Tito's Handmade Vodka

I know there are those of you out there who read the title and thought, "a Vodka post? I'm never drinking that stuff again. That one night in college ruined it for me forever!" That's an unfortunate situation but hopefully you can move past it like we all have with one liquor or another at some point in our lives (tequila anyone?). Point being, if you want to give Vodka a try again you would have to go pretty far to beat this in terms of taste and value.

The interesting part of it all is that it's made in Austin, TX. Not France or Russia or some other far flung place but here in the states. The guy who started it all, Tito, is a classic case study in hard work paying off and we get to reap the rewards of all his hard work.

But the taste is where it shines.  See my notes after the break...

Tasting Notes: 
Go find a vodka in your house, open it up and what do you smell? That sorta nail-polish, rubbing alcohol smell that lingers in your nose way longer than you would like it to. The fact that Tito's has basically eliminated that smell speaks volumes to the taste about to follow. It's a very clean taste with a touch of sweetness and corn up front with a hint of potato that leaves with a woody, herbal finish. Most important is that it's smooth from start to finish. You don't need to cover up the taste with any mixers as it's fine by itself, a product of being distilled six times before bottled. Try it straight up, on the rocks or with a splash of water but just try it as this is a Double Gold Winner from Texas of all places.

So in regards to my previous quote above, I would give this to a recovering vodka-holic, burnt out by too many bad vodkas, or a vodka snob and feel confident that I am serving them something simple, smooth and pure. Plus, at this price the only thing that could come close is almost double what you'll pay for this great Vodka.

Rating: 95
Price: ~$21