It may not be cheap, but there are very few vodka's on the market that are as smooth as Stoli Elit. A couple may come close, but out of the 20 or so that I've tried, this one is the smoothest, while also not being bland. The nose, while faint, does have pepper, baking spice and lemongrass. The palate is quite oily, with light grain and citrus notes. The finish is incredibly smooth with no burn whatsoever and with a bit of sweetness to close. At this point, this is my highest rated vodka. It is costly, so is it worth the large increase of Absolut Elyx which is probably my second favorite. Maybe not, but if you want to impress your friends and show them the potential of a sipping vodka, this is the bottle to buy.