huxley2112

Liquor industry insider here. You are misleading people here with your information.

First, while many labels may be bottled at the same plant from the same 95% NGS, I can guarantee you that there isn't a single one that simply "adds local water" down to 80 proof then bottles it. If they did, it would be painfully obvious (literally). The main difference between brands is the blenders they use to attain the feel and flavor they want. Most common is citric acid because of the Federal tax break bottlers get (FL citrus growers lobby at work). The problem with that is when it is mixed with a cream or cream based liqueur, it curdles. The decent vodkas (or imports, as the tax break is null anyway) will sacrifice the tax burden to use an alternative.

Second example, after blending many vodkas will charcoal filter (add charcoal dust to the blending tank then filter it out through Diatomaceous earth) while another one bottled at the same plant will not in order to keep costs low. Is there a clear cut filtered vodka is better than non filtered? No, but it creates a much different body, flavor and texture if you do. It's all about personal preference of the blender or distiller.

Yes, it is possible to scientifically create a "perfect vodka" as you put it. Guess what? It tastes like shit. Blending down vodka is what makes them all different. I don't know where you got your information, but it is probably from a sales rep trying to get you to cut down your vodka selection in order to place his new product in.

Put any vodka in front of me, and I can tell you if it was blended down from 95% NGS from a column still, or from 100% corn in a pot still.

Having said all that, there is a ton of truth in what you are saying though. Many, many of the "top shelf" vodkas are shit that are in the same quality range as the stuff at your feet, but there are a bunch out there that deserve the proper respect as a quality spirit.

Thank you. The more I read through this AMA, the more I realize OP has just enough knowledge about the industry to be dangerous. he is making false statements all over the place that steer people to the brands he sells.

This is the Liquor version of Rampart.

Nothing wrong with J Blue if that's your thing. It's blended from some of the best and most respected single malts in Scotland, so it is far from shit quality-wise. Aging is just one of many ways to affect a spirit, and you are right to say that just those 6 years in Jameson is very noticeable (although there are a few other differences with the 12 and 18 other than aging if I remember correctly.

The Mythbusters thing was awesome. It didn't show that there is a difference between cheap and expensive, just that charcoal filtering creates a "cleaner" taste (which may or may not be what you like). The guy that tasted through them was able to discern between all levels of filtration though, that's what was amazing.

But remember, all vodkas are the same, so that guy was full of shit.

Seriously though, the difference between shitty and good vodka (notice price isn't mentioned there) is enormous. Personally, there are $40 vodkas that don't stand up to the $15 ones while there are $10 ones that drink like $25 dollar ones. It's all about finding where price and value intersect for you.

Unlike the OP, I'm not here to advertise products. The are out there, it just takes a little testing and finding and not succumbing to the ignorance that "They are all the same". Many of them are the craft distillers that the OP is representing, but even the big bad evil corporations sell some great quality vodkas.

Let your palate be the judge. If the cheap stuff is what you like, drink it.

EDIT: I have found that people who don't have a sensitive enough palate to discern vodkas are often the people who claim that they are all the same. If you like it, drink it. Why does OP care? Oh yeah, he doesn't sell those...

I've heard from atheist 12 steppers that most programs don't care about your belief system at all, and don't actually require "prayer" in the way you are suggesting. Rather it's a surrendering yourself to a power bigger than yourself and focusing on self-reflection and meditation. The program itself isn't mutually exclusive with atheism and addicts who think that it is are just using that as an excuse to continue using.