I’ve seen Imperia on the shelves for awhile, but didn’t pick it up since I’m usually a creature of habit. However, since I needed a new vodka to review, I decided to give it a shot. I grabbed it over other bottles because the shape has a very Russian feel, and has raised symbols on the various on five sides of the hexagon. That is, it caught my eye.
Imperia is actually a subset of Russian Standard vodka. It is the highest quality (or most expensive, if you’d rather) of the Russian Standard vodka. The Roust Group says Russian Standard is the number one selling vodka in Russia. I have no way of determining if this is true, however. The Roust Group is known for recently purchasing vodka.com for $3 million.
The Shot
Imperia, which touts its Russian heritage to the time of the Czars, tastes much like Stoli but with a higher quality. The bitter sweet flavors go down smooth and leave the same distinctive aftertaste. The difference in quality is noticeable, though, as Imperia has less of a sting and is slightly more sweet than bitter.
The Mixed Drink
I mixed Imperia with Sugar Free Rockstar. Imperia is an incredibly good mixer. It blends well with the mixer and is only slightly detectable on the way down.
Opinions
Once again, I was on my own with this review. Imperia is a great Russsian vodka. It’s a good shooter and a great mixer. The bottle is sure to garner attention sitting on your shelf. If you like Russian vodkas, pick up a bottle if you get a chance. You won’t be disappointed.
The Day After
Imperia makes claims on their site that they have fewer impurities than many other brand name vodkas and that this directly affects hangovers (or lack there of). After having a long night with the bottle of Imperia, at least in this instance, my hangover was very mild for the amount of alcohol I consumed.
