Smirnoff Red Label

[Thom Blach]

It's many years since this passed my lips but giving credit where it's due this now USA distilled vodka is in its current iteration quite startlingly clean and as pure as a mountain stream. It makes an ideal table vodka to be drunk frozen and neat, not having enough alcohol to be suitable for mixed drinks, but in spite of its big brandness it is really excellent, and one forgets how well vodka accompanies whole cuisines to which wine is an extremely uncomfortable fit.

 

[Henry Davies]

If you find it excellent I really must encourage you to move on to the many better, and not even necessarily more expensive, vodkas that are readily available. The level of enjoyment being elevated substantially not least as they bring taste rather than just the 'clean' note you reference. I would start with Chopin potato if just going for one, or any of Belvedere, Luksusowa, Reyka, Wyborowa, Sobieski. Vodka in my experience being one of few spirits where you need not spend proper money to get top notch liquid.

 

[Thom Blach]

If you find it excellent I really must encourage you to move on to the many better, and not even necessarily more expensive, vodkas that are readily available. The level of enjoyment being elevated substantially not least as they bring taste rather than just the 'clean' note you reference. I would start with Chopin potato if just going for one, or any of Belvedere, Luksusowa, Reyka, Wyborowa, Sobieski. Vodka in my experience being one of few spirits where you need not spend proper money to get top notch liquid.

I've tried most of those, Henry. They are all fine but have too much taste, vodka being like sake in that its ultimate aspiration is to the condition of water.
I was always amazed that Smirnoff Red Label was the vodka of choice for my Russian friends, but it was and today's manifestation seems far more impressive.