Cold Gold

Considering that "no taste, no smell," was the pitch used to sell "white whiskey" to a nation of bourbon drinkers, it's a wonder the spirit ever caught on. But the flavorlessness of vodka made it the perfect mixer for orange, tomato and clam juice, as well as for tonic, ginger beer and bouillon. In Straight Up or on the Rocks, a cultural history of American drink, William Grimes cites the theory that vodka found a home on Hollywood soundstages because it allowed stars "to drink on the set and still elude the sharp eyes (and nostrils) of studio spies." Once scorned, "wodka" or "water of life" (as the Poles originally referred to it) has become the best-selling spirit in the world. Furthermore, premium brands such as Stolichnaya Gold and Grey Goose have attained the status of single malt scotches. Almost no one orders just a vodka martini or vodka on the rocks. Drinkers must specify Ketel One, Tanqueray Sterling or one of several dozen other call vodkas on the market. These new spirits are distinguished from "white whiskey" by production factors, including the raw materials from which the vodkas are made (cereals, molasses, potatoes, water), the number of distillations and whether the final filtration process is through charcoal, granite or even diamond dust. Every vodka manufacturer has its formula for perfection, and the differences among brands are often subtle.

From Absolut to Zubrowka

Most American drinkers prefer Western-style vodkas produced in the States and Scandinavia, usually from wheat. Absolut from Sweden is a winner. It's dry and clean with a hint of what professional tasters call "needle"--a tingling sensation that occurs when alcohol "dances" on your tongue. Sundsvall, a Swedish spirit, is perhaps the sweetest of the Western-style vodkas, with a distinct aroma and a lingering taste. Ketel One from Holland is strong, with plenty of needle to remind you of the alcohol.

Rain is a pure, quadruple-distilled American vodka made from organically grown grain and Kentucky limestone water. Each bottle lists the grain's harvest date, and the final filtration is through diamond dust. Some tasters detect a hint of lemon in this exceptionally clean spirit.

Grey Goose is French with little needle or aroma and a hint of citrus. The British gin distiller Tanqueray also produces Tanqueray Sterling--the gentlest 80 proof vodka we've ever sipped. Finlandia (from Finland, of course) is nippy, with a little bite to accompany a strong aroma. Frïs, from Denmark, is decidedly softer, with a slight aftertaste of anise. Skyy from San Francisco is the least peppery. It's smooth with minimal needle and a warm, rich aftertaste.

For something different, try Italian vodka. Mezzaluna's marketing pitch has a little cartoon character, Julius Mezzaluna, pouring freshly distilled alcohol into a pitcher of lemon juice at a party. Mezzaluna is slick and distinctive, as is the tall, asymmetrical bottle it comes in.

The Russians have come a long way from the days when they filtered their vodkas through river sand. Stolichnaya Gold is rich and smooth, and along with the grain taste comes a powerful tingle. The Poles have always made their vodka from rye (a stronger grain than wheat, and one that leaves more flavor in the distillate) and from barley malt and potatoes. Wyborowa is the Jim Beam of Krakow, a sweet rye vodka that's easy to drink and a deserved favorite. The new bottling is Chopin. It's a potato vodka, made in small batches. Chopin is smooth but fierce, not unlike the composer's music. You may want to drink it in the snow to see if it's as warming as it seems. Luksusowa, an 80 proof Polish vodka made from potatoes, is sweet, with surprisingly little bite (though it's 40 percent alcohol). This is also--(concluded on page 169)Cold Gold(continued from page 90) true of 100 proof Smirnoff Black. It's smooth and gentle, almost like a liqueur.

Zubrowka, from Poland, is artificially flavored to taste like the buffalo grass that grows in Poland and Russia. It's a bit harsher than the other vodkas mentioned here, but still distinctive.

How to Drink it

Vodka is best drunk cold. The Western standard has been purity, clarity and tingle, and the cleaner and crisper the taste, the colder you'll want it. These vodkas should be served ice cold in frosted glasses. Russian and Polish vodkas have a residual taste that benefits from even more chilling. Drink vodka on the rocks if you must, but remember that it's already diluted with water to achieve its 80 or 100 proof, and more water just reduces the distinctive tingle.

