailed it in today but forgot to get the UPC code off the bottle! thanks for the reminder ;) i'll mail it tomorrow

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10. Rich said on Jul 11, 2009 at 10:43 pm...

    Having finally got my hands on a bottle I have to say 360 is going in with Tito's for my favorite vodkas category. That subtle sweetness makes for an absolutely excellent white russian.

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11. Rich said on Jul 11, 2009 at 10:51 pm...

    As a side note about the rebate, after asking my local liquor store to get some 360 they stocked four fifths of it on the shelf, all of them have the tag for the rebate right on the bottle but it seems there is a limit of two rebates per household.

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12. butch wheasler said on Dec 12, 2009 at 2:32 pm...

    great vodka, got it 19$ with a 10$ rebate,wow what a value

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13. David Hufferd said on Jan 24, 2010 at 8:33 am...

    Not happy with lucus liquor in Kansas City. They are still promoting your rebate and I find out it was over Dec. of 2009. Is this true?

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14. Robert said on Jan 24, 2010 at 9:17 am...

    There was a coupon 360 released for Earth Day that is expired now. If the place is advertising the coupon, will they still take it? If so, take advantage of it. If not, you may want to kindly ask them to put a note on the advert that it is expired.
    
    For the record, VodkaBuzz is not affiliated with 360. We're just a vodka review site. If you'd like to contact 360, they have a form on the 360 website.

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15. taffyg2003 said on Feb 26, 2010 at 8:06 pm...

    I finally had a chance to pick up a bottle of 360, and I made a martini with it tonight. Overall, it reminded me of Tito's. It had a very neutral flavor, was very smooth, and had very little bite. I was looking for the slight sweetness that has been mentioned on this forum, and as I've enjoyed in Crystal Head martinis, but it was simply neutral like Tito's. I am hard pressed at this time to rate one above the other, so I will call it a tie. However, in the context of comparing both of these to Russian Standard, at least with regard to the quality of the martinis that they make, I would like to change my assessment and promote Russian Standard just above Tito's, and now 360, in my ranking of vodka martinis. Perhaps, as a straight shot, both Tito's and 360 would be the better and smoother bet, but that is not how I generally drink vodka. To update my complete rankings list of my favorite vodkas in terms of how well they work in a straight up vodka martini with olives, here is what I have put together:
    
    1) Crystal Head [5 stars] 2) Russian Standard [4 stars] 3) 360 [4 stars] (tie) 3) Tito's Handmade [4 stars] (tie) 5) Ketel One [4 stars] 6) Sobieski [4 stars] 7) Stolichnaya [3 stars] 8) Skyy [3 stars] 9) Belvedere [3 stars] 10) Grey Goose [3 stars] 11) Absolut [2 stars]
    
    In terms of smoothness, the top vodkas are Crystal Head, 360 and Tito's Handmade tied, then Ketel One. In terms of pleasant flavor, the front runners are Crystal Head, Russian Standard, Sobieski*, Stolichnaya, and then Grey Goose.
    
    Putting smoothness and flavor in the context of value (price), I would place the top few in the following order: Sobieski, Tito's Handmade, then Russian Standard.
    
    Since I have not tasted most of these vodkas neat, I can not properly rank them, though I would expect the top few to be Crystal Head, 360 and Tito's Handmade.
    
    Finally, and perhaps most importantly, at this point in my vodka martini tasting experience, I would probably be inclined to stock Russian Standard in my freezer, order Crystal Head at a bar (if available), and order Ketel One as my readily available bar vodka. 360 and Tito's may find their way into my freezer again, too, in order to have some variety.
    
    Cheers

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16. taffyg2003 said on Feb 26, 2010 at 8:11 pm...

    The * next to Sobieski in the above post indicates that I have only tasted this vodka neat, unlike the others, which were tasted in a martini cocktail.

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17. Jason said on Jun 24, 2010 at 4:56 pm...

    Initial impression when I first opened the bottle is that it smells like rubbing alchohol. Fortunately, drinking it was a much more pleasant surprise. Very neutral and flavorless, it reminded me of Tito's at least the in-mouth feel. It goes down much better than Tito's, with a very mild burn and a much better aftertaste unlike Tito's, which I found harsh and caustic going down the throat and then the feeling and taste in your whole mouth afterwards. This vodka tastes like what Tito's should have been, IMO, especially after reading all the raving good reviews for Tito's. Unfortunately, 360 is very hard to find in my area, and the local liquor store where I found it sells it for more than the listed average price on this website, about $28.

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18. mwshockley said on Aug 11, 2010 at 1:34 am...

    I tried this tonight based on user reviews here, I am giving the remaining to someone else, I thought it was horrible.

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19. Red_Spartan said on Oct 25, 2010 at 1:25 pm...

    Great vodka, little pricey. Just something on par to throw into the mix of my daily drinking. Twice a year max to stir things up.

