I have been drinking Svedka for a while but decided to try Sobieski after finding this site. I got some today at my local liquor store and it was $16.99 for a 1.75ml bottle. I had a little Svedka left so I decided to take a shot of each to do a comparison. This vodka is a little smoother than Svedka and it is very good. There was hardly any burn after I swallowed the shot. I made an appletini and it was awesome, you hardly taste the vodka and that is how I like my mixed drinks. Very very smooth I am very impressed. I will be buying this from now on. I have a friend that says she only drinks the best (Grey Goose) but I will have to take my Sobieski to her house one night and let her taste the REAL best of those two because Grey Goose is horrible and very overrated LOL.

I was trapped in the “How many times distilled” hype and shopping at my local spirits store for a good vodka. I was reading labels, “triple distilled”, “distilled five times”, then I ran across a bottle with an interesting collar ad that simply said “Distilled Enough”. It was a Polish vodka (that’s a plus in my opinion). The low price kind of scared me ( I hate most budget vodkas) but what the heck, I decided to give it a try. WOW!.. To my surprise this is some of the best vodka I’ve had at any price. Ive been a Sobieski advocate now for the past 6 months.

I was skeptical at first, but after hearing rants and raves from all corners of the vodka world, I decided to give it a try. This vodka is smooth. How smooth? So smooth, that for a split second after it hit my tongue, I thought I had been cheated and given a bottle of water. Then I got a slightly grainy taste on my tongue that was warm, but didn’t burn in the least. The warmth continued as I swallowed it, and I was still wondering if my vodka was watered down until I began to feel it: a clean, pure buzzed feeling. This may not be the best vodka in the world, but it is by far the best I have had at its price point, and will probably be the only vodka I will buy from now on.

At 3 times the price, it would still be a good deal. This is a really good vodka. I got a first bottle to balance out my expensive stuff. When I finally tried it a few weeks later, I kept questioning my memory of it being cheap. The 2nd bottle confirmed it; it’s cheap, and it’s really good. It’s now moved in to my #2 spot behind only Imperia.

I am simply confused; help me out here. Let me start with some background.

Okay, our go-to vodka is Square One; love it and only the drawback is price because my wife and I drink four ounces each per sitting usually with premium concord grape juice or premium cranberry juice (Lakewood brand). We were looking for a less expensive rye based vodka alternative. So based on the reviews I read primarily at Vodkabuzz (great, great resource by the way, thanks!), last night we tried our normal cocktails with the Sobieski. But first we did a side-by-side comparison between the Square and Sobieski straight. We both picked the Sobieski in the taste test; my wife did it blind and was surprised to have picked the Sobieski over Square–Sobieski is much smoother. We used our specialty tasting classes to get all the enhancements from swirling to bring out aroma profiles, etc. for tasting the full character of spirits (my wife is Irish, so you can imagine…she loves Irish whiskies too).

Okay, here’s my “I could use some help” moment: I am seriously asking if there’s some sort of additive in the Sobieski. I ask because it is quite unusually smooth and mellow for the price point. But not smooth like I’m normally used to; smooth like something is covered over or “hidden” with an additive(s) or sweetener(s). I’ve read, and please correct me if I’m wrong here, that some companies will use additives to smooth out their vodkas, this includes glycerine and/or sugar. Is this true? There’s very little I’ve found on researching this, and the information I’ve found is only from someone else’s description of the distillation processes of some vodka distillers. The other reason I’m asking this about the Sobieski is that we both felt there was something missing–like the mid-palate was absent from the taste profile in the straight taster and in the mixed drinks we had. My wife kept saying, “It tastes ‘watered down,’ but it works…”

Lastly, we both definitely felt that our “buzz” from our normal cocktails are “clean” using the Square, whereas we both felt a bit off with the Sobieski afterwards, and a bit off the next morning for me–nothing like a hangover, so don’t get me wrong, but just an “off” sort of feeling we are not accustom to with the four ounces of Square we normally drink.

If it weren’t for the above factors I described [and trust me, my wife and I both wished it were different because of the price difference between the Square @ $35 versus Sobieski @ $13 (both Bevmo prices by the way)] our go-to vodka would definitely be the Sobieski. We were both quite stunned by the taste and smoothness for the price point. But again, we are left wondering about additives to cover some sort of undesirable flavor profile or something because of the effects of the buzz were so different than with our normal Square One. And, we picked the Sobieski because we thought it would be comparing like with like with the Square because both are distilled from Rye.

Any insights from anyone please? Thank you all in advance.

