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The only vodka I DON'T like is Stolichnaya. If I had unlimited funds, there would be a half-gallon of Ketel One in my freezer. Right now there's a bottle of Georgi.

I've been a Vodka woman for years; 99% of the time it's Smirnoff for me. I'll take Stoli if the bar doesn't carry Smirnoff. That said, I think Luksusowa is fantastic Unfortunately, it's hard to find in my town. that's probobly a good thing. It keeps me from drinking far too much.

Mrs Godstar has been going to Poland a lot on business recently, and is kind enough to bring me plenty of vodka (keeps me subdued enough to not complain about her TV obsessions). There is a real difference to be found - a couple of brands are smooth enough to sip at room temperature, while others are as grim as the main international brands. As yet, I haven't discovered a Ukrainian horilka that is palatable, and the occasional Bulgarian rakia that is pleasant tends to be kerosene next time I buy it - consistency is not a Bulgarian strongpoint. If I may suggest, have something with a little flavour - Balkan plum firewaters can be such fun, my personal favourite so far being Zuta Osa (the yellow wasp) from Serbia. Happy drinking.

The fact that Smirnoff won a taste test blows my mind. I don't know if we get a slightly different variation in Canada, but it tastes like hairspray. A shot in a slurpee makes the slurpee taste like hairspray. It's vile.

Otherwise, I don't notice much difference in the way of flavour. Skyy is nice, but our current choice is Black Stallion, which may not be avaliable outside of Alberta, but it's sipping quality, fairly cheap, and made and bottled in Russia. Can't really beat that.

There is absolutely a difference in Vodkas! But I think the best vodka depends upon what you are going to put in it. Stoli is great for dirty martinis, Ketel One (probably my favorite) is great for fruitier drinks. Well vodka is terrible, and smells like rubbing alcohol, but I think I'll try that Brita Filter, that might do the trick!

I definitely taste a difference when it comes to the flavored vodkas, and I know the minute I take a sip that the bartender goofed and poured Absolut Mandarin instead of Stoli Oranj in my orange and tonic! Same with the pear-flavored; I can't stand the Absolut, but GG Pear on the rocks is my recent favorite drink. When I can find it, that is... So I guess I'm another one of those suckers, but in my case, it has zero to do with advertising. If it was Smirnoff that I liked, I wouldn't care--it comes down to how it tastes!

To be honest, I can't really taste the difference. What I do however is take the cheapest vodka and run it through a brita filter. Then put it in a frozen metal bowl and add a few ice chips and put that in the freezer. The water gets pulled out of the vodka and you are left with the alcohol - which is used in the basis of a lot of drinks. Cheaper than everclear for a cordial base.

I will pass along one story - According to my wife's Russian friends, vodka is not drunk for taste, it is drunk to get drunk. About fifteen years ago before they became popular in my area, I picked up a vodka set (small glasses in a base that holds ice). A Russian executive who was over negotiating a contract with my employer found out through the local community that we were having a party and pointedly asked me about it. I invited him along (decent guy, just out of place) and as soon as he saw me take the set out of the freezer he said "I knew someone in this misbegotten area was civilized" and shot gunned the eight glasses. What astounded me was that they seemed to have no effect!

heard someone from PETA state that lobsters, crabs and crawfish scream when they are dropped in boiling water......how can that be possible since none of them have vocal cords? LondonM, don't know where you live or what your background is but an old cajun agrees with you.