Jono Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Off topic but:Dean Martin was Matt Helm.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0A8AjWBHiIDrinking and driving!! Whiskey....label..white with a red dot...??FUNNY...he turns off Sinatra and puts on a Deano song!!http://www.amazon.com/Lounge-Silencers-Murderers-Ambushers-Wrecking/dp/B0009RCPWK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boss302 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Well, I guess I'll do my best to answer this one.If you were making a drink for yourself, I would suggest Smirnoff-- it is very clean, neutral, and balanced. It is very affordable, and it really did place first in a tasting panel conducted by the NY Times. Heck, it placed first in MY OWN blind taste test.Unfortunately, as many of us know, when it comes to the world of spirits, facts don't count nearly as much as image and marketing. While I may believe Smirnoff to be genuinely-superior, the recipient of my gift-giving may not necessarily believe so. Because Grey Goose costs nearly 3x's as much, virtually everybody believes it is somehow superior. Heck, my notes for my blind taste-test of Grey Goose include the words "too sweet" and "strange, mineral aftertaste."As a barkeep, I actually find it difficult not to laugh when a customer demands that their Cape Cod be made with Grey Goose-- as if they could somehow, underneath all the citric acid, sugar, and all the other stuff in cranberry juice, detect a noticeable difference in the vodka. Honestly-- how pretentious can you be?Anyway, here's a few suggestions for a gift vodka:1) Make sure it comes in a fancy bottle.2) Make sure it costs at least $25 for a 750mL bottle.If you would like some ideas, my recommendations include:1) VOX, made in the Netherlands. I actually kinda like this one. Quite clean and generally mild.2) Wyborowa Single Estate. This one finished second in the afore-mentioned NY Times taste test. And the bottle is designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.3) Turi. This one is distilled from Rye in Estonia. The silver cap and bottle shape are pretty cool. It is also pretty clean-tasting.4) Roth. Even though it is made in California, this is the USA's answer to France's Ciroc. If your friends are wine-drinkers, they will probably like the slightly-sweet taste, and the fact that this vodka includes a vintage on the label.5) Belvedere or Chopin. The question is-- do you prefer rye (slight spice notes) or potato (crisp, slightly-starchy)?6) SKYY 90. Quite possibly the purest vodka in the world. It is bottled at a martini-friendly 90 proof, and actually uses a vacuum-drying process to create 100% alcohol (impossible outside of a vacuum) before they add the water. The bottle is elegant and attractive, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Attila Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Definitely the silliest of the Scandinavian peoples.And thats some stiff competition, assuming that Fins are Scandinavian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 And thats some stiff competition, assuming that Fins are Scandinavian.Oh dear, I hope I haven't offended either the Fins or the Scandinavians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean_martin Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 has anyone tried Pinnacle? It's a vodka from France that has really caught on as a value buy here. My wife and I tried a bottle (mainly for screwdrivers) and then went back to Smirnoff. After opening the Smirnoff, I picked up another bottle of Pinnacle. It's our new regular vodka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boss302 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 has anyone tried Pinnacle? It's a vodka from France that has really caught on as a value buy here. My wife and I tried a bottle (mainly for screwdrivers) and then went back to Smirnoff. After opening the Smirnoff, I picked up another bottle of Pinnacle. It's our new regular vodka.Hi Dean,I haven't had their Vodka, but they make a gin in the UK, and I thought it was quite good.Even though they are technically made in two different countries (I'm guessing vodka filtration in France, botanical steeping in the UK), I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they were derived from the same spirit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean_martin Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Hi Dean,I haven't had their Vodka, but they make a gin in the UK, and I thought it was quite good.Even though they are technically made in two different countries (I'm guessing vodka filtration in France, botanical steeping in the UK), I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they were derived from the same spirit...Appreciate the info. I know nothing about the company. I went into a state store (ABC) and the lady behind the counter mentioned that she couldn't keep the Pinnacle on the shelf. The shelf was empty but I spotted a bottle behind the counter. I asked if she was saving it for someone and she said she didn't realize it was there, so I bought it. It's not bad at all for $12.99 750ml.BTW, that Boss is sweet! We have an '08 GT/California Special. The only problem is the wife drives it most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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