Drinking it right now. Sobi is a killer to even most high-dollar brands. I personally like it better than Tito’s, less burn on the back end, and a sweetness which all but eclipses the bitter note. My only problem with Sobi is it’s entirely too easy to drink, and too easy to afford, for my own good.

This is a great site and forum, and I tried Tito’s and Sobi after reading reviews and comments here. Will try some others when my tax return gets here.

Thanks to Robert and all those whose comments steered me away from less deserving and more expensive liquors.

I was a Scotch drinker but have switched to vodka for its economy and lower level of hangover toxins.

Tito’s and Sobi have given me a chance to appreciate fine liquors outside of my normal stomping grounds.

I’ve been drinking Sobieski for a few years now.

Every once in a while I stray away from sobi and buy a “top shelf” vodka, thinking im in for a treat. but am reminded as soon as I shoot the first shot why the price of vodka is in no way a reflection of taste or flavor.

Sobieski is a well rounded spirit, worthy of kings lips and a golden price tag and yet the brand is humble and they let the vodka speak for itself.

After reading several vodka reviews I picked up a 750ml bottle of Sobieski at $8.99 to use for vanilla extract production. I tried it straight from the bottle to make sure it was the right flavor choice,. I was amazed at the smooth fresh neutral taste. With a slight sweetness and a hint of citrus tones. I’m certain it will make great vanilla extract. I would say without a doubt this is one of the best vodkas for under ten bucks one can find in the US.

This is a wonderful vodka. I normally have drank rye whisky since I have moved to Amerika, but have found myself drinking very much vodka lately. The vodkas in Amerika are mostly not very good . . . They tout Grey Goose as being the best, but even Platinum vodka is better than Grey Goose in my humble opinion. My new friends would drink such things as Monarch vodka in mixed drinks, but I decided that these friends needed to learn to love good alcohol. Since the only thing they don’t mix with things is rye whisky, I found Sobieski . . . A rye vodka. This vodka makes me very reminiscent of my home, it is warm and smooth. This vodka makes the same feeling as rye whisky, it makes the warmth and coziness. Perfect for the cold winter nights!

I will save my excellent, but as a voka drinker, it beats most”premium” vodka. I had a lot of vodka’s. The best way to measure a vodka is to have it straight….it passed with high marks. I can give this vodka anyone or put it in any bottle and people would think they were drinking their brand. jusdit

First off, I have always hated vodka. The thought of drinking vodka would cause me maximum shrinkage if you know what I mean. Second, with the exception of gin, I don’t mix or water down my booze. If one has to mix it you need to look for something else… OK, on with the review. I tried Sobieski. I poured some in a glass at room temp. As I brought it to my lips I could feel my colon start to tighten… I took a small sip….. Swished it around a bit….. Took another…… And another…. Now I drink the damn stuff every night. Wow! I gave up Wild Turkey 101 for this. No regrets! I found I like it room temp better than chilled. I cannot believe I like this stuff. I have hated vodka my whole like.. This stuff is a class act.

“Sobieski has an interesting marketing campaign. That is, they don’t really have one. They tout the lack of celebs”

Excuse me? They’re using Bruce Willis as a testimonial, very prominently. Seriously, they’re running about as aggressive a marketing campaign as a company of that size can afford (or can’t, given Belvedere SA’s financial woes lately). Sure, it contains a lot of bullshit about how they’re only focused on the product, yadda yadda, but that’s exactly part of the story they’re trying to craft. And some people fall for it quite effectively ;-)

But on to the product: it’s good, no doubt. It’s mild on the entry, with little harshness and not an unpleasant aftertaste. I’d call it very balanced. And the price is very reasonable. Definitely far better than the overhyped likes of Grey Goose or the “super-premium” versions of brands like Stolichnaya for a lot less money.

Speaking of which, there now seems to be a “super-premium” version of Sobieski called “Sobieski Estate”, supposedly a “single rye”. I haven’t tried it and don’t know in which markets it’s available (I’ve seen it in some European countries). It’s about twice as costly as the regular stuff.

I picked it up on a whim. I usually buy stuff like Three Olives or Belvedere but was sick of the hole it was burning in my wallet.

It was $11 and the last time I bought a fifth that cheap it ended with me cuddling with my toilet and a hangover the size of Russia. So I was a little hesitant. But Polish vodkas have never failed me before and I just wanted to get a nice buzz going.

It’s great. First shot instantly took me back to the first time I took had one in a Krakow bar. This is now my vodka of choice. And for $12 it’s impossible to go wrong.

