Reyka

Reyka

Stolichnaya

"STOLICHNAYA" performed by SICK and Wine & Alchemy

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Dripping Springs. 

Stolichnaya Cristall Vodka

Your Price: $ ?…

Buy Stolichnaya Cristall Vodka USSR

I first had this in Leningrad ( now St Petersburg ) back in 1989 when it was still Soviet times. Back then, the major hotels had a “special” bar for the Western tourist and businessman where the guests were herded into . It was an orchestrated Commie task to get hard Western currency for overpriced fare.

I took a purposeful detour and sojourned into the “discouraged” locals bar. Immediately identifying and branding me as just another North American ( insert adjective) , the room eyeballed me as either being hopelessly lost stepping off the elevator, or just a must-to-avoid capitalist pig worthy of scorn.

After asking for my passport that identified me as a Canadian, the mood immediately softened quickly with a new jovial lively debate about the common Holy Grail … hockey . There was enough interchange of broken Russian and limited English to make it work.. The 1972 Super Series was well remembered by all gathered at the bar

I respectfully asked for what vodka shots THEY preferred to drink as a visitor’s polite sampler effort … and that’s when the STOLY CHRISTALL came out from a back cabinet.

After my room number was verified as billable , I was offered it straight up Russki style …. Interlocking arms shots ….. It was the full nirvana / ambrosia quality they predicted….. it was as smooth as ice over glass ,.,the best I’ve EVER had. It was a big difference from what I knew as premium vodka …. A clear proxy for a sipping special item.

The bartender in limited English characterized most of the so-called premium brand vodkas we know and now served in the Western bar upstairs as bottled from “a moose with bad kidneys” (aka moose piss) ….mockingly served to the unknowing Westerners….but considered as daily plonk to locals to guzzle down their snorkel .

It was an event that I fondly and wistfully remember. I’ve not been able to get any back here in Toronto. My loss ….

Tito’s is what I keep in my freezer, although I’m primarily a beer drinker.

Wyborowa Polish Vodka is very good

When we are out for dinner I ask for a vodka tonic with lemon, with Grey Goose.  I have discovered Costco's French Vodka, which is about a third of the price and tastes a lot like Grey Goose.  Some websites say it's not Grey Goose, but the water they use is from the same wells, not sure, but it sure has the same smooth taste.

Russian vodka reigns supreme. Haven't had Russian Standard, but having been there I have had more premium Russian vodka than I can name, with probably half a dozen unopened bottles on the shelf, every one of which I am sure clobbers any non-Russian vodka and probably any Russian vodka of any type sold here in the USA. 

In fact, near as I can tell, it seems they don't hardly let any of their really good vodka out of the country. I've had supposedly Russian vodka bought here in the US that was nowhere near what I have at home, all brought from Russia.

Some of the bottles they come in by the way are a work of art. 

I’m sure that our Ukrainian members and visitors are just ecstatic about that 🙄

I normally do not drink but when I do I only drink Vodkas from Dripping Springs, TX. 

Dripping Springs Vodka, Deep Eddy. 

@tsushima1 +1 

Sobieski. Dont knock it until you try it .

Audioquest of course…so sweet, smooth, liquid and with clarity beyond approach. 

Read the reviews! don't ever make an important and potentially expensive decision based on your own ears!

Now this vodka / scotch thing where in my system does it fit? ???????????? LOL

Russian Standard was my go-to vodka until I found Stoli Elite.  Stoli Elite is super smooth, hard to find and a little pricey for Vodka

My wife’s Polish 21-year-old niece was visiting, and we went to get some burgers at a restaurant. I asked her what she wanted to drink, and she said VODKA!

I know that her hometown in Poland has some great vodkas (especially straight from the freezer). I told her to try Kettle One, my fav Vodka in the USA. She had a couple of sips and almost spit it out. Too smooth she said, but she did finish it off after the initial disappointment.

Beluga Reserve with the metal medallion is the best I ever tasted. Have to go to Russia to get because it is not for export.

By a long shot it’s french grape-based Ciroc. And only unflavored, please. For a poor-man’s version, dilute 50% with Stoli.