U.S. vs. European Vodka
Essentially, vodkas made in the US are texturally quite different from European vodkas. Usually, European vodkas are have nice aromas and are full of flavor. For instance, Polish vodka is mostly distilled from rye, and that’s kind of similar to rye bread: in the sense that it’s dense, nutty, oily, and heavy. The goal is to have a soft mouth feel. Now, that’s not saying American vodkas are crap. The US started importing vodka during the 1930s. When the James Bond movies arrived in the 60s, the drink rapidly rose to fame. Today there are a number of US-made vodkas that are pretty top-notch. For example, there’s the The Fugu vodka, originally made by the Ballast Point Brewing Company in San Diego (CA). Incidentally, Ballast Point made an impact on the beverage market with its full-flavored ales, such as the Sculpin IPA. At any rate, the colorfully named by the poisonous blowfish, the Fugu vodka is created from diverse grains, while the corn in the mash gives it a unique sweetness, which balances out the palate and allows for a super-clean finish. Oh yeah, and it makes one mean martini vodka.
