I picked up Don Cossack to help continue filling out the bottom shelf vodka reviews. I’d never noticed it before, much less heard about it, until I picked it up. While that isn’t promising, it isn’t damning.

The Shot

I accidentally let the shot warm a little more than I planned. I was expecting the worst, but I was surprised. The shot had a slightly bitter flavor, but very manageable. I tried to let the flavors permeate a little, but nothing else came through. The impressive thing is that it only barely dried my mouth. The swallow burned a little, but it dissipated quickly. I didn’t need a chaser, though it was a little bitter in the aftertaste. It’s a great shooting vodka for the dollar, but not exceptional on its own.

The Mixed Drink

I mixed Don Cossack with Passion Fruit juice. I had pretty high hopes considering the shot was as good as it was. Unfortunately, Don Cossack wasn’t as good of a mixer. The bitters mixed with the sweets come off face-squishingly tart. While it isn’t the best, it’s still the best mixer of the bottom shelf vodkas.

Opinions

I was very surprised with Don Cossack. It’s definitely the best “bottom shelf” vodka I’ve had, and, frankly, is better than Smirnoff. Now, this is the first time I’ve had Don Cossack, and I’ve had plenty of Smirnoff in my day. If I ever change my mind, I’ll post it here first, but Don Cossack is officially on my good list. Upon further inspection, I believe it’s a better tasting vodka because it’s 50% alcohol by volume instead of the usual 40%. That does make a difference.