Vodka Review: Crystal Head by Robert
- Rating
- out of 5 shots
- Bang For The Buck
- 5 out of 5 shots
- User Rating
-
3.9000 out of 5 shots
- Rate It Now!
- Average Price
- $47.57 per 750 mL / See By State / You add a price you've seen if you join VodkaBuzz.
- Percent Alcohol
- 40
- Distilled From
- Grain
- Charcoal Filtered
- Yes
- Other Processes
- Crystal Filtered
- Produced By
- Globe Fill
- Imported By
- Wilson Daniels Ltd
- Website
- Crystal Head
- Cap Type
- Cork
Identifying Features
It's a large glass skull. Hard to get more unique than that. The cork has a wooden cap, which is also a nice touch.
Written on the Bottle
One of the most compelling archeological mysteries is the story of the 13 crystal heads. These heads are believed to be between 5,000 and 35,000 years old and were carved over a period of several hundred years but without any tool marks. In fact their very construction defies the laws of physics and common logic. They are believed to offer spiritual power to those who hold or possess them.
In reverence of those enlightened after touching any of the thirteen crystal heads unearthed around our globe we offer this pure spirit.
Review
Crystal Head vodka has been around for awhile now. It's hard not to notice a vodka with a spokesperson like Dan Akroyd, let alone a vodka with a back story like Romancing the Stone. Furthermore, the beautiful bottle design is probably as unique as it gets. With a good review from an alpha geek like John Hodgman, I had to give it a try despite the lofty price tag.
So, in honor of Daniel's birthday, I'll share my thoughts.
The Shot
Crystal Head vodka has an ethanoly-sweet smell. It's completely clean and neutral in the mouth and it goes down like water with only a slight cooling burn, as though I had just used flavorless mouthwash. The swallow is followed by an oddly sweet aftertaste. Crystal Head vodka is worth every penny and takes a high ranking spot with Jean Marc XO.
The Mixed Drink
Be picky with your mixer! On a whim, I tried Simply Lemonade. The flavor of the vodka comes through and makes the mix taste pretty bad. That might just be an attribute of lemonade, though. I tried several other multi-fruit juices as mixers that are of the sweet variety that turned out to be wonderful because the vodka was undetectable.
Opinions
When Erin took a shot, she mentioned that the ethanol flavor was minimal and there was only a little burn after Crystal Head vodka goes down. In her own words, "That's probably as close to flavorless as I've ever had. Good job, Dan Akroyd." She was doubly impressed when she mixed the vodka with some of the fruit juices, noting that the vodka didn't change the taste of the juice at all.
If you have some cash burning a hole in your pocket, or you want to celebrate a special evening with a unique spirit, Crystal Head is a must-try. In fact, the only down side is the price. I'm sure someone like Dan Akroyd wouldn't think twice about dropping a $50 on a bottle of alcohol, but it's a little too expensive for a normal guy like me to indulge in on a regular basis. If this were priced to compete with normal upper-shelf vodkas, this would certainly set a new high water mark in the vodka industry.
Update 6/24/2010: As Jason pointed out below, empty Crystal Head bottles are selling for around $25 on eBay. So, you can potentially recoup some of your costs if you put the bottle up for sale on eBay. Good looking out, Jason.
If you see the following form, please ignore it.
Comments On Crystal Head
krcoakland said on Sep 25, 2009 at 10:42 am...
I don't know about anyone else, but this was THE most disappointing bottle of ANY KIND OF liquor I've ever bought... it's cool as far as the bottle goes, but other than that, I was let down. Contrary to the first review on this vodka, I found the smell to be overwhelmingly like ethanol... as if I were smelling a bottle of rubbing alcohol. The mouthfeel for this bottle was atrocious. Just like the smell... it felt like I had rubbing alcohol in my mouth. It was flavorless all right, but burned worse than any $6/ fifth vodka I've ever had (I'm in college, and during my first couple years, I had my share of Five O'Clock and Mohawk). Not trusting myself on this one, since after all it IS a $50 bottle and I expected more, I had 7 friends over to try it out. Of these people, absolutely none of them thought it was worth the price point, and they all agreed with me on it being the WORST vodka they've ever had. I am very disappointed and will be advising everyone I can to avoid this epically overpriced vodka at all costs. As the old adage goes, You can put lipstick on a pig, (put nasty vodka in a nice bottle) but it's still a pig.
