Stolichnaya Vodka

As expected of vodka, the nose really isn't there. The palate is surprisingly viscous with a spiciness and surprising lightness to it. There's plenty of grain and some sweetness. There's a bit of herbal earthiness that gives it a bitter flavor that is a bit flat and can taste kind of like rubber, but it isn't too bad. The burn is kind of present throughout, so for anyone wanting that alcohol presence, this is a good choice (as opposed to Chopin Wheat, which goes down like water). Oddly, it has some tequila notes with hints of banana and other tropical fruits, but they're very subtle. The spice is unfortunately quite numbing in a way that makes my tongue feel rough and also reminds me of Sichuan peppercorns. It isn't as rich as Chopin Wheat, but it has some more variety to its flavor. This being vodka and therefore extremely mild, I prefer the hedonistic aspects of Chopin Wheat to the greater complexity of Stolichnaya. Both are good choices though. The alcohol bitterness does unfortunately come through in both, but it isn't too bad. This has more hints of gin with its spicy flavor, which could be good in plenty of mixed drinks, but isn't inherently a virtue. I go back and forth on whether this is as good as Chopin Wheat or not. At the end of the day, this is a great choice of vodka.

Smooth with lovely vanilla finish. Great value.