Because I spent 3 weeks of my life in Poland, and enjoyed ALL of it, I am pre-disposed to enjoy Polish vodka, of which I imbibed quite heavily in 1983. In terms of Polish vodka I generally prefer the potato variety, but Sobieski may be the best pure spirit vodka I’ve ever tried. Tito’s Handmade is my favorite overall, but when it comes to basic vodka, Sobieski gets my vote!

Sobieski is owned by the same company that makes Belvedere even though Sobieski is far above Belveder in taste. Bruce Willis is now the spokesman for Sobieski and the company sponsored and paid for a party for several hundred Veterans on board the USS Interpid on Nov. 10th. If you still need a reason to give it a try look at the price then compare the quality. This vodka is much better then the Grey Goose or would it be Geese of the world, and priced $7. to $8. less than the premium brands.

Only downside, it is so damn hard to find.

I found this vodka in NW Iowa for the first time. Price vs. quality, this vodka is the real deal. Hopefully, the price won’t go out of sight when everyone finds out how good this is. Great taste! Great value!

I like this one, it is a toss up between this one and Svedka for us. I buy whickever is cheaper that day.

I find Sobieski just … OK. I’m not a fan of the aftertaste. As always though, I compare based only on drinking it neat. I don’t see how it’s possible to detect the sweetness of a vodka in a screwdriver, given how much sugar is in the orange juice.

Bought a bottle of 1.75L yesterday, tried a shot of it. The taste was really impressive at room temperature, which somehow reminded me of the combination of Chopin (potato) and Monopolowa, yet more gental. It didn’t burn at all; smelled far away ( like 5 billion miles away) from rubbing alcohol; faint sweetness came right after slight bitterness.

Only thing bugged me is that the plastic bottle; it gives me the impression of cheap vodka from local CVS.

Did a blind taste test with smirnoff. Not even close, Sobieski is smoother.

Wifey and I just killed my 2nd bottle (I killed the 1st) in a Cape Codder marathon. She gave me hell for only buying the 750 mL when I foolishly told her that it was also available at our local packy in 1.75 L. We’ve been drinking Stoli for many, many years. Now we can drink twice as much. PS. I read about it here first.

A slight btterness but very good. I would compare it Svedka. Mixes well and very affordable. I would recomend this to anyone who is just a casual vodka drinker looking good babg for the buck

I FULLY agree with your review. I am Polish and have tried most all Vodka’s available to me where I live, in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. When shopping at a regular supermarket the other day, I saw Sobieski priced at $10.08 a bottle!!! It was cheaper than any other Vodka, so a first I assumed it must be ‘rough’ & nasty. Upon reading the container (the bottle was attractively enclosed in a fancy cardboard tube package with a metal lid and bottom), I became very intrigued. How could something priced this low look so good and expensive?! I decided to go for it. (I mean, come on, $11.98??!!) Not expecting much, when I tried it straight, mixed with cranberry juice or, lemonade, as you said, I must say I literally shocked! How could it be this vodka is better in my opinion than any ‘premium’ high priced vodka?! I don’t know, but now know I am a convert. Again, I fully agree with your well written review!

Very cheap, but great. It has some initial bite, but finishes smooth with no horrible aftertaste. I would not hesitate to buy this one again, especially if I’m wanting to save some money.

I have tried Sobiesk…now two bottles worth. It is a premium tasting vodka, at a price that is more than reasonable. The folks marketing this stuff should be able to make a killing: a smooth, great tasting vodka, that mixes well…and without the pretentiousness of certain other brands – however “fowl” they may be – let me say that I will take Sobieski anytime over the over priced brands. This is a damned good spirit. Try it as soon as you can find it.

Sobieski is a great entry-level Polish vodka. Having said that, an entry level Polish vodka is still a pretty good place to start. Sobieski is a great deal, and a very easy drink when chilled. Recommended, and the bang for the buck is probably impossible to beat.

WE JUST LAUNCHED SOBIESKI IN PUERTO RICO. IT’S THE TALK OF THE TOWN. BETTER THAN GREY GOOSE BY FAR.

Just picked up a 1.75 bottle for $16.99. Liked the price and was in a glass bottle. Just picked up drinking vodka as a switch up for I love beer especially IPA’s . Started with Smirnoff and took a shot in the dark and bought this. Smoother than Smirnoff and will continue to buy this Vodka. The reviews here from some people that seem to know their vodka confirms why I will buy again

If Geralt of Rivia was real, this would definitely be his go to vodka.