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gwal46 said on Dec 22, 2009 at 3:07 pm...
My wife bought me a bottle for my birthday. I wasnt expecting much but holy shit that is the absolute best vodka I have ever had. It was smooth and almost no after taste. Definitely not one that I can afford to drink but for special occasions definitly worth it. Dont share it with someeone who hasnt acquired the taste for vodka.
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Robert said on Dec 23, 2009 at 5:50 pm...
"Dont share it with someeone who hasnt acquired the taste for vodka." Amen!
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taffyg2003 said on Jan 10, 2010 at 10:50 pm...
Last night I had a chance to try a martini, straight up with olives, made with Crystal Head at a local steak house. WOW! It reminded me of Tito's: very smooth, very neutral, and very little alcohol burn on swallowing, but with a slightly sweet taste that I felt made the martini even more pleasant to sip that those I have had made with Tito's. WOW!! Crystal Head is now my new favorite! Unfortunately, at over twice the price of Tito's, I doubt that it will ever supplant Tito's as the vodka that I will keep in my freezer at home.
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jadez03 said on Jan 28, 2010 at 8:36 pm...
I got a bottle of Crystal Head for my 21st birthday...and I was not as swept off my feet as people all seem to be. It seemed unnaturally harsh, with a bitter taste to it. The burn was that of a low-grade vodka, I felt like I had just taken a shot of monarch. I would definitely prefer a mid like svedka over crystal head after that experience. Did I just get a bad bottle or something?
I found the bottle to be very nice but the vodka inside...not so much.
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Robert said on Jan 29, 2010 at 7:32 am...
@jadez03 It could have been a bad bottle, but I don't know how often that happens. I've gone through two bottles, and everyone that's tried it has been impressed (vodka drinkers and non-vodka drinkers). Maybe try it again on your next birthday (the stuff is way too expensive to buy on a regular basis) and see what happens?
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taffyg2003 said on Feb 06, 2010 at 9:44 pm...
I had another Crystal Head martini while out at dinner, and it reinforced my impression that this vodka is far superior to any other that I have tried! So smooth, no burn, and a nice mildly sweet flavor; just great! I am now curious how it compares to the also very highly regarded Jean Marc XO. However, at approximately $60 a bottle, I doubt that I will have an opportunity to try it any time soon.
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Mike said on Feb 16, 2010 at 12:27 pm...
I would love it if some of you vodka snobs would try tasting this stuff in a blind test. Vodka loyalty is probably 95% due to marketing strategies, which explains the popularity of this stuff. Tasted objectively, Crystal Head can be compared to $6 well vodka. Chilling vodka kills a lot of the aftertaste, and mixing vodka pretty much eliminates all differences between top and bottom shelf varieties. If you like Dan Ackroyd, then by all means drink Crystal Head. If you prefer drinking your vodka straight at room temperature, I would suggest the excellent-tasting midrange vodkas such as Svedka, Tito's, or Absolute.
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Robert said on Feb 17, 2010 at 9:46 am...
@Mike has Crystal Head been around long enough to garner brand loyalty? If you've read our Grey Goose Review, you'll know our stance on brand loyalty. The $50 price tag is more than I can afford if I was even interested in becoming a blind follower. I guess it helps that Alabama has little to no vodka advertising. In fact, the only things I've heard about Crystal Head (apart from their website) comes from other people who drink it. Like most others, I was impressed.
I think comparing it to a $6 bottle of vodka is a bit dramatic. I know people have different preferences, but would you really pick Aristocrat, Popov, or Taaka over Crystal Head if given the option?