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20. Clifford A. Holleran said on Oct 26, 2010 at 7:38 pm...

    I just did an taste test against Grey Goose. No comparison! 360 is MUCH smoother and better tasting than Grey Goose. Grey Goose tastes as if it were some form of medicine by comparison with 360. Hands down, 360 was much better than Grey Goose! . . . and at 1/2 the price!! I will be intereseted to see how it matches up against Titos??

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21. Robert said on Oct 27, 2010 at 8:35 am...

    Tito's VS 360 is a tough one! They are both great. I swap between the two, usually, occasionally throwing in Svedka.

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22. taffyg2003 said on Oct 31, 2010 at 12:37 pm...

    360 vs. Tito's IS a tough call. I ranked them equally after comparing them back-to-back. This has been the only tie in my vodka reviews and ratings. Even less expensive and about as impressive is Sobieski, so that is what I stock at home lately.

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23. AZWolverine said on Dec 21, 2010 at 9:40 pm...

    One of my three favorite American vodkas, along with Tito's and Dripping Springs. Smooth, even silky texture, quite sweet, no bitterness. The eco-friendly aspect only adds to the charm.

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24. Didomizio1 said on Dec 29, 2010 at 10:32 am...

    I am absulutely in love with UV its the best alcohole iv ever expierienced thats all i drink. we re uv lovers I just wish they made stuff to go with it like garage uv sighns, bottle uv openers ect.We drink it with red bull its the best drink ever invented!

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25. Didomizio1 said on Dec 29, 2010 at 10:39 am...

    Wo cares about 360 or titos. UV kicks their butt.

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26. Rick said on Jan 13, 2011 at 2:13 pm...

    In my humble opinion, I was surprised that 360 is clearly smoother than Tito's, Grey Goose, Kettle One, Level, Sobieski, Skyy, Absolut, and Stolichnaya, but Russian Standard is a close second. I haven't tried any others neat, but certainly intend to as I only tried the 360 after reading reviews here. I probably would not have tried it for a while because of the corny bottle. I don't buy vodka for the taste- what taste? If I want taste I'll drink whiskey, but for smoothness 360 will be very hard to beat.

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27. jacob10000 said on Jan 15, 2011 at 1:42 am...

    They are both smooth but if you dont want all the grainy flavor 360 is by far the best. Titos tastes like Heaven Hill just smoother.

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28. era_02_1983 said on Jul 12, 2011 at 8:22 am...

    Found this vodka for $16.99 on the way home from work and had to try it because of the reviews here. I am not a "drinker" in any stretch of the mind and only had my first real drink of liquor 4 months ago (I am 27 for the record). But because of the reviews here i decided to actually taste the vodka instead of tossing it down my throat like i've learned from others. My first vodka shot was ciroc, and i still had a smidge left in the freezer along with smirnoff that was left by my sister before she went back to Germany. (husband is stationed there). So when i got home, i took the bottles and sat them on the table. I then did the unimaginable, i did a taste test with vodka.
    
    Starting with the Ciroc, i took a sip and let it sit in my mouth for a second. I didn't like it the first time, and i still don't like it. bitter taste followed by a burning sensation on my tongue, that moves on to my mouth, and even my lip, not pleasant either. Swallowed and after a few seconds felt a very uncomfortable heat going down to my stomach.
    
    The Smirnoff (triple distilled peach Smirnoff) was a bit better. Smoother without the big bitter feeling. REALLY light peach flavor that actually works if you try to taste it (An idea that was crazy a day ago). Swallowed it noticed a small bit of heat, but nothing huge.
    
    Lastly the 360. Took my sip and was surprised that there really was no unpleasant effects involved in it. I did taste a slight flavor in there but it was actually pleasant. right before i swallowed i noticed a tingling building up in my mouth, similar to the Ciroc. But to my surprise it was nothing like the Ciroc burn. While the Ciroc actually burned my lips and mouth as if i had just drank a chemical. This felt a bit more like mouthwash. It didn't fill my mouth a burning sensation, but with a tingling clean sensation like i just brushed my teeth. Swallowed and there was no noticeable burn to follow.
    
    360 totally gets my vote as an awesome vodka, and from an amateur stance i would suggest anyone new to drinking to make 360 your first vodka taste. Now to try titos.
    
    Also, this is an awesome site and i was wondering if there was an equivalent for rum, gin, tequila, and triple sec? I'm trying to make a good long island but have no idea whats a good mixing drink, or how they should taste in general.
    
    Sorry for any grammatical errors in my message.

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29. Robert said on Jul 13, 2011 at 11:31 am...

    Great review! Thanks for posting it!

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30. era_02_1983 said on Jul 15, 2011 at 9:28 am...

    Picking up a bottle of 360 Chocolate flavored vodka tonight and will post my thoughts about it later.