Great wodka! Nice humming buzz in my head but a bit of a headache the next morning. No biggie, could have been a number of things and I am a big boy. At least I got to work. Wanna know the bit point with me other than the smooth taste of the shot? The bottle frosted up so well in the freezer. Silly but I felt like a Cossack warrior in Siberia pulling guard duty and slugging back a Russian sized shot of the stuff, but alas, no pickles. The price was acceptable and the wodka was very good. I may have found my new love, though, in New Amsterdam. Strange as it sounds, I will get the vodka at the best price in my tried and true line-up: SKYY, PINNACLE, STOLI, SOBI OR NEW AMSTERDAM. I will continue to try new ones as needed.

Sobieski is in my opinion the best vodka in the world. I have been drinking Sobieski for about 7 years now. There is simply nothing that can compare when it comes to quality and taste for the price!

A smooth and pleasant vodka, best quality for price

I bought it initially for the price (7.99 a fifth) but I will keep buying it for the quality. Great as a shot and mixed. Can’t believe how affordable it is. It’s cheaper than Smirnoff for Christ’s sake!

excellent mixing and that how i drink it. i squeeze fresh grapefruit or orange juice from the local california trees. smooth, nice filmy texture, disappears in the drink.

i see it on special all the time and always grab a bottle for the freezer.

seeing the other good reviews i may do a shot for reference…one must respect the opinions of others and my friend vodka hasn’t ever betrayed me like my old friend tequila so here’s to new experiences

can’t go wrong with this. a solid addition to the line up

Best cheap vodka, period. I can get it for 15 bucks a half gallon. Thats outrageous for how good it is.

Great vodka for the price try mixing with fanta cherry!

Little brothers liquor outlet in Flemington NJ has a plethora of flavored vodka from Sobieski. I haven’t tried any of them though. I don’t really fancy flavored vodka at all.

Just picked this up for the first time. For 13 dollars this stuff is as good as it gets. Exceptionally smooth on the rocks and makes for quite the powerful mixed drink. With this kind of taste for 13 bucks I don’t think I’ll ever touch new amsterdam, svedka, smirnoff, etc. Ever again.

I have tried most the high dollar vodka’s and also many cheaper brands. I was looking at the different types of vodka and just happened to see that Sobieski was distilled from rye as most are some other grain alcohol. I was pleasantly surprised with Sobieski is great tasting vodka. I have never tried Luksusowa but I will have to try this high dollar stuff. Way to go Sobieski for having a great taste with good price.

Sobieski is great for the smoothness and straight-forward flavor that does not interfere with my enjoyment of the vodka itself. There are no strange aftertastes or interferences with the palette. We always have the big bottle on hand, you just can’t go wrong for a large party. The price is nice. Sobieski is great in either in a dirty martini or as a mixer with anything. You can even drink it plain over ice. It would be a 5, but I don’t prefer plastic bottles for the larger size.

Meh. Not bad, but doesn’t live up to the hype. I tried it neat, in a screwdriver, and in a white russian and wasn’t impressed… I should mention that I prefer potato spirit to grain, so after tasting I was pretty bummed that I didn’t stick with the other Polish Vodka occupying the same area of the middle shelf- Luksosova! Now that’s a good Vodka! Perhaps it’s just the Rye, which most distillers add to cut sweetness, that get’s me. I don’t get the reviews that refer to Sobieski as ‘sweet’? I get spice and heat, not sweet! Also I find it quite sharp, which to me is on the other end of the spectrum as ‘smooth’. Oh well, you know what they say about opinions and buttholes!

I prefer a grain based vodka over a potato distilled one like Luksusowa which is great for shots but does not work well mixed. Russian Standard has been my “go top shelf” for under $20.00 and under but Sobieski is awesome as a rye based vodka that cuts the Russian Standard price almost in half. I’d compare this favorably to the highly touted Reyka from Iceland and go so far as dare compare it to the infamous Patron tequila family that finances the Ultimat Vodka from Poland (blend of wheat, rye, and potato) sold in beautiful, blue glass decanters. This also keeps pace with the Swiss hard-to-find, red bottled, rye vodka Xcellent that touts their country honored red cross badge on the label if as it were a clinically approved spirit for emergencies and cure for any wounds. it’s the absence of impurities and foul after taste that spoils a great vodka. this one is clean, pure, a great mixer, plus easy on the pocket book which a big 5 banger
in my book.

This is a fantastic vodka. I can’t believe the price point on it. My girlfriend loves burnetts, but it tastes like garbage compared to sobieski. In mixed drinks I get no bitterness whatsoever and on the rare occasion I shoot it I have no issues. I now know why it’s so popular on here. I don’t think I have any reason to purchase any other bottle of vodka.

One of the best vodkas I have drunk. The taste is just fantastic.

This is a great vidka and stealing at the price.

Has anyone had any luck finding flavors anywhere ? Here in Mass I have searched out every store and nobody carries the flavors. When I went to NJ I did find the flavors but only in the small bottle.