That said, I'm right with you on the alternatives. I recommend Svedka and Tito's to people far more often than I even mention Crystal Head in conversation. If you like Svedka and Tito's, you may also try looking into Sobieski. The value is unbelievable.
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Jason said on Jun 05, 2010 at 8:36 pm...
Wow. Best. Vodka. Ever. Not only is the bottle wicked, it's the finest vodka I've ever had. Clean, smooth, flavorless, no burn, just a light, cool, refreshing feeling after it goes down. Great for sipping straight. Cost is rather prohibitive though, most of us won't be willing to shell out $50 to always keep this one stocked.
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Jason said on Jun 23, 2010 at 3:43 pm...
It's worth mentioning here that if you're not keeping the bottle, empty Crystal Head bottles can sell for between $20-$30 on eBay, which offsets the high price tag and essentially gives you around a 50% rebate off the $50 price.
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Robert said on Jun 23, 2010 at 4:20 pm...
@Jason, that IS worth mentioning. I never occurred to me to look on eBay to see what they fetch. I'll have to note that in the review.
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taffyg2003 said on Jul 07, 2010 at 7:19 pm...
My wife bought me a bottle of Crystal Head for Father's Day, and I had a chance to make a martini at home with it a few nights ago. WOW!! It was even better than the Crystal Head martinis that I've had a few times at a couple of nearby restaurants! Wow! Even neat, it is incredibly smooth and surprisingly sweet and tasty. Wow! Did I say, "Wow!", yet. Side-by-side, it was almost as tasty as a neat shot of Americana, but significantly smoother. I really like Americana, but this stuff is in another league. I am considering re-rating it six out of a possible five stars. ;) Wow!
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Robert said on Jul 08, 2010 at 8:04 am...
Now if they'd just come down on the price...
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Fat Matt said on Aug 11, 2010 at 2:05 am...
This Vodka is absolutely horrible, crack a bottle of rubbing alcohol instead. The bottle it comes in is extremely cool though...
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bigcor23 said on Aug 18, 2010 at 1:55 pm...
A great vodka. Smooth nearly flavorless gose down with minimal burn and hardly and aftertase. One of the only vodkas that I will drink straight. Pricey...yes. But well worth it. A vodka best left for speacial occasions.
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taffyg2003 said on Sep 11, 2010 at 4:20 pm...
It is interesting that the opinions about this vodka are highly polarized. People either love it or hate it. I, for one, love this vodka for its extreme smoothness, sweet flavor, and virtual lack of a burn when swallowing. I am not sure if there are some bad batches out there that are causing some of the really lousy reviews and ratings from some forum members, or if there is something peculiar about this vodka that some people like and others disdain. Most other vodkas have had much more consistent reviews and ratings. An overall user rating of only 2 shots seems stunningly low for such a special offering. In the end, I strongly urge those of you who've disliked Crystal Head to try it again and let us know if your opinion has changed.
Cheers!
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JimmyT said on Oct 01, 2010 at 10:46 pm...
I am very surprised to see all the negative feedback about this vodka. Believe me, I am the first person to be negative about anything being sold by a celeb which claims to be "elite," because the opposite is generally the case. For example, I would never buy a watch branded by Louis Vuitton, because LV are master luggage makers, not watch engineers. Similarly, Dan Akroyd branded wine actually makes me look elsewhere, because it wreaks of a well marketed poorly produced product.
When it comes to Crystal Head, however, it seems to be the proverbial exception to the rule. When I first tried it, I had no idea about it's origins or celebrity ownership. I was at a Vodka bar in Toronto, called Pravda. It's next door to my office. I am a salesman, and work with a few other sales people in our office - as you are aware, salesmen enjoy the odd drink. I've tasted more or less all of the vodkas offered at Pravda at one point or another. From $5 a shot to $50 a shot, and I can confidently say that Crystal Head is extremely enjoyable, and well worth the cost.
The only downside is that the LCBO, Ontario's only source for spirits, refuses to carry the brand because they feel the skull associates the consumption of alcohol with death.
Instead, I buy Kettle One, which is a very decent and slightly lower priced alternative.