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31. taffyg2003 said on Jul 26, 2011 at 10:57 pm...

    @ era 02 1983, I find your comments enlightening. Since I drink vodka in martinis straight up with olives, my experience with Ciroc was different from yours, but paralleled it in some interesting ways.
    
    In the martini, Ciroc creates a unique effervescent-like sting on the tongue that is probably what you have noticed as an unusual burning sensation. Also, the odd bitter flavor that you noticed when sipped neat is likely the singular grape soda slant to my martini experience. What you notice as unpleasantly odd in the neat straight glass of vodka, I experienced as as uniquely fairly enjoyable in a martini cocktail. Perhaps, with this comparison in mind, Ciroc may be better suited to a role as a mixer than a shooter? I should try a neat shot of Ciroc some time in order to confirm my suspicions.

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32. era_02_1983 said on Jul 28, 2011 at 7:54 am...

    I've been reading a lot of your posts Taffyg and have become increasingly interested in your vodka tasting exploits. In fact, your review of Ciroc is the only reason it's still in my freezer. I'm trying to see if I am possibly missing something while tasting Ciroc. Trying to separate my own expectations of what vodka should taste like, and seek out the flavors that make a vodka "good". (if that makes sense)
    
    With that being said, what exactly makes a martini what it is? What are key qualities in a good martini? How do you make one?
    
    SN: Wife purchased a bottle of double chocolate 360 vodka and Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka for me last night. Threw them in the deep freezer and will be giving both of those a whirl after work.

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33. taffyg2003 said on Aug 05, 2011 at 7:46 pm...

    @ era 02 1983, I am gratified that my vodka quest posts have intrigued you. In the grand scheme of things, I am still a relatively untrained vodka drinker, since I'd only started experimenting with different vodkas about one and a half years ago. However, thanks to this forum, as well as some other websites' vodka reviews, I've learned what to look for and how to compare vodka's qualities. Hopefully, you will continue to gather and share enlightening views from your forum activity in the coming months.
    
    To answer your question regarding how to make and taste a martini, I will start with a description of the basic ingredients. Historically, a martini is a cocktail that is typically 3 parts gin to 1 part dry vermouth and garnished with a lemon zest slice. Often, it is garnished with 3 olives instead, as I prefer. In recent years, vodka has become an alternative to gin, and dryer cocktails using less vermouth have come into vogue. My preference is a very dry vodka martini garnished with 3 olives. The ingredients can be stirred or shaken, which I prefer due to a softening of the intensity of the cocktail's flavor.
    
    In evaluating a vodka martini, I look for a few aspects of the drink's expressions. Since the majority of the cocktail is made of vodka, it is mainly the vodka that influences the results. First, I sniff the aroma to get a sense of the balance and quality of its ingredients. Then, I sip the martini to determine its initial flavor characteristics. I look for a sip that is mildly bittersweet with a fairly mellow assertiveness. Next, I get a sense of the vodka's smoothness as the sip flows toward the back of my mouth. Then, upon swallowing the cocktail, I evaluate how much of a bite/burn the vodka exhibits. I like a vodka that imparts only a mild bite rather than a strong or nearly absent one. This leads to a pleasant, almost mint-like, cooling effect. Finally, I assess the aftertaste. I tend to enjoy a vodka martini that has a lingering mild bittersweet aftertaste; something by which to remember the enjoyable sip. I suppose that one additional aspect of the cocktail that I notice is if the martini's pleasant characteristics remain consistent from the first to the last sip. Unfortunately, some martinis, including some that I make at home, tend to emphasize the less enjoyable vermouth flavors in the final few sips.
    
    Based on your comments, you may have already read that my favorite vodka, especially for martinis, is Crystal Head, though 360 is also quite good and a fair amount less expensive, too. If you get a chance, give it a try. If you haven't had much experience with vodka martinis, give a few a try in order to get a sense for how different they can taste based upon the ingredients used and their mixed proportions.
    
    Cheers!

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34. taffyg2003 said on Dec 07, 2011 at 7:38 pm...

    I was just looking at one of my posts in the Ketel One thread which made me think about 360 for the first time in a while. In one post, I had commented about how smooth and neutral vodkas such as Chopin and Ketel One are, which reminded me of how their flavorless neutrality sometimes backfires when I have a martini with too much vermouth. Those vodkas are so neutral that the cocktail essentially tastes like vermouth , which is not too enjoyable when too much is mixed into a martini. I suddenly recalled that, while I had rated 360 very highly in this thread, I wasn't completely taken in by 360 because the martinis that I had made with it did little to attenuate the assertive vermouth flavors. Since I now mix my martinis with very little or no vermouth (an idea that I must thank Robert for suggesting), I have renewed interest in 360. Maybe I will pick up another bottle soon to give it another try with my more refined and matured vodka palate. I am under the impression that I may have underestimated its quality and status in the vodka spectrum.

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