Smirnoff you can find in all flavors anywhere but not Sobieski. :(

Ive tried: Smirnoff (Rubbing alcohol swill) Abolut (not much better) Seagrams Extra Smooth (Rubbing Alcohol distilled 5x) Viking fjord (getting better) Luksusowa (Not bad) Stoli (Rubbing alcohol) and now Sobieski. GREAT STUFF! No foul medicinal odors, rubbing alcohol tastes which for me is a must NOT to smell or taste! This can be sipped or shot and it has a sublime aftertaste of toffe/caramel! Slightly sweet with a nice mild warming going down! Belvedere has these notes but ONLY in a fraction of the tastes and for its cost, WHY ON EARTH would you want to spend the extra money? Sobieski is a CLEAR WINNER not only in its price point but even if it were at Belvedere prices! I paid $10 for mine! Ive also infused some with Jolly Ranchers Watermelon and add Club Soda..NICE!

The best polish vodka is Sobieski, place 2-Gorzka żołądkowa, 3-Smirnoff. The best in the world is Sobieski and Absolut(from Sweden)

This is actually my 2nd favourite vodka. Great for mixing and pretty smooth for shots. My favourite is Luksusowa, be cool to see a review of that if you can get it where you are, it’s another great bang for your buck vodka.

Sobieski is the second best Vodka after Belvedere that I’ve tried. The price is wonderful and the Vodka is very smooth.Its wonderful if you’re on a budget.

I’ve been a long time Ketel One fan, but all I can say is go buy a few dozen cases before the price goes up !! Only thing I’ve had better (and not much) is Chopin at more than double the price.

I have never heard of any of these vodkas (sobeski, titos, svedka, crystal head) before i found this website. I was at my local food 4 less and was about to spend $20 on svedka, i than remembered hearing about sobeski on here and saw the price. i instantly bought it. i have not drank vodka in a couple months, i have had it in the freezer for about 20 minutes and i am gonna shoot it on an empty stomach. i say this because i want you to understand im not in the mood to drink.

Just took the shot and i will say NO vodka is good on an empty stomach, but upon taking the shot, it was very easy to swallow. the bitterness was not over powering and i could taste the sweetness. overall i think its way under priced. i am gonna make a mix drink with cranberry cocktail and hopefully it comes out well.

thank you all from this site for bringing this brand to my attention.

Sobieski in IL is 17.99 a 1.75L. For grain alcohol it is the best period for taste, value, and the the bottle looks top notch with the eagle godlo. For Potato vodka I drink Luksusowa for the same reason. But seriously if you have the money polish specialty vodkas blow any of these away. Medos which is honey rectified vodka or zubrowka bison grass vodka. One day when I make enough I might buy dembowa oak rectified vodka but at $35 for a 750 even though the bottle is wooden I can’t justify that unless it is a ultra special occasion. Bottom line Sobieski wins by default.

Did the same as Neil, blind taste test with Smirnoff and Sobieski…. Sobieski wins! I also did a blind taste test with Tito’s and Sobiesk…. Sobieski wins! YTBMV (Your Taste Buds May Vary)

Drinking a neat Sobeiski martini now. You write well.

I’m in Florida and first got a glass handle with a metal screw-on lid at Publix Liquors. I was expecting something similar to Smirnoff because it was priced exactly the same or maybe a buck more. When I swigged it from the bottle it went down nice and smooth.

I finished that a week ago and just went to Norman’s Liquors which is very good on price and stocks a lot of varying inventory. The difference was the bottle is plastic and has a plastic lid. The proce is 16.99 tax for the plastic handle. The taste, however, is the same from what I can tell.

Overall this is a good stock vodka. None of the russian “bite”, just all smooth with little aftertaste or burn. I really enjoy it.

Give it a shot.

Solid price performer. In Illinois $20 for a 1.75L bottle. I drink it on the rocks, smooth and limited flavor. I prefer Goose or F’in but my paycheck appreciates Sobieski. I doubt many would know the difference if you put it in a higher end bottle. I would say it’s better than Sky or Smirnoff, less bite.

As a good Polish boy, and vodka martini drinker, I give it two thumbs up!!

To me, Sobieski is smoother than Svedka, which is comparably priced, and has less burn. Sobieski is my go-to vodka for this reason. It is the best of the bottom to mid-shelf vodkas and is better than the more expensive vodka! Overall my favorite, but I’ve only tried four vodkas. If you want the best bang for the buck though, I highly recommend Sobieski.