I'd be very interested to see which brands the nay-sayers in this thread prefer to Crystal Head - because I truly believe that anyone who thinks it's anything less than very good has no idea what they're talking about.
Best,
JT - Toronto, Canada.
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vicki said on Nov 06, 2010 at 6:20 pm...
I had not drunk vodka since high school (now 68 yrs old) when I came upon a bottle of Crystal Head and could not resist buying it for the bottle. However, I flipped out when I actually tasted the vodka. I thought it was excellent. For fun I bought a bottle of Vodka of the Gods from Trader Joe's. Well, forget it! It's fine in a Bloody Mary but straight up, no way. I am spoiled forever now with Crystal Head which needs no mixer. Thanks, Dan. I wish I had your money to buy lots of it!
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Austijoe said on Nov 23, 2010 at 8:42 pm...
I loved this vodka. It has peppery nodes towards the back of the pallet that are very enjoyable, and a very smooth clean light after taste. As supposed to Sobeiski, which has a more full mouth feel.
If it was 20 bucks, I would buy this everyday. Great stuff.
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Espana said on Dec 16, 2010 at 1:11 pm...
I just recieved a Crystal Head gift box from my wife as an anniversay gift and I love the little Skull glasses. I have yet to try the spirit itself though since it is quite expensive. I'm planning to save it for New Year's eve. From what I've read online and you good people, you either like it or you dont. My usual vodka is Svedka and I prefer drinking it like a man; straight and neat. I'll give my thoughts soon enough...Knowing myself I'll probably crack that baby open before New Years Haha
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Robert said on Dec 16, 2010 at 3:23 pm...
I wouldn't be able to wait!
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Espana said on Dec 17, 2010 at 8:12 am...
Well you and I have something in common Haha. Popped it open the same night and have a splitting headache as I type this! Might have gone a little over board with it but thats only because it was surprisingly good. Not $50 good but smooth non the less. As stated above by other members, selling the bottle on Ebay is a good idea. Some people want it just for the bottle so why not sell it when you're done with it and make an easy $25 - $30? It would make buying it for yourself a whole lot cheaper.
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Robert said on Dec 17, 2010 at 8:40 am...
Always drink plenty of water before you go to bed if you can remember to. That usually helps with the headaches. I've not been motivated yet to sell any of my bottles on eBay. I kind of like having them sitting around. Good conversation pieces. How'd you like those "skull shooters"? They were way too big for me to call them shot glasses, but were the perfect amount for sipping on.
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Espana said on Dec 18, 2010 at 8:24 am...
Thanks for the tip. I dont think I could sell my bottle either. It was basically the reason I wanted it in the first place haha. I want to have 13 of them sitting around but that would take a while to accumulate. As for the skull "shooters" they're kinda impratical for anything other than sipping the vodka or other spirits. Too small for other beverages and its a shot glass from hell if used for that purpose. They still make neat little collectibles though.
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Austijoe said on Dec 21, 2010 at 12:34 pm...
I don't think I can even drink my bottle! I give myself the liberty of having a shot about every month!
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workshop777 said on Dec 27, 2010 at 1:11 pm...
I recently got into Vodka's and have been a fan of Goose and Ketel One. A buddy of mine recommended Crystal Head for me. I have seen the bottle in advertisements at bars and resturants but never had the opportunity to try it until recently.
At Xmas I picked up a bottle of it for my friend that recommended it to me. He cracked it open there and I tried it and was very very impressed. Very smooth stuff. Enjoyed it unchilled and straight up right out the bottle.
I highly recommend it.
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taffyg2003 said on Jan 04, 2011 at 6:16 pm...
