We dined there a week ago and TOTALLY AGREE. This was also THE course that was memorable.

So, FIN ~ CONCLUSION ~ EXTR`EMIT`E ~ END`e! … The World’s Best Premium Vodka tasting got out of hand — “so many vodkas … so little time” — and then there were all those damned OPINIONS to deal with and the threats of physical violence if their cheesy vodka hadn’t made the BIG-BOY-LIST, my knee caps and what was going to happen to them. Not to mention the many … can’t you just tell me who the top ones are, I won’t say a word to anyone…

Anyway there are thousands of opinions and 29 that were repeatedly offered up and worthy enough to make ‘a’ list, (no flavors allowed) tossed, were the $4.00 bottles of local Jet Fuel used in the last NASCAR race that da’ good-OLE-boys thought should `a been `n clewed`ed. The count drop off from the 4th to the 5th was great, so the top 5 actually became the four that are listed but not in the actual order. Four out of thirty v. thousands of votes is good enough and it’s all just “opinions” anyway.
Surprise to me was the originator in the Vodka Pepsi challenge “Stoli 80 proof” was only brought up one time by a guy still stuck living in the early eighty’s but big Stoli’s like 100 – elite – Gold all came up over `n over but never past the midle of the pack.

Me, you say? Well, I enjoy my vodka made from Polish potatoes — I keep it in the freezer and drink her up neat with a manzillian olive stuffed with anchovy (Goya pasteurized olives with anchovy mousse are preferred over non-pasteurized) because of the strong salty fish and brine taste seems to overwhelm the potato finish. The one I enjoy is cheap, relative to the $50 and $100 ones out there and it sounds like the University name where my daughter attends college in Kutztown, Pa., so you figure it out.

Now lost on many was the original question — “WHAT’S the BEST” and not the one you drink or that you may like a lot so my vote for best taste goes to Chopin, but I can buy 4 bottles of my stuff for the same price. I do KEEP BOTH at home.

Does that do it for you? THAT’S MY OPINION!!

~Chopin $40ish – 80 proof, (birthplace of vodka) Polish; distilled from potatoes (smoothest vodka & 1 of the best)
~Belvedere $35 Poland (birthplace of vodka)- 100% Da^kowskie Gold Rye
~Jewel of Russia, Classic $40 – Russian; Birthplace of the last Szar – distilled from hard Russian winter wheat and rye (smooth and delicious)
~ULTIMAT $58 – (birthplace of vodka) Poland; Three Polish vodkas go into Ultimate: potato for richness and body; wheat for light smoothness and rye for flavor **** the bottle is worth $20 bucks alone, LOL
$$$ is aprox.

QUINTESSENTIAL C U I S I N E©
by Wilbur M. Reeling
epicurean raconteur
http://www.WilburMReeling.com