I love this vodka I get it in the orange flavor I mix it with cranberry and orange juice it’s so good and the price you can’t beat $10 I’m hooked :•)

Lots more bite & extraneous flavor than, say, Skyy or Stoli. Not as bad as I expected, but I wouldn’t buy it.

I was an “absolute” drinker until Sobieski was recommended to me. Couldn’t believe, at the price, I liked it better than Absolute. The price dropped and I wondered if there were sacrifices in the process and that the taste would suffer. It doesn’t seem to be a problem. 5-star recommendation.

It’s Polish, so I like it! :) I prefer potato vodkas from Poland (Luksusowa, Monopolowa), but I can’t argue with the value that Sobieski represents.

You can’t beat Sobieski for the price. We did a small blind taste test between Rain, Colorado Vodka, 360 and Sobieski. I was surprised because 360/Colorado/Rain are some of my favorite vodkas, but I picked Sobieski over all three twice.

There is something about the taste that really pleases the pallet, and at 16 bucks a handle (1.75L) you really can’t beat that price or the taste and quality you receive. I will tell you this though, it does seem to leave nastier hangovers than the 360.

First time taster of Sobieski, the owner of a local spirits store convinced me to try over my usual Smirnoff. Sobieski is so smooth, I hardly notice the sting when enjoyed with my Vya vermouth. It was also 2 dollars less than my usual “cheap” stuff.

I just found my new vodka!!! SOBIESKI is surprisingly smooth for the price.

You can literally buy 3 750s of Sobieski and still have money left over for the price of some Premium vodka brand 750s. Like others said, I feel like I stole this from a store when I drink it. It surpassed my expectations to say the least. I’m used to drinking Goose, Ultimat, Zyr, and Stoli. This is the best deal going for a premium vodka at a foot level shelf price.

I got a bottle of this as a birthday gift this year and loved it. Imagine my shock when I found out how cheap it was. Its one of my favorites (being the broke kiddo that I am).

i am polish and believe me that sobieski sucks :P

Found it on vacation in Paris so bought it based on good reivews. Slightly smoother than Smirnoff but hardly distinguishable otherwise.

I used to have two in the gang, Imperia and Titos, but wanted to try something new. Seen Sobieski and the name sounded familiar, obviously from here. Thought it was a little too inexpensive, $11.95/750mL, for anything I would ever put in my body, but I bought it anyhow. Until I got home and took a shot, wow! (I only drink liquor straight) Great vodka, just a notch below my other two favs. Recommend it to anyone to try something new, or dont got much money to spend. A-

I was introduced to Sobieski last year and, now, only vodka I buy.

I purchased a bottle of your vodak & was impressed enough to make it my favorite. Then I went into my liquor store & they only had glass bottles of 1.75liter. I was dissapointed but bought it. Then I opened it & it had no little plastic spout to control the “pour”. It is bad enough to make me buy Smirnoff again. The plastic bottle is easier to travel with & is easier to use. Sorry–you lose a customer. If you return to the plastic container withthe controlled pour spout I will return. Love your juice, hate the container. Bye, Frank

I have already posted about my recent quest to compare some of the higher rated vodkas, and have compiled the following list from best to worst (though this is relative since I like all of them):

1) Crystal Head 2) Tito’s Handmade 3) Ketel One 4) Stolichnaya 5) Grey Goose

Several months before this taste test comparison, I tasted a small shot of Sobieski at a wine tasting function. My only recent reference at that time had been Grey Goose in a martini, straight up with olives, but I recall thinking that I liked the Sobieski and would have probably preferred it to Grey Goose. I remember the shot demonstrated a vodka that was very smooth, a little bittersweet, somewhat crisp, and had very little alcohol burn. Though I am rating Sobieski from a somewhat distant memory, and from a shot instead of a martini like the other vodkas, I would be inclined to say that it reminded me of a more refined version of Stoli, and would slot just in front of it in my list of vodka ratings. So, here’s my updated list:

1) Crystal Head 2) Tito’s Handmade 3) Ketel One 4) Sobieski 5) Stolichnaya 6) Grey Goose

Till next time. Cheers!

Best vodka around, best price around. In a blind taste test, Sobieski was my favorite. It beat out Ketel One, Tito’s, Chopin, and many others hands down.

I have to admit, I was skeptical when I prepared to try Sobieski for the first time. While I’m the first to say that many ‘premium’ brands are overpriced and overhyped, I found it hard to believe that this could really be good vodka at that price point. I was a convert with the first drink. The new Vanilia and Cytron releases are also excellent – if you haven’t tried them, you definitely should.