I had another opportunity to have a Crystal Head martini at a local restaurant again a few days ago, and I am now a firm believer that it is the BEST vodka that I have ever tried. I am convinced that it is even more impressive than the awesome Jean Marc XO that I've been enjoying at home currently. Every time that I've had a martini made with Crystal Head, it has been supremely smooth, pleasantly sweet, and without a burn or aftertaste. Oh, and did I mention that it was incredibly smooth yet? I have been dying to perform a side-by-side martini taste test with these two vodka titans, but this will have to do for now. Jean Marc XO is probably just as smooth (or very close), and also without a burn, but its unusual sweet barrel-aged flavor and aftertaste is not as clean and refreshing in a martini compared to Crystal Head. Crystal Head wins! 6 stars for Crystal Head! Oh, and the bottle is pretty striking, too.
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Robert said on Jan 05, 2011 at 8:20 am...
It's a tough call when you have two vodkas as outstanding as Crystal Head and Jean Marc XO!
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taffyg2003 said on Jan 09, 2011 at 11:10 am...
@Robert, I agree. Maybe I will reserve 3.5 oz. of Jean Marc XO in the bottle that I am currently drinking in hopes that I will obtain another bottle of Crystal Head for home enjoyment in the not too distant future for a side-by-side test. I need 3 oz. for a martini taste test and 0.5 oz. for a straight shot comparison. That will be the ultimate vodka contest in my opinion.
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Chuck said on Feb 28, 2011 at 8:00 pm...
I tried a bottle in Chicago last month. Everyone who had it hated it, and I am the same. I usually do Tito's or something similar to Monopolowa. I read that its a love/hate kind of thing, but everyone I knew who tried it before hates it. I want to do a blind test with this, but I am not going to shell out 60 dollars again for it.
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BoozePro said on Mar 20, 2011 at 7:35 pm...
Great bottle...horrible vodka. This will probably be a dead horse in a few years.
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David Williams said on Apr 11, 2011 at 9:37 pm...
This user clearly bought a "boot leg" bottle of this fine Vodka. The taste is very smooth with minimal after taste.
A very good vodka not sure its worth the price after all Ciroc is a cheaper alternative with an equally smooth finish.
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Fred said on Apr 25, 2011 at 11:49 pm...
I purchased this stuff years ago and never opened it until recently n it is pure Ethenol. I drank it while camping and I used it as kerosene. I first purchased this in New Foundland where it is made for 40 some bucks and I seen the price for 70 in British Colombia, absolutely insane. The only reason I purchased this product was for the skull it was a total impulse buy. I read that it is triple distilled and then distilled once more in crystals maybe this is was it's so pungent.
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taffyg2003 said on Apr 27, 2011 at 6:29 pm...
@Fred, all I can state is that I've had Crystal Head martinis at home and in several nearby restaurants, and the cocktails it makes is consistently INCREDIBLY smooth and enjoyable. On the one occasion in which I tried it neat, it was also very pleasant. I am not sure why this vodka seems to elicit such extremely polarized feedback, but I do agree that it is a pricey luxury not for everyday consumption.
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Robert said on May 02, 2011 at 6:24 pm...
@taffyg, I'm pretty surprised by the polarized views, as well. Ignoring the price, I only have good things to say about this vodka. I think, at least, we are on the same page about it!
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taffyg2003 said on May 15, 2011 at 7:11 pm...
@Robert, I had another INCREDIBLE Crystal Head martini at a local restaurant tonight! I just do not understand the horrendous reviews that some are posting here, as well. Perhaps, as David Williams stated, the poor experiences may be due to "boot legged" bottles. Who knows? All I know is that this is consistently uniquely smooth and makes a supremely enjoyable martini. Additionally, I am starting to notice that its' price is going up at the liquor stores lately, while even the tantalizing Jean Marc XO's prices are dropping below that of Crystal Head's. Maybe the price increase is due to the demand for the superior vodka or perhaps it's the result of the skull's resale market.
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Robert said on May 19, 2011 at 6:11 pm...
@taffy Crystal Head has been holding steady here, but I usually only buy from ABC Stores. Usually, their prices go down over time, but don't vary in price for a few years. It's a good point about bootlegged bottles. I guess that's a good reason to only buy from reputable sources. Unfortunately, I still can't get Jean Marc XO around here. Last time I saw it was when I did the review, and that was in Chicago. I'd buy XO or Crystal Head, but if one were significantly cheaper, that'd make the decision easier.