Vodka was originally drunk from slim, tall cylinders, like miniature champagne flutes. The glasses you use should be clear, with enough stem or solid bottom to keep your hands from warming the liquid. Look for oversize shot glasses, five or six inches tall, heavy and narrow.

The Flavor Factor

What about vodkas flavored with pepper and lemon and currant and orange and anything else you can imagine? They're gin, more or less. Neutral grain spirits with aromatics are what distillers in Holland had in mind when they started adding juniper berries to their nightly tipple. Which isn't to say flavored vodkas aren't enjoyable. The Poles have been drinking Starka--powerful stuff, aged in Tokay barrels and infused with Malaga wine, which leaves it dark and tasty--for generations. But it isn't what most people think of as vodka. Desmond Begg, author of The Vodka Companion, says that if you feel the need to flavor your vodka, do it yourself. The only rule is to be careful not to cloud the vodka. If you like it spicy, steep several chili peppers in your favorite brand. Or try lemon peel, cherry pits or peaches. Or skip the steeping altogether and just add a flavor to your glass. If you love lemon, try a few drops of the Italian liqueur Limoncello.

Vodka Accompaniments

Americans think of vodka primarily as an ingredient in a cocktail. In Baltic countries, especially Russia, it's also a spirit meant to be consumed with rich dishes, the same way drams of scotch often accompany haggis in Scotland.

To really appreciate the finer points of matching vodka to food, make a reservation at one of New York's Russian restaurants. The ultrahip, subterranean Pravda (281 Lafayette) stocks more than 70 vodkas. Choose one to accompany its smoked-fish platter, which consists of sturgeon, trout, mackerel and salmon with blini. Baby baked potatoes served with caviar and crème fraîche, and smoked-salmon and caviar pizzas are also vodka-friendly choices. At Firebird (365 West 46th), buttered blini wrapped around marinated herring, salmon roe and chopped egg are served with ice-cold flutes of premium Stolichnaya. Chef Ari Nieminen pairs the restaurant's honeyed vodka with desserts, such as Russian honeycake, roasted pears filled with Bavarian cream, and strawberry charlotte (a kind of custard and sponge cake).

Petrossian--whose name is synonymous with caviar--has a restaurant at 182 West 58th, where you can choose from 15 or so vodkas to accompany smoked salmon served four different ways: gravlax, Black Sea spiced, sliced paper thin and shaped into rosettes crowned with salmon roe, and as a thick Czar's cut that's as rich as a filet mignon.

Raise Your Glasses

Ray Foley, the publisher of Bartender Magazine, contributed the following recipes for premium vodka cocktails. Try them instead of vodka straight up.

[recipe_title]Skyy Blue Buddha[/recipe_title]

[establishment]301 Sake bar and Restaurant[/establishment]

[city]San Francisco[/city]

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces Skyy vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/8 ounce sake[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces grapefruit juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Splash of blue curaçao[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 ounce lemon juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 ounce lime juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Splash of simple syrup[/drinkRecipe]

Blend everything with ice, pour into tall glass and garnish with orange slice.

[recipe_title]Sonic Gold[/recipe_title]

[establishment]C3 Restaurant and Lounge[/establishment]

[city]New York[/city]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 ounces Stolichnaya Gold[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 ounces Campari[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Splash of cranberry juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Splash of tonic[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Soda water to fill glass[/drinkRecipe]

Pour all ingredients except soda over ice in tall glass. Fill glass with soda. Stir and garnish with orange slice.

[recipe_title]Cinnamon Toast[/recipe_title]

[establishment]Observatory Hotel[/establishment]

[city]Sydney, Australia[/city]

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces Absolut vodka, chilled[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/4 ounce cinnamon schnapps[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 cinnamon stick[/drinkRecipe]

Swirl schnapps in martini glass and pour out excess. Pour Absolut into glass, stir with cinnamon stick and serve.

[recipe_title]Hotzini[/recipe_title]

[establishment]Charleston Place Hotel[/establishment]

[city]Charleston, South Carolina[/city]

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces Ketel One vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 serrano pepper[/drinkRecipe]

Prick five to ten pinholes in pepper. Stir Ketel One and pepper in cocktail shaker and chill. Strain into chilled martini glass and add pepper.

Where & How To Buy on Page 151.