I was shocked when I purchased this bottle! I went in on a budget, saw Sobieski on the shelf just above the bottom shelf and for some reason the bottle intriged me. When I got home I opened it and was taken back that it actually tasted great, not with an overpowering after taste and nasty burn down to your stomache. I hope that Sobieski does not sell out on the price because they truly have a quality vodka going here that is top self quality for a very reasonable price!

I just read that Sobieski was released by the same company as Belvedere. #1: What does “released” mean? is it the production or merely the marketing arm? & #2: How do you reckon they mixed up their vodka prices, I see you mention Sobi is what Belvedere wanted to be?

I was introduced to Sobieski when the guy who ran the local liquor store near my college recommended it after I had complained most of the vodkas I enjoyed put too much of a drain on my wallet (ah, I miss college already). Upon trying it later that day after freezing it for a bit I was immediately impressed. At the price point ($20 a handle in Troy, NY) it obliterated the other vodkas I had been trying. While my standard vodka has now become Tito’s and/or 360 with some Russian Standard for shooting I still enjoy Sobieski from time to time. It’s a great vodka, and in my opinion almost impossible to beat at that price.

My wife’s family is from Poland. When I went in 2005, I was amazed at how good Sobieski was. Much better than the top-shelf stuff we had over here. So, I brought back as much as I legally could, and last year was pleased when I saw a billboard advertising that it was available in the States. For the money, it is incredible. Even regardless of the money, it is incredible. Better than Chopin, better than Belvedere, better than Ketel, better than just about any of the frou-frou labels.

I’d write more, but there’s an olive about the size of a baby’s fist at the bottom of my glass, and that sucker is calling my name.

@Debbie I’m glad to hear Sobieski is doing so well. It definitely deserves to be heard about. And you can read my review on Grey Goose to see what we think about it here at VodkaBuzz.

The best deal also. Taste is great. Only purchased Stoli in the past.

The best deal also. Taste is great. Only purchased Stoli in the past.

What can I say? I love vodka and Sobieski beats every brand I’ve ever tried!!!! That includes goose, absolut, sky, Smirnoff, ketel one, naked jay, svedka, need I go on? For the price it can’t be beat!! Only being poor keeps me from drinking it exclusively!

The best inexpensive vodka, hands down. I used to get Svedka, but I tried Sobieski and it was slightly smoother and I prefer it. In Arkansas it’s $18 for a handle and definitely worth it.

You’ve got to be kidding me. I was told by the proprietor of a liquor store that Sobieski was Belvedere in a different bottle because Belvedere was loosing money and wanted to sell their Vodka without loosing the premium product. When I got home I did some research and it turns out that while the parent company of Sobieski is called Belvedere, it is not the same company and has nothing to do with Belvedere Vodka. However, after reading all the good reviews I tried Sobieski with an open mind and the hope that I would find a new favorite (my current favorite is Titon Glacier). I also found in Sobieski’s website a picture that looked like stainless steel distillation columns, which I believe to be a superior method of distilling vodka. When I opened the bottle I also noticed that Sobieski has a clean nose, without any alcoholic, or medicinal smell. However, my optimism ended when I tasted Sobieski. I first tried it straight (a shot of 50mL). It tasted weak and watered down with very little burn, which I thought may not be such a bad thing when drinking straight vodka. A lot of people reviewed Sobieski as “smooth.” Obviously, they don’t know what smooth vodka is, and interpreted “weak” as “smooth”. As bad as Sobieski was straight, it really failed as mixer. I made an 8 oz mixer of 50 mL Sobieski along with cranberry juice and spring water on the rocks and couldn’t detect the vodka – it just tasted like cranberry juice and spring water with no burn. So I added another 50 mL of Sobieski (100 mL total) and again couldn’t detect the Vodka – it just tasted like cranberry juice and spring water with no burn. My suspicion that this stuff was just weak with a watered down taste were confirmed when after having consumed 150 mL of the stuff (50 mL straight and 100 mL mixed) I had no buzz whatsoever. If you were to offer this stuff straight from the freezer to a natively born Russian he would laugh you out of the room.

Then bottom line is that with Sobieski, you get what you pay for. Like Grey Goose drinkers people that think Sobieski is a good vodka are people that don’t know vodka,

I love Sobieski. Chopin is my favorite vodka, but it’s still, for some reason, difficult to find in bars. I don’t know why I brought that up, because so is Sobieski; bottom line, it’t an excellent vokda for mixing or shooting, and I was happy to find it.

The thing that I’m worried about re: Sobieski is the fact that it is very reasonably priced. Why am I worried, you ask, when this is obviously a huge asset? It’s because people who don’t know anything about vodka (or any alcoholic beverage) resort to judging quality by price, which is why facial astringents like Ciroc even have a place on bar shelves. So in the end I am worried that Sobieski’s fabulous price point and humble narrative will destroy it. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

This is why I am stockpiling this stuff.