For the record, I've kept the 3 or 4 bottles I've bought. They are sitting in various places around my house. Oddly, not many people comment on them.
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taffyg2003 said on May 24, 2011 at 8:42 pm...
@Robert, I have kept a few of the empty vodka bottles that I've enjoyed, too. I have put aside the empties of Crystal Head, Americana Luxury, and 360 due to their unique and attractive designs. The fact that they happen to be examples of some of my favorite vodkas, too, is a bonus.
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Scott said on Jul 18, 2011 at 9:55 pm...
I would like to say that using Simply juices (orange or lemonade or any other) as a mixer just ends in disaster. I've used them for several types of alcohol and they always had a weird and bad flavor.
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Wasay Ibrahim said on Jul 22, 2011 at 1:23 am...
I usually drink on a budget. So my vodka of choice is usually smirnoff. However, I managed to get my hands on Crystal Head Vodka, and I mainly got it because of the bottle. But when I chilled it and took a shot, man o man. What a vodka! This is the smoothest vodka i'v ever had. And it tastes great, though its not as tasteless as people on this forum seem to be saying. I think it has a very distinctly sweet taste which is hard to ignore and is actually pretty great! It definitely has a burn though, but its a much more bearable burn than the kind that lots of other vodkas on the market have. Personally I think that getting this Vodka is a MUST! That is if you have the money for it.
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taffyg2003 said on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:47 pm...
I agree that Crystal Head has a distinct flavor, and that it is not totally neutral. It does have a subtle sweet flavor that reminds me of confectioners sugar. It is incredibly smooth, and does have a slight bite on the swallow that lends a nice cooling effect to the drink. Time after time, this vodka never fails to remind me why it is my favorite.
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taffyg2003 said on Sep 05, 2011 at 8:12 pm...
...and it just proved itself again in another superb martini last night! Wonderful stuff!
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Ken said on Oct 07, 2011 at 4:50 pm...
I wasn't overly impressed. This vodka was far from flavorless in my opinion and had a funky after-taste. My wife, brother and sister-in-law all agreed. Maybe we got a "skunked" bottle. If it wasn't for the autograph by Dan Akroyd, I doubt we would have bought the other two bottles. Bluntly - I've had better for less.
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taffyg2003 said on Oct 08, 2011 at 9:16 pm...
Well, I finally had the great Jean Marc XO vs. Crystal Head vodka martini challenge. In the end, it was clear that each vodka had its distinct qualities and attributes, and they made martinis that were quite different from one another. I figure that it is easiest to compare them by breaking down each aspect of the cocktails they made.
1) Aroma: Both smelled extremely mild and pleasant. C.H. presented a very neutral subtle ethanol-like nose, while J.M. added a hint of the creamy vanilla-like flavor to come. Both are smooth and inviting.
Advantage: None.
2) The sip: C.H. was very smooth and neutral, with a very mild initial bittersweet flavor. As the sip flows toward the back of the tongue, there is no change in the flavor but there is a slight increase in harshness (though still very mild compared to most most other vodkas). The sip of J.M. was also very smooth, but presents an unusual slightly burnt rubber and vanilla extract-like flavor. As the sip flows toward the back of the tongue, the cocktail loses the slightly odd burnt rubber* aspect in favor of a sweetening of the vanilla portion of the flavor. Unlike C.H., J.M. maintains its supreme smoothness throughout.
Advantage: J.M. for smoothness/C.H. for flavor *(J.M. gets a demerit for the odd an slightly off-putting burnt rubber note)
3) The swallow: For C.H., if the sip was small and directed toward the the back of the tongue before the swallow, the cocktail was extremely smooth and had no real bite upon swallowing. If the sip was large or swished around the mouth before swallowing, a mild harshness and slight bite showed during the swallow. I happen to be among those who enjoy vodkas with a mild Russian vodka style bite, however. In contrast, J.M. was essentially nearly perfectly smooth and bite-free regardless of the sipping technique. J.M. was not smoother than C.H., but was better able to maintain its smoothness under different circumstances.