A fine fine vodka that my staff member recommended and I tried. Mixes very well. So well you don’t know it is there. That is either really good for you, really good for the bartender or really good for the state trooper who pulls you over. It is just all kinds of good, however please note I do not condone or promote driving while intoxicated. It is not bitter, goes down smooth and really is one of the finer vodkas I have tried.

Great vodka. 18 bucks for 1.75 liters at Marty’s in Dudley, Massachusetts. Very pleased. give it a shot

I tried really, really hard to get excited about this based on your score, comments and it’s attractive $18.99 1.75L price.
I have to be honest. This simply is not a great vodka. In fact, it’s bite is harder than some of the bargain priced vodkas. The vodka definitely has some very good flavor and interesting, complex tastes, but the after bite lasts long after you’re ready for the next sip.

http://productreviewratings.com/2010/06/sobieski-vodka/

Just enjoyed my first few sips, straight up and lightly chilled. Very nice. I am a Stoli, Pinnacle, and SKYY fan, and Sobieski has more character than those last two. Stoli will always be great, but isn’t nearly as affordable. I agree that Sobieski has a nice, subtle balance of sweet and bitter flavors, as others have pointed out. Yet, it’s very smooth & drinkable. Can’t wait to make myself a nice, dirty martini with Sobi. Heh, there… it has it’s nickname already. Great price, too!! Salud!

I tried a bottle of this a few months ago. Contrary to reviews, however, I found it to be quite disgusting at room temperature (I test all vodka like this). Perhaps I got a bad batch? I want to retry this to reaffirm myself, however, has anyone else had an experience where this particular vodka tasted sub-par?

That’s it, after trying another bottle of Sobieski, I will always be keeping a bottle stocked. This is now officially my favorite cheap vodka, over Svedka too. I have yet to try Tito’s though, it’s really hard to find down here. I only saw it at my local liquor store right before New Year’s, should have grabbed a bottle then. Haven’t seen it since.

I have been drinking Sobieski for about 6 months now. You cannot beat the price/quality of this vodka. I just bought a fifth for $9.79 at Meijer in Grand Rapids. It makes one helluva gimlet! Try it!!

Wow, been 6 months now. And I am still buying Sobieski vodka on a regular basis. There is just nothing better in my opinion for the price, even when I have money to blow I still purchase this superb vodka. My favorite vodka being Imperia, which is very hard to get in pennsylvania right now, would be my first and only choice. So I goto my number 2 vodka Sobieski pretty much everytime. I dont know why anyone would not buy this vodka over something else, besides Imperia of course. The most smooth, best tasting vodka, least hangover potential for the price vodka in the world. I would consider myself arian, but those polish jewish people really know how to make a good vodka. Awesome those nazi bast**** didn’t murder all the jews, cause they are some of the most brilliant, ingenuitive people in the world. (Einstein, Dmitri Mendeleev(created Imperia vodka in St. Petersburg!) and Adam Sandler to name a few) Thankyou god!

$14.44 on sale for 1.75L at Bob’s Package Store in Knoxville, TN. Worth bootlegging for.

What a joke that this mediocre vodka is rated “5” while other vodkas that are at least as good to any sensible palate are rated “3” or below. Of course, I know the reason. People are stupid and cowardly. They go with the flow. Few think for themselves. If an authority or a pseudo-authority proclaims something , people will go along with it in droves. This has actually been proven scientifically, and I absolutely love reading about those studies. I’m reminded of a study and an actual TV show that took people who consider themselves food experts (“foodies”?) and fed them absolutely garbage ingredients, but did it under conditions where one would normally expect quality. The results were INVARIABLY that the “foodie” raved about the food. The same thing is true here. The idiot who runs this site likes this toilet water vodka, so people rave about it. And let’s not be daft; of course, reviews like THIS ONE will be removed. This vodka is drinkable, but only if you have had plenty of another first. It has the finish of … moderate quality petrol. It’s not nearly as good as Smirnoff, Ciroc, or Grey ‘Goose.

to all vodka drinkers: please try Jewel of Russia Classic or Ultra to taste real premium vodka. this is not spam. i just tried it yesterday and was blown away. Jewel of Russia is the smoothest vodka out there. it is a quantum leap ahead of any other brand out there in taste, aftertaste, smoothness and all at the same price as a Grey Goose, etc. i repeat, this is not spam, it’s my honest opinion and i simply wish to turn other people on to this great tasting and affordable premium vodka. cheers!