Advantage: J.M. for smoothness/C.H. for composed and desirable Russian style bite
4) The aftertaste: J.M. maintains the sweet vanilla flavor that develops during the sip even after the swallow. It is very pleasant and mild. C.H. has a slightly sweet aftertaste, but can add a mild bitterness if the sip is big.
Advantage: J.M.
The Verdict: If I give one point to each advantage, J.M. wins by one point. However, I am also penalizing J.M. one point for its off-putting transient burnt rubber flavor. Overall, I think that Jean Marc XO is the slightly more refined vodka. However, I still think that Crystal Head makes the more enjoyable martini because I prefer its very mild Russian vodka style flavor and bite. Maybe after a few more comparisons over time, I may alter my review and decision. It will be fun to keep taste testing these two vodka titans.
Cheers!
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Guestieman said on Oct 14, 2011 at 6:38 am...
Yeah, I think you got a fluke bottle. I just got my first bottle and it is AMAZING. I am used to a good scotch, though, so by comparison there is no flavor and it is as smooth as purified water.
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shaun said on Oct 19, 2011 at 6:24 am...
Well I agree that this bottle is worth 50$ but I don't agree with the taste. It tastes like some one put Bartons vodka in my bottle but oddly it got me drunk off 3 shots. And the glass skull looks cool as a decoration when bottle is finally empty
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taffyg2003 said on Oct 26, 2011 at 1:34 pm...
I wonder if some of these surprisingly bad tasting bottles of Crystal Head are actually re-sold bottles the have been re-filled with cheap vodka? The real deal is sold in a box and the wooden stopper is sealed in plastic.
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Vodka said on Dec 19, 2011 at 9:09 pm...
Keep in mind crystal head is distilled 4 times and Jean Marc xo is distilled 9 so that could be the explaination for the smoothness comparison.
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madness said on Dec 21, 2011 at 7:25 pm...
This bottle has been removed from my freezer, it now sits on the counter half full. I found it to have the most offensive aftertaste i have ever experienced in a vodka. I would drink smirnoff before I would ever try this again. I dont understand the positive reviews for this. the bottle shape/style is pretty awesome, especially coming out the the freezer all frosty.. but., I don't believe I have ever poured vodka down the drain before.. at the time I had stoli elite, grey goose, ketel one, and smirnoff here as well. the only bottle that is still around, sitting half full on the counter is the Skull. Maybe its possible it was a 'bad bottle' but for the price, I'm not about to pay to find out. maybe drinking it in a mixed drink it would be better.. hopefully I can get rid of it at xmas :) bottle is really cool though
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taffyg2003 said on Jan 12, 2012 at 11:05 am...
I finally found a 1.75L bottle of Crystal Head. It looks the same, just bigger.
BTW, I finally experienced a slight bitterness and bite that might be what some folks have found offensive about Crystal Head. It seems to show up for the first few sips of my martini if, and only if, I do not add any vermouth to the cocktail. After the first few sips, my mouth must get conditioned by the vodka and this subsides. This is totally absent when there is even the slightest hint of vermouth added to the drink. Finally, it doesn't always happen, so there may be some affect of salivary or food chemistry on the flavor of Crystal Head.
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taffyg2003 said on Jan 20, 2012 at 3:18 pm...
I had an enlightening conversation with a liquor store operator today about Crystal Head vodka. He was surprised when I mentioned my fondness for the product and claimed that it is not a good seller. He stated that most customers do not have high regards for the vodka, but often buy the vodka for the fancy bottle. I am not too surprised at his comments based upon the feedback from this forum, but just goes against my taste buds. I find the martinis made with it to be exceptionally smooth and tasty. In fact, two other people that I know agree. One of them actually questioned if the cocktail had been watered down because it was so smooth. Perhaps some batches are better than others? Maybe it is just a great martini vodka? The strong polarization of this vodka's reviewers just puzzles me. To each, his own.
Cheers!
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